Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS / LFLL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône, France
Lyon Saint-Exupéry
LYS/LFLL
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 00:44 local
- Active runway
- 17R / 17L
- METAR wind
- VRB @ 2 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 17R - sunny side
- Sun
- 9° / -57°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 6h 30m
NightWant a Telegram ping when LFLL flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFRVRB @ 2 kt
13°C · 10+ km · 1023 hPa
BKN028
Sunrise in 6h 30m
Runway alerts for Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at LYS, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short final 17R - sunny side Runway 17R | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 17L - sunny side Runway 17L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 12:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 17R / 17L · Dep 17R / 17L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17R | 175° | 13,124 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 35L | 355° | 13,124 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 17L | 175° | 8,760 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 35R | 355° | 8,760 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LFLL)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.450 | Published |
| Approach | 120.550 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.300 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.825 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.500 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 126.175 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS/LFLL)
Which runway is active at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS/LFLL) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 00:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 17R+17L. The METAR wind is variable at 2 kt. 17R is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 116° azimuth and 7° elevation. Short final 17L - sunny side scores 78/100, 1234 m from runway 17L, view bearing 204.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 234° and 14°. Short final 17R - sunny side scores 79/100 on a 145.7° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS/LFLL) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at LFLL spotting locations?
LFLL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 17R - sunny side (runway 17R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 17L - sunny side (runway 17L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 12:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS)?
Short final 17R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 17R centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LFLL)?
Monitor Tower 120.45 MHz, Ground 121.825 MHz, ATIS 126.175 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 120.45 MHz.
How do I know when Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 2 kt, so 17R remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/LFLL#runway-alerts