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Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH / LGAV) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor

Live METAR wind (80° at 4 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 03R+03L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport.

METAR/TAF WIND VECTOR PREDICTION$3/mo runway-shift alerts

Which runway is active at Athens (ATH) right now?

As of Mon 26 Oct, 15:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 03R+03L. The METAR wind is 80° at 4 kt. 03R shows +2.9 kt headwind and 2.7 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 15:43.

EndTrue hdgLengthHeadwindCrosswindRole
03R37°13,123 ft+2.9 kt2.7 ktLanding + departure
21L217°13,123 ft-2.9 kt2.7 ktStandby
03L37°12,467 ft+2.9 kt2.7 ktLanding + departure
21R217°12,467 ft-2.9 kt2.7 ktStandby

METAR LGAV 261320Z 08004KT 060V120 4000 -RA SCT012 BKN025 17/15 Q1009 NOSIG

CLEAN FRONT LIGHT

Live weather

IFR

80° @ 4 kt

17°C · 2.5 SM · 1009 hPa

SCT012 BKN025

Front-lit sector

Backlight / glare cone

Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks

Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.

Mon 26 Oct, 15:43Az 236° · El 19°Golden hour in 1h 14m
+0h local

Best Athens (ATH) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle

Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.

  1. Short final 03R - sunny side

    Calculated perimeter

    Score 94/100

    Short final 03R - sunny side sits 1233 m from the 03R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 65.8°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.

    Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.

    1233 m to centerline
    65.8° view bearing
    Best sun: Afternoon 16:00–17:00
    150-600mm

    Now: Frontlit

    Google Maps navigation
  2. Short final 03L - sunny side

    Calculated perimeter

    Score 94/100

    Short final 03L - sunny side sits 1233 m from the 03L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 65.8°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.

    Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.

    1233 m to centerline
    65.8° view bearing
    Best sun: Afternoon 16:00–17:00
    150-600mm

    Now: Frontlit

    Google Maps navigation
Suggest a local spot / fence tip

Know a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.

Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Athens (LGAV)

Zero-Delay Fence Audio

Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 136.275 MHz. D-ATIS is 136.125 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1233 m from 03R, bring a 150-600mm lens.

  • Sony FE 200-600mm

    Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.

    Search this gear
  • Uniden Bearcat BC125AT

    Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.

    Search this gear
  • FlightAware Pro Stick

    USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.

    Search this gear

Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Athens (ATH/LGAV)

Which runway is active at Athens (ATH/LGAV) right now?

As of Mon 26 Oct, 15:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 03R+03L. The METAR wind is 80° at 4 kt. 03R shows +2.9 kt headwind and 2.7 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.

Where is the best place to plane spot at Athens (ATH) in the morning vs. afternoon?

At 08:00 local the sun is at 117° azimuth and 13° elevation. Short final 03R - sunny side scores 83/100, 1234 m from runway 03R, view bearing 7.3°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 239° and 16°. Short final 03R - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 65.8° 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 lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Athens (ATH)?

Short final 03R - sunny side is 1233 m from the 03R 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 Athens (LGAV)?

Monitor Tower 136.275 MHz, Ground 121.75 MHz, Approach 126.575 MHz, ATIS 136.125 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 136.275 MHz.

How do I know when Athens (ATH) switches active runways?

No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 80° at 4 kt, so 03R 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/LGAV#runway-alerts

Telegram Runway-Shift Alerts · $3/mo

Get a Telegram ping when Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.

$3/mo · Instant Telegram ping 60 min before a forecast wind shift flips the active runway, plus golden-hour reminders.

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