Chania International Airport (CHQ / LGSA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Souda, Greece
Chania
CHQ/LGSA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 23:07 local
- Active runway
- 11
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 11 - sunny side
- Sun
- 326° / -64°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when LGSA flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Chania (CHQ) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRCALM
15°C · 10+ km · 1011 hPa
FEW016 SCT025 BKN080
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Chania International 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 CHQ, 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 11 - sunny side Runway 11 | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 16:00-17:00. Avoid 07:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 11 · Dep 11
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 111° | 10,982 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 29 | 291° | 10,982 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Chania (LGSA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 121.100 | Published |
| Approach | 118.125 | Published |
| Departure | 124.375 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.275 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 133.475 | Assigned |
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 Chania (CHQ/LGSA)
Which runway is active at Chania (CHQ/LGSA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 23:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 11. The METAR wind is calm. 11 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 Chania (CHQ) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 117° azimuth and 14° elevation. Short final 11 - sunny side scores 69/100, 1234 m from runway 11, view bearing 81.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 240° and 17°. Short final 11 - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 81.7° 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 Chania International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Chania International Airport (CHQ/LGSA) 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 1 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 LGSA spotting locations?
LGSA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 11 - sunny side (runway 11) 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: 16:00-17:00. Avoid 07:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Chania (CHQ)?
Short final 11 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 11 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 Chania (LGSA)?
Monitor Tower 121.1 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 118.125 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 121.1 MHz.
How do I know when Chania (CHQ) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 11 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/LGSA#runway-alerts