Faro - Gago Coutinho International Airport (FAO / LPFR) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Faro, Portugal
Faro - Gago Coutinho
FAO/LPFR
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 22:46 local
- Active runway
- 28
- METAR wind
- 340° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 28 - sunny side
- Sun
- 314° / -59°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when LPFR flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Faro - Gago Coutinho (FAO) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR340° @ 6 kt
18°C · 10+ km · 1022 hPa
CAVOK
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Faro - Gago Coutinho 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 FAO, 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 28 - sunny side Runway 28 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-09:00 local. Avoid 14:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 28 · Dep 28
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 100° | 8,169 ft | -3.0 kt | 5.2 kt | Standby |
| 28 | 280° | 8,169 ft | +3.0 kt | 5.2 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Faro - Gago Coutinho (LPFR)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.200 | Published |
| Approach | 119.400 | Published |
| Departure | 125.350 | Assigned |
| Ground | 118.575 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.250 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 124.200 | 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 Faro - Gago Coutinho (FAO/LPFR)
Which runway is active at Faro - Gago Coutinho (FAO/LPFR) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 22:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 28. The METAR wind is 340° at 6 kt. 28 shows +3.0 kt headwind and 5.2 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Faro - Gago Coutinho (FAO) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 116° azimuth and 12° elevation. Short final 28 - sunny side scores 93/100, 1234 m from runway 28, view bearing 309.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 238° and 18°. Short final 28 - sunny side scores 75/100 on a 309.3° 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 Faro - Gago Coutinho International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Faro - Gago Coutinho International Airport (FAO/LPFR) 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 LPFR spotting locations?
LPFR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 28 - sunny side (runway 28) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-09:00 local. Avoid 14:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Faro - Gago Coutinho (FAO)?
Short final 28 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 28 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 Faro - Gago Coutinho (LPFR)?
Monitor Tower 118.2 MHz, Ground 118.575 MHz, Approach 119.4 MHz, ATIS 124.2 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 118.2 MHz.
How do I know when Faro - Gago Coutinho (FAO) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 340° at 6 kt, so 28 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/LPFR#runway-alerts