Ankara, Türkiye
Live METAR wind (VRB at 2 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 03R+03L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Esenboğa International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 16:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 03R+03L. The METAR wind is variable at 2 kt. 03R is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 16:41.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03R | 35° | 12,303 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 21L | 215° | 12,303 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 03L | 36° | 11,125 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 21R | 216° | 11,125 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
METAR LTAC 261320Z 26002KT 9999 FEW040 BKN180 19/05 Q1015 NOSIG RMK RWY21C 25002KT RWY03L 26002KT RWY21R 23002KT RWY03R VRB01KT RWY21L 24003KT
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 2 kt
19°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1015 hPa
FEW040 BKN180
Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
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.
Short final 03L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 96/100
Short final 03L - sunny side sits 974 m from the 03R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 65.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 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.
Now: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationShort final 03R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 95/100
Short final 03R - sunny side sits 1233 m from the 03R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 64.6°. 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.
Now: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationKnow a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
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 118.1 MHz. D-ATIS is 123.6 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 974 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 gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Mon 26 Oct, 16:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 03R+03L. The METAR wind is variable at 2 kt. 03R is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 114° azimuth and 8° elevation. Short final 03L - sunny side scores 84/100, 846 m from runway 03R, view bearing 6.7°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 234° and 19°. Short final 03L - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 65.2° 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.
Short final 03L - sunny side is 974 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.
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 119.1 MHz, ATIS 123.6 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 118.1 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 2 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/LTAC#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Esenboğa International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.