İstanbul Atatürk Airport (ISL / LTBA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Istanbul(Bakırköy), Türkiye
Istanbul Ataturk
ISL/LTBA
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 03:39 local
- Active runway
- 05
- METAR wind
- 10° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 05 - sunny side
- Sun
- 65° / -43°
Wind vector · +4 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 3h 52m
NightWant a Telegram ping when LTBA flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Istanbul Ataturk (ISL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR10° @ 6 kt
14°C · 10+ km · 1014 hPa
BKN026
Sunrise in 3h 52m
Runway alerts for İstanbul Atatürk 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 ISL, 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 05 - sunny side Runway 05 | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 05 · Dep 05
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 59° | 8,530 ft | +3.9 kt | 4.5 kt | Both |
| 23 | 239° | 8,530 ft | -3.9 kt | 4.5 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Istanbul Ataturk (LTBA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.500 | Published |
| Departure | 125.975 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.800 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.700 | Published |
| ATIS | 128.200 | 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 Istanbul Ataturk (ISL/LTBA)
Which runway is active at Istanbul Ataturk (ISL/LTBA) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 03:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 05. The METAR wind is 10° at 6 kt. 05 shows +3.9 kt headwind and 4.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Istanbul Ataturk (ISL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 4° elevation. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 77/100, 1234 m from runway 05, view bearing 29.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 230° and 20°. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 29.7° 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 İstanbul Atatürk Airport?
The best time to plane spot at İstanbul Atatürk Airport (ISL/LTBA) 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: Short final 05 - sunny side. 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 LTBA spotting locations?
LTBA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05 - sunny side (runway 05) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Istanbul Ataturk (ISL)?
Short final 05 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 05 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 Istanbul Ataturk (LTBA)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, Approach 120.5 MHz, ATIS 128.2 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 118.1 MHz.
How do I know when Istanbul Ataturk (ISL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 10° at 6 kt, so 05 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/LTBA#runway-alerts