Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW / LTFJ) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Pendik, Istanbul, Türkiye
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen
SAW/LTFJ
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 03:18 local
- Active runway
- 06R / 06L
- METAR wind
- 40° @ 10 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 06R - sunny side
- Sun
- 61° / -47°
Wind vector · +9 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 4h 11m
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Best Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR40° @ 10 kt
13°C · 10+ km · 1014 hPa
BKN025 BKN100
Sunrise in 4h 11m
Runway alerts for Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen 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 SAW, 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 06R - sunny side Runway 06R | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 06L - sunny side Runway 06L | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 06R / 06L · Dep 06R / 06L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06R | 64° | 11,614 ft | +9.1 kt | 4.1 kt | Both |
| 24L | 244° | 11,614 ft | -9.1 kt | 4.1 kt | Standby |
| 06L | 64° | 9,843 ft | +9.1 kt | 4.1 kt | Both |
| 24R | 244° | 9,843 ft | -9.1 kt | 4.1 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (LTFJ)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.800 | Published |
| Approach | 121.400 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.250 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.580 | Published |
| Ground | 121.750 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.950 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 130.250 | 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 Sabiha Gökçen (SAW/LTFJ)
Which runway is active at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW/LTFJ) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 03:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 06R+06L. The METAR wind is 40° at 10 kt. 06R shows +9.1 kt headwind and 4.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 06R - sunny side scores 76/100, 1234 m from runway 06R, view bearing 34.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 20°. Short final 06R - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 34.7° 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 Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW/LTFJ) 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 06R - sunny side, Short final 06L - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 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 LTFJ spotting locations?
LTFJ spotting locations sun direction: Short final 06R - sunny side (runway 06R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 06L - sunny side (runway 06L) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)?
Short final 06R - sunny side is 1233 m from the 06R 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 Sabiha Gökçen (LTFJ)?
Monitor Tower 118.8 MHz, Ground 121.58 MHz, ATIS 130.25 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 118.8 MHz.
How do I know when Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 40° at 10 kt, so 06R 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/LTFJ#runway-alerts