M. R. Štefánik Airport (BTS / LZIB) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Bratislava, Slovakia
M. R. Štefánik
BTS/LZIB
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 00:45 local
- Active runway
- 31
- METAR wind
- 330° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 31 - sunny side
- Sun
- 28° / -52°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 5h 46m
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Best M. R. Štefánik (BTS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR330° @ 3 kt
3°C · 10+ km · 1023 hPa
CAVOK
Sunrise in 5h 46m
Runway alerts for M. R. Štefánik 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 BTS, 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 31 - sunny side Runway 31 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 31 · Dep 31
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 134° | 10,466 ft | -2.9 kt | 0.8 kt | Standby |
| 31 | 314° | 10,466 ft | +2.9 kt | 0.8 kt | Both |
| 04 | 44° | 9,515 ft | +0.8 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
| 22 | 224° | 9,515 ft | -0.8 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for M. R. Štefánik (LZIB)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 120.900 | Published |
| Departure | 126.175 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.825 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.075 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 128.650 | 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 M. R. Štefánik (BTS/LZIB)
Which runway is active at M. R. Štefánik (BTS/LZIB) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 00:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 31. The METAR wind is 330° at 3 kt. 31 shows +2.9 kt headwind and 0.8 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at M. R. Štefánik (BTS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 126° azimuth and 12° elevation. Short final 31 - sunny side scores 92/100, 1233 m from runway 31, view bearing 284.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 243° and 5°. Short final 31 - sunny side scores 81/100 on a 343.3° 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 M. R. Štefánik Airport?
The best time to plane spot at M. R. Štefánik Airport (BTS/LZIB) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 31 - sunny side. 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 LZIB spotting locations?
LZIB spotting locations sun direction: Short final 31 - sunny side (runway 31) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at M. R. Štefánik (BTS)?
Short final 31 - sunny side is 1233 m from the 31 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 M. R. Štefánik (LZIB)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Approach 120.9 MHz, ATIS 128.65 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when M. R. Štefánik (BTS) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 3 kt, so 31 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/LZIB#runway-alerts