Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Live METAR wind (130° at 13 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 09+08), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Punta Cana International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 09:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 09+08. The METAR wind is 130° at 13 kt. 09 shows +8.9 kt headwind and 9.5 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 09:40.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | 74° | 10,171 ft | +7.3 kt | 10.8 kt | Landing + departure |
| 26 | 254° | 10,171 ft | -7.3 kt | 10.8 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 83° | 10,171 ft | +8.9 kt | 9.5 kt | Landing + departure |
| 27 | 263° | 10,171 ft | -8.9 kt | 9.5 kt | Standby |
METAR MDPC 261300Z 13013KT 9999 FEW020 30/25 Q1013
Live weather
VFR130° @ 13 kt
30°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1013 hPa
FEW020
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 08 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 77/100
Short final 08 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 08 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 44.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 14:00–15:00 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: Side light
Google Maps navigationShort final 09 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 76/100
Short final 09 - sunny side sits 1092 m from the 08 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 53.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 15:00–16:00 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: Side light
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 118.8 MHz. D-ATIS is 132.85 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 08, 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, 09:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 09+08. The METAR wind is 130° at 13 kt. 09 shows +8.9 kt headwind and 9.5 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 19° elevation. Short final 08 - sunny side scores 74/100, 1234 m from runway 08, view bearing 44.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 245° and 27°. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 53.7° 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.
Short final 08 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 08 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 118.8 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 119.3 MHz, ATIS 132.85 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.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 130° at 13 kt, so 09 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/MDPC#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Punta Cana International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.