Sangster International Airport (MBJ / MKJS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Sangster
MBJ/MKJS
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:48 local
- Active runway
- 25
- METAR wind
- 240° @ 11 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 25 - sunny side
- Sun
- 246° / 25°
Wind vector · +11 kt headwind
VFR
Backlit
Golden hour in 1h 24m
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Best Sangster (MBJ) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR240° @ 11 kt
32°C · 10+ km · 1009 hPa
FEW022
Golden hour in 1h 24m
Runway alerts for Sangster 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 MBJ, 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 25 - sunny side Runway 25 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 25 · Dep 25
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07 | 66° | 10,039 ft | -10.9 kt | 1.1 kt | Standby |
| 25 | 246° | 10,039 ft | +10.9 kt | 1.1 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Sangster (MKJS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.750 | Published |
| Approach | 120.800 | Published |
| Departure | 125.725 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.525 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.900 | 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 Sangster (MBJ/MKJS)
Which runway is active at Sangster (MBJ/MKJS) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 25. The METAR wind is 240° at 11 kt. 25 shows +10.9 kt headwind and 1.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Sangster (MBJ) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 114° azimuth and 24° elevation. Short final 25 - sunny side scores 92/100, 1234 m from runway 25, view bearing 275.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 247° and 22°. Short final 25 - sunny side scores 68/100 on a 216.8° 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 Sangster International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Sangster International Airport (MBJ/MKJS) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 25 - 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 1 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 MKJS spotting locations?
MKJS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 25 - sunny side (runway 25) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Sangster (MBJ)?
Short final 25 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 25 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 Sangster (MKJS)?
Monitor Tower 118.75 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 120.8 MHz, ATIS 127.9 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 118.75 MHz.
How do I know when Sangster (MBJ) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 240° at 11 kt, so 25 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/MKJS#runway-alerts