Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU / MMSM) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Mexico City, Mexico
Felipe Ángeles
NLU/MMSM
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:37 local
- Active runway
- 04C / 04L / 04R
- METAR wind
- 10° @ 10 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 04C - sunny side
- Sun
- 248° / 19°
Wind vector · +8 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 58m
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Best Felipe Ángeles (NLU) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR10° @ 10 kt
22°C · 8 sm · 1025 hPa
SCT020
Golden hour in 58m
Runway alerts for Felipe Ángeles 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 NLU, 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 04C - sunny side Runway 04C | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 04L - sunny side Runway 04L | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 04C / 04L / 04R · Dep 04C / 04L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04C | 45° | 14,764 ft | +8.2 kt | 5.7 kt | Both |
| 22C | 225° | 14,764 ft | -8.2 kt | 5.7 kt | Standby |
| 04L | 45° | 14,764 ft | +8.2 kt | 5.7 kt | Both |
| 22R | 225° | 14,764 ft | -8.2 kt | 5.7 kt | Standby |
| 04R | 45° | 11,483 ft | +8.2 kt | 5.7 kt | Landing |
| 22L | 225° | 11,483 ft | -8.2 kt | 5.7 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Felipe Ángeles (MMSM)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.250 | Published |
| Approach | 120.750 | Assigned |
| Departure | 124.800 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.875 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.400 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.700 | 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 Felipe Ángeles (NLU/MMSM)
Which runway is active at Felipe Ángeles (NLU/MMSM) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:26 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 04C+04L+04R, departure 04C+04L. The METAR wind is 10° at 10 kt. 04C shows +8.2 kt headwind and 5.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Felipe Ángeles (NLU) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 18° elevation. Short final 04L - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 04L, view bearing 15.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 243° and 27°. Short final 04C - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 74.2° 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 Felipe Ángeles International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU/MMSM) 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 04C - sunny side, Short final 04L - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 2 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 MMSM spotting locations?
MMSM spotting locations sun direction: Short final 04C - sunny side (runway 04C) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 04L - sunny side (runway 04L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Felipe Ángeles (NLU)?
Short final 04C - sunny side is 1234 m from the 04C 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 Felipe Ángeles (MMSM)?
Monitor Tower 118.25 MHz, ATIS 127.7 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 118.25 MHz.
How do I know when Felipe Ángeles (NLU) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 10° at 10 kt, so 04C 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/MMSM#runway-alerts