Tocumen International Airport (PTY / MPTO) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Tocumen, Panama
Tocumen
PTY/MPTO
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 17:09 local
- Active runway
- 21L / 21R
- METAR wind
- 290° @ 9 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 21L - sunny side
- Sun
- 255° / 10°
Wind vector · +1 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 20m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when MPTO flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Tocumen (PTY) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR290° @ 9 kt
28°C · 10+ km · 1011 hPa
SCT018 BKN090
Golden hour in 20m
Runway alerts for Tocumen 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 PTY, 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 21L - sunny side Runway 21L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 21R - sunny side Runway 21R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 21L / 21R · Dep 21L / 21R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03R | 30° | 10,006 ft | -1.5 kt | 8.9 kt | Standby |
| 21L | 210° | 10,006 ft | +1.5 kt | 8.9 kt | Both |
| 03L | 31° | 8,800 ft | -1.7 kt | 8.8 kt | Standby |
| 21R | 211° | 8,800 ft | +1.7 kt | 8.8 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Tocumen (MPTO)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 119.700 | Published |
| Departure | 124.850 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.800 | Published |
| ATIS | 135.300 | Assigned |
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 Tocumen (PTY/MPTO)
Which runway is active at Tocumen (PTY/MPTO) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 17:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 21L+21R. The METAR wind is 290° at 9 kt. 21L shows +1.5 kt headwind and 8.9 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Tocumen (PTY) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 109° azimuth and 26° elevation. Short final 21R - sunny side scores 87/100, 1234 m from runway 21R, view bearing 240.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 251° and 27°. Short final 21L - sunny side scores 75/100 on a 180.3° 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 Tocumen International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Tocumen International Airport (PTY/MPTO) 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: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. 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 MPTO spotting locations?
MPTO spotting locations sun direction: Short final 21L - sunny side (runway 21L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 21R - sunny side (runway 21R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Tocumen (PTY)?
Short final 21L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 21L 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 Tocumen (MPTO)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 119.7 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 118.1 MHz.
How do I know when Tocumen (PTY) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 290° at 9 kt, so 21L 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/MPTO#runway-alerts