Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM / MWCR) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
George Town, Cayman Islands
Owen Roberts
GCM/MWCR
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 20:36 local
- Active runway
- 26
- METAR wind
- 350° @ 5 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 26 - sunny side
- Sun
- 269° / -39°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when MWCR flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Owen Roberts (GCM) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR350° @ 5 kt
28°C · 10+ km · 1012 hPa
FEW020
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Owen Roberts 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 GCM, 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 26 - sunny side Runway 26 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 26 · Dep 26
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | 81° | 7,867 ft | -0.1 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 26 | 261° | 7,867 ft | +0.1 kt | 5.0 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Owen Roberts (MWCR)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.000 | Published |
| Approach | 120.325 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.475 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.575 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 132.350 | 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 Owen Roberts (GCM/MWCR)
Which runway is active at Owen Roberts (GCM/MWCR) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 26. The METAR wind is 350° at 5 kt. 26 shows +0.1 kt headwind and 5.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Owen Roberts (GCM) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 21° elevation. Short final 26 - sunny side scores 95/100, 1234 m from runway 26, view bearing 290.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 245° and 25°. Short final 26 - sunny side scores 70/100 on a 290.3° 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 Owen Roberts International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM/MWCR) 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 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 MWCR spotting locations?
MWCR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 26 - sunny side (runway 26) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Owen Roberts (GCM)?
Short final 26 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 26 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 Owen Roberts (MWCR)?
Monitor Tower 118.0 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 132.35 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 118.0 MHz.
How do I know when Owen Roberts (GCM) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 350° at 5 kt, so 26 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/MWCR#runway-alerts