Kabul International Airport (KBL / OAKB) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Kabul, Afghanistan
Kabul
KBL/OAKB
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 04:15 local
- Active runway
- 11
- METAR wind
- Unavailable
- Best spot
- Short final 11 - sunny side
- Sun
- 89° / -24°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
Category n/a
Night
Sunrise in 1h 55m
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Live METAR was unavailable, so the wind vector assumes calm air and prefers the longer runways.
Best Kabul (KBL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
Unavailable
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Sunrise in 1h 55m
Runway alerts for Kabul 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 KBL, 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 11 - sunny side Runway 11 | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 16:00. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 11 · Dep 11
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 107° | 11,483 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 29 | 287° | 11,483 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Kabul (OAKB)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 129.400 | Published |
| Approach | 131.600 | Published |
| Departure | 126.675 | Assigned |
| Ground | 120.300 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.975 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 133.575 | 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 Kabul (KBL/OAKB)
Which runway is active at Kabul (KBL/OAKB) right now?
As of the latest cycle local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 11. The METAR wind is unavailable. 11 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Kabul (KBL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 123° azimuth and 20° elevation. Short final 11 - sunny side scores 70/100, 1234 m from runway 11, view bearing 77.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 245° and 12°. Short final 11 - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 77.7° 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.
What is the best time to plane spot at Kabul International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Kabul International Airport (KBL/OAKB) 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 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 OAKB spotting locations?
OAKB spotting locations sun direction: Short final 11 - sunny side (runway 11) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 16:00. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Kabul (KBL)?
Short final 11 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 11 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 Kabul (OAKB)?
Monitor Tower 129.4 MHz, Ground 120.3 MHz, Approach 131.6 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 129.4 MHz.
How do I know when Kabul (KBL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near unavailable, so 11 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/OAKB#runway-alerts