Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Live METAR wind (120° at 4 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 15L+15R), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for King Khalid International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 19:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 15L+15R. The METAR wind is 120° at 4 kt. 15L shows +3.5 kt headwind and 2.0 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 19:48.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15L | 150° | 13,796 ft | +3.5 kt | 2.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 33R | 330° | 13,796 ft | -3.5 kt | 2.0 kt | Standby |
| 15R | 150° | 13,796 ft | +3.5 kt | 2.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 33L | 330° | 13,796 ft | -3.5 kt | 2.0 kt | Standby |
METAR OERK 261600Z 12004KT CAVOK 30/00 Q1017 NOSIG
Live weather
VFR120° @ 4 kt
30°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1017 hPa
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Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Short final 15L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 66/100
Short final 15L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 15L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 120.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Night / Low light
Google Maps navigationShort final 15R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 66/100
Short final 15R - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 15R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 120.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Night / Low light
Google Maps navigationKnow a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Best time to plane spot at King Khalid International Airport (RUH / OERK): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 24.958, longitude 46.699, and the Asia/Riyadh clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 15L - sunny side Runway 15L | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Short final 15R - sunny side Runway 15R | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 118.6 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.15 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 15L, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Mon 26 Oct, 19:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 15L+15R. The METAR wind is 120° at 4 kt. 15L shows +3.5 kt headwind and 2.0 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 119° azimuth and 25° elevation. Short final 15L - sunny side scores 73/100, 1234 m from runway 15L, view bearing 179.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 248° and 16°. Short final 15L - sunny side scores 86/100 on a 120.7° 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.
The best time to plane spot at King Khalid International Airport (RUH/OERK) 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 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.
OERK spotting locations sun direction: Short final 15L - sunny side (runway 15L) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 15R - sunny side (runway 15R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 15L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 15L 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.
Monitor Tower 118.6 MHz, Ground 121.6 MHz, Approach 120.0 MHz, ATIS 127.15 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 118.6 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 120° at 4 kt, so 15L 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/OERK#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when King Khalid International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.