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Explore retired aircraft skin tags ->Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY / OLBA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut Rafic Hariri
BEY/OLBA
Updated Thu 29 Oct, 08:13 local
- Active runway
- 03
- METAR wind
- Unavailable
- Best spot
- Short final 03 - sunny side
- Sun
- 128° / 25°
Landing: 03 17% · 16 17% · 21 17% · 34 17% · 17 16% · 35 16% · Wind vector · headwind 0.0 kt
Category n/a
Side-lit
Golden hour in 8h 3m
Departure: 03 17% · 16 17% · 21 17% · 34 17% · 17 16% · 35 16%
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when OLBA flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Live METAR was unavailable, so the wind vector assumes calm air and prefers the longer runways.
Best Beirut Rafic Hariri (BEY) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
Unavailable
- · - · -
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Landing: 03 17% · 16 17% · 21 17% · 34 17% · 17 16% · 35 16%
Departure: 03 17% · 16 17% · 21 17% · 34 17% · 17 16% · 35 16%
Sunrise · Sunset
Az 128° · El 25°Side light
Sunrise
05:55
Sunset
16:50
Live · Auto-updatingThu 29 Oct, 08:13 localAz 128° · El 25°Side-lit
Golden hour in 8h 3m
+0h
Historical Runway Split & Wind Reliability
Prevailing flow: 96% · 03: 4%
Dominant wind sector N · 1 live logged observation
Prevailing flow 96%
03 4%
Live flight board
Alert me on Telegram for Rare Heavies at OLBAPast Arrivals
Free · up to 10No landed arrivals recorded in the current radar window for OLBA.
Next Arrivals
Free #1 · Pro 2-10No inbound arrivals inside the 25 NM radar ring right now.
Unlock Arrivals #2 to #10 & Live Runway Odds
Past Departures
Free · up to 10No departures recorded in the current radar window for OLBA.
Next Departures
Free #1 · Pro 2-10No taxiing departures inside the 25 NM radar ring right now.
Unlock Departures #2 to #10 & Live Runway Odds
Runway alerts for Beirut Rafic Hariri 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 BEY, 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 03 - sunny side Runway 03 | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 03 · Dep 03
Landing: 03 17% · 16 17% · 21 17% · 34 17% · 17 16% · 35 16%
Departure: 03 17% · 16 17% · 21 17% · 34 17% · 17 16% · 35 16%
TAF at Thu 29 Oct, 14:00 shifts the wind to 220° at 15 kt, favoring 21 in about 5.8 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | 33° | 12,467 ft | 0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 21 | 213° | 12,467 ft | 0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 16 | 166° | 11,138 ft | 0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 34 | 346° | 11,138 ft | 0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 17 | 177° | 10,663 ft | 0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 35 | 357° | 10,663 ft | 0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Beirut Rafic Hariri (OLBA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.900 | Verified |
| Approach | 120.300 | Verified |
| Ground | 121.900 | Verified |
| ATIS | 120.600 | Verified |
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 pageYour brand on OLBA
One sponsor card on the OLBA live map. $85/mo, shown to spotters after they check the runway.
Sponsor OLBA ($85/mo) ->Alerts: $3/mo or $29/yr Pro for 45-minute Telegram runway and exceptional-flight pings. Partner links may earn a commission.
Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Beirut Rafic Hariri (BEY/OLBA)
Which runway is active at Beirut Rafic Hariri (BEY/OLBA) right now?
As of the latest cycle local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 03. The METAR wind is unavailable. 03 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 Beirut Rafic Hariri (BEY) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 125° azimuth and 23° elevation. Short final 03 - sunny side scores 85/100, 1234 m from runway 03, view bearing 3.6°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 247° and 9°. Short final 03 - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 62.1° 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 Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY/OLBA) 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 location. 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 OLBA spotting locations?
OLBA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 03 - sunny side (runway 03) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Beirut Rafic Hariri (BEY)?
Short final 03 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 03 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 Beirut Rafic Hariri (OLBA)?
Monitor Tower 118.9 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 120.3 MHz, ATIS 120.6 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 118.9 MHz.
How do I know when Beirut Rafic Hariri (BEY) switches active runways?
TAF at Thu 29 Oct, 14:00 shifts the wind to 220° at 15 kt, favoring 21 in about 5.8 hours. 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/OLBA#runway-alerts
How is Plane Spotter's Live funded? Do you use affiliate or sponsor links?
Plane Spotter's Live is independent and free to use. To cover live weather, radar, and hosting costs without intrusive popups or display ads, we offer optional $3/mo Telegram runway flip alerts, one quiet $85/mo sponsor slot per airport, and selected partner referral links (such as Aviationtag retired aircraft skin tags, telephoto lens rentals, VHF airband scanners, and runway-view airport hotels). If you purchase through a partner link, we may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.