Islamabad International Airport (ISB / OPIS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Attock, Pakistan
Islamabad
ISB/OPIS
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 03:47 local
- Active runway
- 10L / 10R
- METAR wind
- 130° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 10L - sunny side
- Sun
- 83° / -33°
Wind vector · +5 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 2h 38m
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Best Islamabad (ISB) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR130° @ 6 kt
13°C · 3.1 sm · 1018 hPa
NSC
Sunrise in 2h 38m
Runway alerts for Islamabad 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 ISB, 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 10L - sunny side Runway 10L | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 16:00-17:00. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 10R - sunny side Runway 10R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-08:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 10L / 10R · Dep 10L / 10R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10L | 101° | 12,001 ft | +5.2 kt | 2.9 kt | Both |
| 28R | 281° | 12,001 ft | -5.2 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
| 10R | 100° | 12,001 ft | +5.2 kt | 3.0 kt | Both |
| 28L | 280° | 12,001 ft | -5.2 kt | 3.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Islamabad (OPIS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 122.150 | Published |
| Tower | 123.255 | Published |
| Approach | 121.650 | Published |
| Approach | 124.650 | Published |
| Departure | 118.550 | Published |
| Ground | 122.950 | Published |
| Ground | 130.600 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.525 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 133.425 | 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 Islamabad (ISB/OPIS)
Which runway is active at Islamabad (ISB/OPIS) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 03:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 10L+10R. The METAR wind is 130° at 6 kt. 10L shows +5.2 kt headwind and 2.9 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Islamabad (ISB) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 120° azimuth and 18° elevation. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 71/100, 1234 m from runway 10R, view bearing 70.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 243° and 15°. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 70.7° 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 Islamabad International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Islamabad International Airport (ISB/OPIS) 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: Short final 10R - sunny side. 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 OPIS spotting locations?
OPIS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 10L - sunny side (runway 10L) 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: 16:00-17:00. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 10R - sunny side (runway 10R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-08:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Islamabad (ISB)?
Short final 10L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 10L 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 Islamabad (OPIS)?
Monitor Tower 122.15 MHz, Ground 122.95 MHz, Approach 121.65 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 122.15 MHz.
How do I know when Islamabad (ISB) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 130° at 6 kt, so 10L 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/OPIS#runway-alerts