Skardu International Airport (KDU / OPSD) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Skardu, Pakistan
Skardu
KDU/OPSD
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 04:48 local
- Active runway
- 14L / 14R
- METAR wind
- Unavailable
- Best spot
- Short final 14L - sunny side
- Sun
- 93° / -18°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
Category n/a
Night
Sunrise in 1h 28m
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Live METAR was unavailable, so the wind vector assumes calm air and prefers the longer runways.
Best Skardu (KDU) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
Unavailable
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Sunrise in 1h 28m
Runway alerts for Skardu 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 KDU, 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 14L - sunny side Runway 14L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 14R - sunny side Runway 14R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 14L / 14R · Dep 14L / 14R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14L | 153° | 11,995 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 32R | 333° | 11,995 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 14R | 147° | 11,995 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 32L | 327° | 11,995 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Skardu (OPSD)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.700 | Published |
| Approach | 120.600 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.150 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.800 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.450 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 134.000 | 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 Skardu (KDU/OPSD)
Which runway is active at Skardu (KDU/OPSD) right now?
As of the latest cycle local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 14L+14R. The METAR wind is unavailable. 14L 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 Skardu (KDU) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 122° azimuth and 19° elevation. Short final 14L - sunny side scores 73/100, 1234 m from runway 14L, view bearing 182.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 244° and 12°. Short final 14R - sunny side scores 86/100 on a 117.7° 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 Skardu International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Skardu International Airport (KDU/OPSD) 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 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 OPSD spotting locations?
OPSD spotting locations sun direction: Short final 14L - sunny side (runway 14L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 14R - sunny side (runway 14R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Skardu (KDU)?
Short final 14L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 14L 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 Skardu (OPSD)?
Monitor Tower 119.7 MHz, Ground 121.8 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 119.7 MHz.
How do I know when Skardu (KDU) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near unavailable, so 14L 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/OPSD#runway-alerts