Baghdad International Airport / New Al Muthana Air Base (BGW / ORBI) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Baghdad, Iraq
Baghdad
BGW/ORBI
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 02:29 local
- Active runway
- 33R / 33L
- METAR wind
- 260° @ 2 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 33R - sunny side
- Sun
- 71° / -48°
Wind vector · +1 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 3h 49m
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Best Baghdad (BGW) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR260° @ 2 kt
26°C · 3.7 sm · 1015 hPa
NSC
Sunrise in 3h 49m
Runway alerts for Baghdad International Airport / New Al Muthana Air Base
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at BGW, 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 33R - sunny side Runway 33R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-12:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 33L - sunny side Runway 33L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-12:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 33R / 33L · Dep 33R / 33L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15L | 150° | 13,124 ft | -0.7 kt | 1.9 kt | Standby |
| 33R | 330° | 13,124 ft | +0.7 kt | 1.9 kt | Both |
| 15R | 150° | 10,830 ft | -0.7 kt | 1.9 kt | Standby |
| 33L | 330° | 10,830 ft | +0.7 kt | 1.9 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Baghdad (ORBI)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 128.200 | Published |
| Departure | 131.900 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.150 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.250 | Published |
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 Baghdad (BGW/ORBI)
Which runway is active at Baghdad (BGW/ORBI) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 02:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 33R+33L. The METAR wind is 260° at 2 kt. 33R shows +0.7 kt headwind and 1.9 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Baghdad (BGW) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 120° azimuth and 19° elevation. Short final 33R - sunny side scores 96/100, 1233 m from runway 33R, view bearing 300.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 244° and 14°. Short final 33R - sunny side scores 84/100 on a 359.3° 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 Baghdad International Airport / New Al Muthana Air Base?
The best time to plane spot at Baghdad International Airport / New Al Muthana Air Base (BGW/ORBI) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 33R - sunny side, Short final 33L - sunny side. 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 ORBI spotting locations?
ORBI spotting locations sun direction: Short final 33R - sunny side (runway 33R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-12:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 33L - sunny side (runway 33L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-12:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Baghdad (BGW)?
Short final 33R - sunny side is 1233 m from the 33R 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 Baghdad (ORBI)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 128.2 MHz, ATIS 127.25 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 118.7 MHz.
How do I know when Baghdad (BGW) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 260° at 2 kt, so 33R 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/ORBI#runway-alerts