Erbil International Airport (EBL / ORER) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Arbil, Iraq
Erbil
EBL/ORER
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 01:11 local
- Active runway
- 36
- METAR wind
- 310° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 36 - sunny side
- Sun
- 44° / -60°
Wind vector · +2 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 5h 12m
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Best Erbil (EBL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR310° @ 3 kt
18°C · 5.6 sm · 1018 hPa
NSC
Sunrise in 5h 12m
Runway alerts for Erbil 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 EBL, 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 36 - sunny side Runway 36 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 36 · Dep 36
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 180° | 15,748 ft | -1.9 kt | 2.3 kt | Standby |
| 36 | 0° | 15,748 ft | +1.9 kt | 2.3 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Erbil (ORER)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 128.800 | Published |
| Approach | 129.750 | Published |
| Departure | 126.400 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.800 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.200 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 132.450 | 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 Erbil (EBL/ORER)
Which runway is active at Erbil (EBL/ORER) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 01:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 36. The METAR wind is 310° at 3 kt. 36 shows +1.9 kt headwind and 2.3 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Erbil (EBL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 121° azimuth and 17° elevation. Short final 36 - sunny side scores 90/100, 1234 m from runway 36, view bearing 330.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 243° and 13°. Short final 36 - sunny side scores 89/100 on a 29.2° 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 Erbil International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Erbil International Airport (EBL/ORER) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 36 - 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 1 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 ORER spotting locations?
ORER spotting locations sun direction: Short final 36 - sunny side (runway 36) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Erbil (EBL)?
Short final 36 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 36 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 Erbil (ORER)?
Monitor Tower 128.8 MHz, Approach 129.75 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 128.8 MHz.
How do I know when Erbil (EBL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 310° at 3 kt, so 36 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/ORER#runway-alerts