Fairbanks International Airport (FAI / PAFA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Fairbanks, United States of America
Fairbanks
FAI/PAFA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:05 local
- Active runway
- 02L
- METAR wind
- 360° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 02L - sunny side
- Sun
- 202° / 10°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 1h 21m
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Best Fairbanks (FAI) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR360° @ 4 kt
2°C · 9 sm · 1032 hPa
SCT008 BKN037 OVC070
Golden hour in 1h 21m
Runway alerts for Fairbanks 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 FAI, 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 02L - sunny side Runway 02L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 02L · Dep 02L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02L | 38° | 11,800 ft | +3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Both |
| 20R | 218° | 11,800 ft | -3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 02R | 38° | 4,510 ft | +3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 20L | 218° | 4,510 ft | -3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 02 | 38° | 2,900 ft | +3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
| 20 | 218° | 2,900 ft | -3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Fairbanks (PAFA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 118.600 | Published |
| Departure | 124.300 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 127.600 | Published |
| ATIS | 124.400 | 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 Fairbanks (FAI/PAFA)
Which runway is active at Fairbanks (FAI/PAFA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 02L. The METAR wind is 360° at 4 kt. 02L shows +3.2 kt headwind and 2.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Fairbanks (FAI) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 101° azimuth and -9° elevation. Short final 02L - sunny side scores 66/100, 1233 m from runway 02L, view bearing 67.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 215° and 8°. Short final 02L - sunny side scores 90/100 on a 67.2° 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 Fairbanks International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Fairbanks International Airport (FAI/PAFA) 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 02L - sunny side. 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 PAFA spotting locations?
PAFA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 02L - sunny side (runway 02L) 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 15:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Fairbanks (FAI)?
Short final 02L - sunny side is 1233 m from the 02L 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 Fairbanks (PAFA)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 118.6 MHz, ATIS 124.4 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Fairbanks (FAI) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 360° at 4 kt, so 02L 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/PAFA#runway-alerts