Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA / PHKO) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Kailua-Kona, United States of America
Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole
KOA/PHKO
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 10:56 local
- Active runway
- 35
- METAR wind
- 350° @ 8 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 35 - sunny side
- Sun
- 150° / 53°
Wind vector · +8 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 6h 27m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when PHKO flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (KOA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR350° @ 8 kt
29°C · 10+ sm · 1014 hPa
FEW100
Golden hour in 6h 27m
Runway alerts for Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at KOA, 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 35 - sunny side Runway 35 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 35 · Dep 35
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 185° | 11,000 ft | -7.7 kt | 2.1 kt | Standby |
| 35 | 5° | 11,000 ft | +7.7 kt | 2.1 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (PHKO)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.300 | Published |
| Approach | 120.850 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.500 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.800 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 121.900 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.400 | 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 Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (KOA/PHKO)
Which runway is active at Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (KOA/PHKO) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 10:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 35. The METAR wind is 350° at 8 kt. 35 shows +7.7 kt headwind and 2.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (KOA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 21° elevation. Short final 35 - sunny side scores 88/100, 1234 m from runway 35, view bearing 335.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 245° and 24°. Short final 35 - sunny side scores 90/100 on a 34.2° 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 Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole?
The best time to plane spot at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA/PHKO) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 35 - 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 1 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 PHKO spotting locations?
PHKO spotting locations sun direction: Short final 35 - sunny side (runway 35) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (KOA)?
Short final 35 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 35 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 Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (PHKO)?
Monitor Tower 120.3 MHz, ATIS 127.4 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 120.3 MHz.
How do I know when Ellison Onizuka Kona at Keāhole (KOA) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 350° at 8 kt, so 35 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/PHKO#runway-alerts