Honolulu, Oahu, United States of America
Live METAR wind (180° at 9 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 22L+22R, departure 08L+08R+04R+04L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 22L+22R, departure 08L+08R+04R+04L. The METAR wind is 180° at 9 kt. 22L shows +5.4 kt headwind and 7.2 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 12:12.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08L | 90° | 12,360 ft | +0.0 kt | 9.0 kt | Departure |
| 26R | 270° | 12,360 ft | +0.0 kt | 9.0 kt | Standby |
| 08R | 90° | 12,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 9.0 kt | Departure |
| 26L | 270° | 12,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 9.0 kt | Standby |
| 04R | 53° | 9,002 ft | -5.4 kt | 7.2 kt | Departure |
| 22L | 233° | 9,002 ft | +5.4 kt | 7.2 kt | Landing |
| 04L | 53° | 6,955 ft | -5.4 kt | 7.2 kt | Departure |
| 22R | 233° | 6,955 ft | +5.4 kt | 7.2 kt | Landing |
HNL ATIS INFO E 2153Z. 17009KT 10SM FEW024 FEW035 28/20 A2995 (TWO NINER NINER FIVE). LNDG/DEPG RWYS 4/8 EXP ILS, RNAV, OR VISUAL APCH. TWY, E BTN TWY, A AND TWY B CLSD, TWY, K BTN RWY, 4R AND TWY A CLSD, TWY T CLSD TWY H CLSD. TWY B BTN G AND J CLSD TO CIV ACFT. RWY 8R DEP END BARRIER OTS. EWABE OM OTS. HNL TACAN AZM OTS. CKH TACAN AZM OTS. READ BACK ALL CONTROL INSTRUCTIONS. INCR BIRD STRIKE HAZ ALL RWYS. NUMEROUS CRANES IN THE VCNTY HNL ARPT CHECK NOTAMS FOR ADNL INFO. WARNING RWY 8L IS SHORTENED 7000 FT AVAILABLE LAST EXIT TWY Y, S, D INTERSECTION. TAXIWAY KILO NOT AVAILABLE EXPECT TO EXIT AT THE END. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO E.
METAR PHNL 262153Z 18009KT 10SM FEW024 FEW035 28/20 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP142 T02830200 $
Live weather
VFR180° @ 9 kt
28°C · 10+ SM · 1014 hPa
FEW024 FEW035
Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Climb-out 08L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 80/100
Climb-out 08L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 26R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 334.0°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 11:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km beyond the far end of the departure runway, offset 280 m to the sunny side of the climb.
Now: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationShort final 22L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 78/100
Short final 22L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 22L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 262.3°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 07:00–08:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Side light
Google Maps navigationShort final 22R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 78/100
Short final 22R - sunny side sits 1193 m from the 22L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 262.3°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 07:00–08:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Side light
Google Maps navigationKnow a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Best time to plane spot at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL / PHNL): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 21.318, longitude -157.926, and the Pacific/Honolulu clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Climb-out 08L - sunny side Runway 08L | 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. |
Short final 22L - sunny side Runway 22L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Short final 22R - sunny side Runway 22R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 118.1 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.9 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 26R, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 22L+22R, departure 08L+08R+04R+04L. The METAR wind is 180° at 9 kt. 22L shows +5.4 kt headwind and 7.2 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 19° elevation. Short final 22L - sunny side scores 90/100, 1234 m from runway 22L, view bearing 262.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 244° and 25°. Short final 22L - sunny side scores 69/100 on a 203.8° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL/PHNL) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Climb-out 08L - sunny side, Short final 22L - sunny side, Short final 22R - 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 3 of 3 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
PHNL spotting locations sun direction: Climb-out 08L - sunny side (runway 08L) 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. Short final 22L - sunny side (runway 22L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 22R - sunny side (runway 22R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Climb-out 08L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 26R 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 1226 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 118.3 MHz, ATIS 127.9 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 118.1 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 180° at 9 kt, so 22L 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/PHNL#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Daniel K. Inouye International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.