Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE / RCTP) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Taoyuan, Taiwan
Taipei Taoyuan
TPE/RCTP
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 06:55 local
- Active runway
- 05L / 05R
- METAR wind
- 60° @ 18 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 05L - sunny side
- Sun
- 110° / 11°
Wind vector · +18 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 9h 52m
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Best Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR60° @ 18 kt
23°C · 10+ km · 1022 hPa
FEW012 BKN040 BKN060
Golden hour in 9h 52m
Runway alerts for Taiwan Taoyuan 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 TPE, 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 05L - sunny side Runway 05L | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 05R - sunny side Runway 05R | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 05L / 05R · Dep 05L / 05R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05L | 49° | 12,008 ft | +17.7 kt | 3.3 kt | Both |
| 23R | 229° | 12,008 ft | -17.7 kt | 3.3 kt | Standby |
| 05R | 49° | 10,991 ft | +17.7 kt | 3.3 kt | Both |
| 23L | 229° | 10,991 ft | -17.7 kt | 3.3 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Taipei Taoyuan (RCTP)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 119.600 | Published |
| Approach | 123.500 | Published |
| Departure | 128.500 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.800 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.600 | 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 Taipei Taoyuan (TPE/RCTP)
Which runway is active at Taipei Taoyuan (TPE/RCTP) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 06:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 05L+05R. The METAR wind is 60° at 18 kt. 05L shows +17.7 kt headwind and 3.3 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 119° azimuth and 24° elevation. Short final 05L - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 05L, view bearing 20.0°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 247° and 16°. Short final 05L - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 78.5° 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 Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE/RCTP) 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 05L - sunny side, Short final 05R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 2 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 RCTP spotting locations?
RCTP spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05L - sunny side (runway 05L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 05R - sunny side (runway 05R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Taipei Taoyuan (TPE)?
Short final 05L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 05L 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 Taipei Taoyuan (RCTP)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 119.6 MHz, ATIS 127.6 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 Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 60° at 18 kt, so 05L 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/RCTP#runway-alerts