New Chitose Airport (CTS / RJCC) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Sapporo, Japan
New Chitose
CTS/RJCC
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 06:11 local
- Active runway
- 01L / 01R
- METAR wind
- 280° @ 18 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 01L - sunny side
- Sun
- 108° / 1°
Wind vector · +5 kt headwind
LIFR
Night
Morning golden hour now, ends in 31 min
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Best New Chitose (CTS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
LIFR280° @ 18 kt
1°C · 0.6 sm · 1003 hPa
FEW002 SCT005 BKN010
Morning golden hour now, ends in 31 min
Runway alerts for New Chitose 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 CTS, 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 01L - sunny side Runway 01L | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 01R - sunny side Runway 01R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE 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 01L / 01R · Dep 01L / 01R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01L | 353° | 9,843 ft | +5.3 kt | 17.2 kt | Both |
| 19R | 173° | 9,843 ft | -5.3 kt | 17.2 kt | Standby |
| 01R | 353° | 9,843 ft | +5.3 kt | 17.2 kt | Both |
| 19L | 173° | 9,843 ft | -5.3 kt | 17.2 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for New Chitose (RJCC)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.800 | Published |
| Approach | 120.100 | Published |
| Departure | 124.700 | Published |
| Ground | 121.600 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.900 | Published |
| ATIS | 128.600 | 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 New Chitose (CTS/RJCC)
Which runway is active at New Chitose (CTS/RJCC) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 06:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 01L+01R. The METAR wind is 280° at 18 kt. 01L shows +5.3 kt headwind and 17.2 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at New Chitose (CTS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 129° azimuth and 18° elevation. Short final 01R - sunny side scores 93/100, 1234 m from runway 01R, view bearing 323.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 247° and 5°. Short final 01L - sunny side scores 87/100 on a 22.2° 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 New Chitose Airport?
The best time to plane spot at New Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 01R - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 01L - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 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 RJCC spotting locations?
RJCC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 01L - sunny side (runway 01L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 01R - sunny side (runway 01R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE 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 New Chitose (CTS)?
Short final 01L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 01L 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 New Chitose (RJCC)?
Monitor Tower 118.8 MHz, Ground 121.6 MHz, Approach 120.1 MHz, ATIS 128.6 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 118.8 MHz.
How do I know when New Chitose (CTS) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 280° at 18 kt, so 01L 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/RJCC#runway-alerts