Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK / RPLC) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Mabalacat, Philippines
Clark
CRK/RPLC
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 06:46 local
- Active runway
- 20L
- METAR wind
- 290° @ 2 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 20L - sunny side
- Sun
- 107° / 12°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 10h 16m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when RPLC flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Clark (CRK) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR290° @ 2 kt
26°C · 10+ km · 1014 hPa
FEW020
Golden hour in 10h 16m
Runway alerts for Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at CRK, 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 20L - sunny side Runway 20L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 20L · Dep 20L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02R | 21° | 10,499 ft | -0.0 kt | 2.0 kt | Standby |
| 20L | 201° | 10,499 ft | +0.0 kt | 2.0 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Clark (RPLC)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 121.175 | Assigned |
| Departure | 124.725 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.850 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 125.200 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.200 | 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 Clark (CRK/RPLC)
Which runway is active at Clark (CRK/RPLC) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 06:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 20L. The METAR wind is 290° at 2 kt. 20L shows +0.0 kt headwind and 2.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Clark (CRK) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 114° azimuth and 28° elevation. Short final 20L - sunny side scores 84/100, 1234 m from runway 20L, view bearing 230.4°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 250° and 20°. Short final 20L - sunny side scores 76/100 on a 171.9° 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 Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base?
The best time to plane spot at Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK/RPLC) 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: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. 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 RPLC spotting locations?
RPLC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 20L - sunny side (runway 20L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Clark (CRK)?
Short final 20L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 20L 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 Clark (RPLC)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, ATIS 127.2 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 Clark (CRK) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 290° at 2 kt, so 20L 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/RPLC#runway-alerts