Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR / SBFZ) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Fortaleza, Brazil
Pinto Martins
FOR/SBFZ
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 20:45 local
- Active runway
- 13
- METAR wind
- 80° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 13 - sunny side
- Sun
- 246° / -49°
Wind vector · +6 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when SBFZ flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Pinto Martins (FOR) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR80° @ 7 kt
27°C · 10+ km · 1013 hPa
FEW020
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Pinto Martins 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 FOR, 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 13 - sunny side Runway 13 | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 13 · Dep 13
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 105° | 9,039 ft | +6.3 kt | 3.0 kt | Both |
| 31 | 285° | 9,039 ft | -6.3 kt | 3.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Pinto Martins (SBFZ)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 129.000 | Published |
| Approach | 133.000 | Published |
| Departure | 124.475 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.950 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.575 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.700 | 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 Pinto Martins (FOR/SBFZ)
Which runway is active at Pinto Martins (FOR/SBFZ) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 13. The METAR wind is 80° at 7 kt. 13 shows +6.3 kt headwind and 3.0 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Pinto Martins (FOR) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 103° azimuth and 40° elevation. Short final 13 - sunny side scores 68/100, 1234 m from runway 13, view bearing 134.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 258° and 20°. Short final 13 - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 75.8° 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.
What is the best time to plane spot at Pinto Martins International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR/SBFZ) 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 13 - sunny side. 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 SBFZ spotting locations?
SBFZ spotting locations sun direction: Short final 13 - sunny side (runway 13) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Pinto Martins (FOR)?
Short final 13 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 13 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 Pinto Martins (SBFZ)?
Monitor Tower 129.0 MHz, Ground 121.95 MHz, Approach 133.0 MHz, ATIS 127.7 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 129.0 MHz.
How do I know when Pinto Martins (FOR) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 80° at 7 kt, so 13 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/SBFZ#runway-alerts