São Paulo, Brazil
Live METAR wind (190° at 5 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 28R+28L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 11:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 28R+28L. The METAR wind is 190° at 5 kt. 28R shows +2.2 kt headwind and 4.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 11:49.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10L | 74° | 12,139 ft | -2.2 kt | 4.5 kt | Standby |
| 28R | 254° | 12,139 ft | +2.2 kt | 4.5 kt | Landing + departure |
| 10R | 74° | 9,843 ft | -2.2 kt | 4.5 kt | Standby |
| 28L | 254° | 9,843 ft | +2.2 kt | 4.5 kt | Landing + departure |
METAR SBGR 261400Z 19005KT 9999 OVC020 18/13 Q1018
Live weather
MVFR190° @ 5 kt
18°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1018 hPa
OVC020
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.
Short final 28L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 89/100
Short final 28L - sunny side sits 122 m from the 28R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 224.7°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 11:00 local) with a 70-200mm 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: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationShort final 28R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 88/100
Short final 28R - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 28R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 224.7°. 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 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: Frontlit
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 São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU / SBGR): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude -23.431, longitude -46.470, and the America/Sao_Paulo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 28L - sunny side Runway 28L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Short final 28R - sunny side Runway 28R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 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 132.75 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.75 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 122 m from 28R, bring a 70-200mm lens.
70-200mm f/2.8 zoom
Inside 250 m a 70-200mm lens fills a narrow-body without cropping the wing.
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, 11:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 28R+28L. The METAR wind is 190° at 5 kt. 28R shows +2.2 kt headwind and 4.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 89° azimuth and 34° elevation. Short final 28L - sunny side scores 95/100, 669 m from runway 28R, view bearing 283.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 269° and 30°. Short final 28L - sunny side scores 72/100 on a 224.7° 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 São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU/SBGR) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 28L - sunny side, Short final 28R - 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 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.
SBGR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 28L - sunny side (runway 28L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 28R - sunny side (runway 28R) 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 08:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 28L - sunny side is 122 m from the 28R centerline, so the lens is 70-200mm. 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.
Monitor Tower 132.75 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 119.8 MHz, ATIS 127.75 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 132.75 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 190° at 5 kt, so 28R 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/SBGR#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.