São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU / SBGR) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
São Paulo, Brazil
Sao Paulo Guarulhos
GRU/SBGR
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 local
- Active runway
- 10L / 10R
- METAR wind
- 110° @ 9 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 10L - sunny side
- Sun
- 243° / -23°
Wind vector · +7 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR110° @ 9 kt
15°C · 10+ km · 1023 hPa
OVC013
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro 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 GRU, 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 10L - sunny side Runway 10L | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 10R - sunny side Runway 10R | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 10L / 10R · Dep 10L / 10R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10L | 74° | 12,139 ft | +7.3 kt | 5.3 kt | Both |
| 28R | 254° | 12,139 ft | -7.3 kt | 5.3 kt | Standby |
| 10R | 74° | 9,843 ft | +7.3 kt | 5.3 kt | Both |
| 28L | 254° | 9,843 ft | -7.3 kt | 5.3 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Sao Paulo Guarulhos (SBGR)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 132.750 | Published |
| Approach | 119.800 | Published |
| Departure | 125.350 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.000 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.750 | 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 Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU/SBGR)
Which runway is active at Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU/SBGR) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 10L+10R. The METAR wind is 110° at 9 kt. 10L shows +7.3 kt headwind and 5.3 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 90° azimuth and 35° elevation. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 70/100, 1234 m from runway 10R, view bearing 44.8°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 268° and 30°. Short final 10L - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 103.3° 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 São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport?
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: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 10L - sunny side, Short final 10R - 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 SBGR spotting locations?
SBGR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 10L - sunny side (runway 10L) 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 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 10R - sunny side (runway 10R) 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 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)?
Short final 10L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 10L 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 Sao Paulo Guarulhos (SBGR)?
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.
How do I know when Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 110° at 9 kt, so 10L 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