Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Live METAR wind (250° at 7 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 20L+20R), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Santos Dumont Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 19:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 20L+20R. The METAR wind is 250° at 7 kt. 20L shows +2.0 kt headwind and 6.7 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 19:08.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02R | 357° | 4,341 ft | -2.0 kt | 6.7 kt | Standby |
| 20L | 177° | 4,341 ft | +2.0 kt | 6.7 kt | Landing + departure |
| 02L | 357° | 4,134 ft | -2.0 kt | 6.7 kt | Standby |
| 20R | 177° | 4,134 ft | +2.0 kt | 6.7 kt | Landing + departure |
METAR SBRJ 262200Z 25007KT 210V290 9999 SCT023 OVC050 20/16 Q1016
Live weather
VFR250° @ 7 kt
20°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1016 hPa
SCT023 OVC050
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 20L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 66/100
Short final 20L - sunny side sits 1219 m from the 20R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 147.8°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 13:00 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: Night / Low light
Google Maps navigationShort final 20R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 66/100
Short final 20R - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 20R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 147.8°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 13:00 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: Night / Low light
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 Santos Dumont Airport (SDU / SBRJ): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude -22.910, longitude -43.163, 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 20L - sunny side Runway 20L | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Short final 20R - sunny side Runway 20R | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
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 118.7 MHz. D-ATIS is 132.65 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1219 m from 20R, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
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, 19:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 20L+20R. The METAR wind is 250° at 7 kt. 20L shows +2.0 kt headwind and 6.7 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 88° azimuth and 38° elevation. Short final 20L - sunny side scores 84/100, 1234 m from runway 20L, view bearing 206.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 267° and 27°. Short final 20L - sunny side scores 84/100 on a 147.8° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Santos Dumont Airport (SDU/SBRJ) 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 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.
SBRJ spotting locations sun direction: Short final 20L - sunny side (runway 20L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 20R - sunny side (runway 20R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 20L - sunny side is 1219 m from the 20R 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.
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 119.35 MHz, ATIS 132.65 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.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 250° at 7 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/SBRJ#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Santos Dumont Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.