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Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO / SEQM) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor

Quito, Ecuador

Mariscal Sucre

UIO/SEQM

Updated Wed 28 Oct, 21:29 local

Active runway
36

Landing: 36 86% · 18 14% · Wind vector · headwind 3.5 kt

METAR wind
30° @ 4 kt

MVFR

Best spot
Short final 36 - public side

Night

Sun
248° / -51°

Sun below the useful photo window

Departure: 36 86% · 18 14%

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Best Mariscal Sucre (UIO) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle

Live weather

MVFR

30° @ 4 kt

15°C · 10+ km · 1029 hPa

SCT006 OVC020

Landing: 36 86% · 18 14%

Departure: 36 86% · 18 14%

Sunrise · Sunset

Az 248° · El -51°Night / Low light

Sunrise

05:54

Sunset

18:01

Live · Auto-updatingWed 28 Oct, 21:29 localAz 248° · El -51°NIGHT / LOW LIGHT

Sun below the useful photo window

+0h

Historical Runway Split & Wind Reliability

Prevailing flow: 96% · 36: 4%

Dominant wind sector NE · 1 live logged observation

Prevailing flow 96%
36 4%

Live flight board

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Past Arrivals

Free · up to 10

No landed arrivals recorded in the current radar window for SEQM.

Next Arrivals

Free #1 · Pro 2-10

No inbound arrivals inside the 25 NM radar ring right now.

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Past Departures

Free · up to 10

No departures recorded in the current radar window for SEQM.

Next Departures

Free #1 · Pro 2-10

No taxiing departures inside the 25 NM radar ring right now.

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Runway alerts for Mariscal Sucre International Airport

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Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies

Lighting schedule

Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at UIO, scored from each spot's view bearing.

Spotting LocationMorning (07:00-11:00)Midday (11:00-14:00)Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00)JetPhotos / Camera Note
Short final 36 - public side

Runway 36

SIDE LIGHTHIGH SUN / TOP LIGHTCLEAN FRONT LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
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Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Mariscal Sucre (UIO/SEQM)

Which runway is active at Mariscal Sucre (UIO/SEQM) right now?

As of Wed 28 Oct, 21:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 36. The METAR wind is 30° at 4 kt. 36 shows headwind 3.5 kt and 2.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.

Where is the best place to plane spot at Mariscal Sucre (UIO) in the morning vs. afternoon?

At 08:00 local the sun is at 105° azimuth and 30° elevation. Short final 36 - sunny side scores 87/100, 1234 m from runway 36, view bearing 330.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 255° and 29°. Short final 36 - sunny side scores 87/100 on a 29.2° 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 Mariscal Sucre International Airport?

The best time to plane spot at Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO/SEQM) 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 36 - public side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 1 of 1 spotting location. 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 SEQM spotting locations?

SEQM spotting locations sun direction: Short final 36 - public side (runway 36) is SIDE LIGHT 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. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.

What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Mariscal Sucre (UIO)?

Short final 36 - public side is 1234 m from the 36 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 Mariscal Sucre (SEQM)?

Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Approach 119.7 MHz, ATIS 119.8 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 118.1 MHz.

How do I know when Mariscal Sucre (UIO) switches active runways?

No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 30° at 4 kt, so 36 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/SEQM#runway-alerts

How is Plane Spotter's Live funded? Do you use affiliate or sponsor links?

Plane Spotter's Live is independent and free to use. To cover live weather, radar, and hosting costs without intrusive popups or display ads, we offer optional $3/mo Telegram runway flip alerts, one quiet $85/mo sponsor slot per airport, and selected partner referral links (such as Aviationtag retired aircraft skin tags, telephoto lens rentals, VHF airband scanners, and runway-view airport hotels). If you purchase through a partner link, we may earn a small commission at zero extra cost to you.