Maiquetía, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
Live METAR wind (310° at 6 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 28), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 28. The METAR wind is 310° at 6 kt. 28 shows +4.5 kt headwind and 4.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 12:48.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 88° | 11,483 ft | -4.5 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 28 | 268° | 11,483 ft | +4.5 kt | 4.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 09 | 76° | 9,930 ft | -3.5 kt | 4.9 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 256° | 9,930 ft | +3.5 kt | 4.9 kt | Standby |
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 shifts the wind to 90° at 6 kt, favoring 10+09 in about 1.2 hours.
METAR SVMI 261600Z 31006KT 9999 FEW016 34/26 Q1013
Live weather
VFR310° @ 6 kt
34°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1013 hPa
FEW016
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 28 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 82/100
Short final 28 - sunny side sits 320 m from the 27 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 297.3°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 07:00–10:00 local) with a 100-400mm 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: Side 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 Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS / SVMI): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 10.602, longitude -66.991, and the America/Caracas 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 28 - sunny side Runway 28 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 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 118.4 MHz. D-ATIS is 132.95 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 320 m from 27, bring a 100-400mm lens.
Canon RF 100-500mm
From 250 m to 450 m off the centerline, 100-400mm (or this 100-500mm zoom) keeps the airframe tight.
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, 12:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 28. The METAR wind is 310° at 6 kt. 28 shows +4.5 kt headwind and 4.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 109° azimuth and 23° elevation. Short final 28 - sunny side scores 96/100, 320 m from runway 27, view bearing 297.3°, best as a morning spot with a 100-400mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 249° and 29°. Short final 28 - sunny side scores 73/100 on a 297.3° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS/SVMI) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 28 - 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 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.
SVMI spotting locations sun direction: Short final 28 - sunny side (runway 28) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 28 - sunny side is 320 m from the 27 centerline, so the lens is 100-400mm. 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 118.4 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 120.1 MHz, ATIS 132.95 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 118.4 MHz.
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 shifts the wind to 90° at 6 kt, favoring 10+09 in about 1.2 hours. 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/SVMI#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Maiquetía Simón Bolívar International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.