Question 1

Which runway is active at Sardar Vallabh Patel (AMD/VAAH) right now?

Accepted Answer

As of Wed 28 Oct, 05:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 05. The METAR wind is 30° at 8 kt. 05 shows +7.7 kt headwind and 2.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.

Question 2

Where is the best place to plane spot at Sardar Vallabh Patel (AMD) in the morning vs. afternoon?

Accepted Answer

At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 16° elevation. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 05, view bearing 15.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 241° and 26°. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 74.2° 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.

Question 3

What is the best time to plane spot at Sardar Vallabh Patel International Airport?

Accepted Answer

The best time to plane spot at Sardar Vallabh Patel International Airport (AMD/VAAH) 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 05 - sunny side. 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.

Question 4

What is the sun direction at VAAH spotting locations?

Accepted Answer

VAAH spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05 - sunny side (runway 05) 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 14:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.

Question 5

What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Sardar Vallabh Patel (AMD)?

Accepted Answer

Short final 05 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 05 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.

Question 6

What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Sardar Vallabh Patel (VAAH)?

Accepted Answer

Monitor Tower 119.6 MHz, Approach 119.8 MHz, ATIS 126.8 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 119.6 MHz.

Question 7

How do I know when Sardar Vallabh Patel (AMD) switches active runways?

Accepted Answer

No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 30° at 8 kt, so 05 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/VAAH#runway-alerts

End	Hdg	Length	Headwind	Crosswind	Role
05	45°	11,499 ft	+7.7 kt	2.1 kt	Both
23	225°	11,499 ft	-7.7 kt	2.1 kt	Standby

Facility	MHz	Source
Tower	119.600	Published
Approach	119.800	Published
Departure	124.250	Assigned
Ground	121.725	Assigned
Delivery	128.950	Assigned
ATIS	126.800	Published

Best Sardar Vallabh Patel (AMD) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle

Runway alerts for Sardar Vallabh Patel International Airport

Lighting schedule

Runway winds and thresholds

Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Sardar Vallabh Patel (VAAH)

Suggest a spot

Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Sardar Vallabh Patel (AMD/VAAH)

Sardar Vallabh Patel International Airport (AMD / VAAH) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor