Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU / VECC) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Kolkata, India
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
CCU/VECC
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 02:40 local
- Active runway
- 01R / 01L
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 01R - sunny side
- Sun
- 87° / -42°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
IFR
Night
Sunrise in 2h 59m
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Best Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (CCU) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
IFRCALM
24°C · 2 sm · 1012 hPa
SCT018 FEW030 BKN100
Sunrise in 2h 59m
Runway alerts for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose 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 CCU, 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 01R - sunny side Runway 01R | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 01L - sunny side Runway 01L | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 01R / 01L · Dep 01R / 01L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01R | 6° | 11,919 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 19L | 186° | 11,919 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 01L | 6° | 9,291 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 19R | 186° | 9,291 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (VECC)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 127.900 | Published |
| Approach | 132.450 | Published |
| Departure | 124.225 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.025 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 126.400 | 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 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (CCU/VECC)
Which runway is active at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (CCU/VECC) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 02:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 01R+01L. The METAR wind is calm. 01R is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (CCU) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 121° azimuth and 29° elevation. Short final 01R - sunny side scores 89/100, 1234 m from runway 01R, view bearing 336.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 250° and 13°. Short final 01L - sunny side scores 89/100 on a 35.2° 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 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU/VECC) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 01R - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 01L - 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 VECC spotting locations?
VECC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 01R - sunny side (runway 01R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 01L - sunny side (runway 01L) 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 13:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (CCU)?
Short final 01R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 01R 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 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (VECC)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 127.9 MHz, ATIS 126.4 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 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (CCU) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 01R 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/VECC#runway-alerts