Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX / VTCC) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai
CNX/VTCC
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 04:45 local
- Active runway
- 18
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 18 - sunny side
- Sun
- 96° / -23°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 1h 38m
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Best Chiang Mai (CNX) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRCALM
25°C · 10+ km · 1015 hPa
FEW035
Sunrise in 1h 38m
Runway alerts for Chiang Mai 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 CNX, 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 18 - sunny side Runway 18 | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 12:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 18 · Dep 18
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 180° | 11,155 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 36 | 0° | 11,155 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Chiang Mai (VTCC)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 129.600 | Published |
| Departure | 124.150 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.450 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.200 | 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 Chiang Mai (CNX/VTCC)
Which runway is active at Chiang Mai (CNX/VTCC) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 04:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 18. The METAR wind is calm. 18 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 Chiang Mai (CNX) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 21° elevation. Short final 18 - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 18, view bearing 209.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 245° and 25°. Short final 18 - sunny side scores 80/100 on a 150.8° 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.
What is the best time to plane spot at Chiang Mai International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX/VTCC) 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 0 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.
What is the sun direction at VTCC spotting locations?
VTCC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 18 - sunny side (runway 18) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-08:00. Avoid 12:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Chiang Mai (CNX)?
Short final 18 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 18 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 Chiang Mai (VTCC)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 129.6 MHz, ATIS 127.2 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 Chiang Mai (CNX) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 18 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/VTCC#runway-alerts