Phuket International Airport (HKT / VTSP) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Phuket, Thailand
Phuket
HKT/VTSP
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 05:54 local
- Active runway
- 09
- METAR wind
- 50° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 09 - sunny side
- Sun
- 102° / -6°
Wind vector · +2 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 21m
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Best Phuket (HKT) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR50° @ 3 kt
25°C · 10+ km · 1009 hPa
BKN020
Sunrise in 21m
Runway alerts for Phuket 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 HKT, 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 09 - sunny side Runway 09 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 09 · Dep 09
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 | 85° | 10,171 ft | +2.5 kt | 1.7 kt | Both |
| 27 | 265° | 10,171 ft | -2.5 kt | 1.7 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Phuket (VTSP)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 124.700 | Published |
| Departure | 126.575 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.075 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 128.000 | 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 Phuket (HKT/VTSP)
Which runway is active at Phuket (HKT/VTSP) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 05:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 09. The METAR wind is 50° at 3 kt. 09 shows +2.5 kt headwind and 1.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Phuket (HKT) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 108° azimuth and 24° elevation. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 72/100, 1234 m from runway 09, view bearing 55.8°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 250° and 29°. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 55.8° 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 Phuket International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Phuket International Airport (HKT/VTSP) 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 09 - 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.
What is the sun direction at VTSP spotting locations?
VTSP spotting locations sun direction: Short final 09 - sunny side (runway 09) 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 Phuket (HKT)?
Short final 09 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 09 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 Phuket (VTSP)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 124.7 MHz, ATIS 128.0 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 Phuket (HKT) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 50° at 3 kt, so 09 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/VTSP#runway-alerts