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Da Nang, Viet Nam

Da Nang International Airport (DAD / VVDN) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor

Live METAR wind (330° at 3 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 35R+35L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Da Nang International Airport.

METAR/TAF WIND VECTOR PREDICTION$3/mo runway-shift alerts

Which runway is active at Da Nang (DAD) right now?

As of Mon 26 Oct, 23:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 330° at 3 kt. 35R shows +2.8 kt headwind and 1.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 23:47.

EndTrue hdgLengthHeadwindCrosswindRole
17L172°11,483 ft-2.8 kt1.1 ktStandby
35R352°11,483 ft+2.8 kt1.1 ktLanding + departure
17R172°10,000 ft-2.8 kt1.1 ktStandby
35L352°10,000 ft+2.8 kt1.1 ktLanding + departure

METAR VVDN 261630Z 33003KT 8000 FEW020 27/24 Q1016 NOSIG

NIGHT / LOW LIGHT

Live weather

MVFR

330° @ 3 kt

27°C · 5 SM · 1016 hPa

FEW020

Front-lit sector

Backlight / glare cone

Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks

Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.

Mon 26 Oct, 23:47Az 49° · El -85°Sun below the useful photo window
+0h local

Best Da Nang (DAD) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle

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.

  1. Short final 35R - sunny side

    Calculated perimeter

    Score 66/100

    Short final 35R - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 35R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 322.8°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 10:00 local) with a 150-600mm 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.

    1234 m to centerline
    322.8° view bearing
    Best sun: Morning 10:00
    150-600mm

    Now: Night / Low light

    Google Maps navigation
  2. Short final 35L - sunny side

    Calculated perimeter

    Score 66/100

    Short final 35L - sunny side sits 1206 m from the 35R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 322.8°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 10:00 local) with a 150-600mm 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.

    1206 m to centerline
    322.8° view bearing
    Best sun: Morning 10:00
    150-600mm

    Now: Night / Low light

    Google Maps navigation
Suggest a local spot / fence tip

Know 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 of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot

Best time to plane spot at Da Nang International Airport (DAD / VVDN): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 16.044, longitude 108.199, and the Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh 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 LocationMorning (07:00-11:00)Midday (11:00-14:00)Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00)JetPhotos / Camera Note

Short final 35R - sunny side

Runway 35R

CLEAN FRONT LIGHTHIGH SUN / TOP LIGHTSIDE LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.

Short final 35L - sunny side

Runway 35L

CLEAN FRONT LIGHTHIGH SUN / TOP LIGHTSIDE LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.

Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Da Nang (VVDN)

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 125.0 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 35R, bring a 150-600mm lens.

  • Sony FE 200-600mm

    Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.

    Search this gear
  • Uniden Bearcat BC125AT

    Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.

    Search this gear
  • FlightAware Pro Stick

    USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.

    Search this gear

Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Da Nang (DAD/VVDN)

Which runway is active at Da Nang (DAD/VVDN) right now?

As of Mon 26 Oct, 23:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 330° at 3 kt. 35R shows +2.8 kt headwind and 1.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.

Where is the best place to plane spot at Da Nang (DAD) in the morning vs. afternoon?

At 08:00 local the sun is at 115° azimuth and 31° elevation. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 91/100, 1234 m from runway 35R, view bearing 322.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 251° and 18°. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 87/100 on a 21.2° 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 Da Nang International Airport?

The best time to plane spot at Da Nang International Airport (DAD/VVDN) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 35R - sunny side, Short final 35L - 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 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 VVDN spotting locations?

VVDN spotting locations sun direction: Short final 35R - sunny side (runway 35R) 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 35L - sunny side (runway 35L) 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.

What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Da Nang (DAD)?

Short final 35R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 35R 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 Da Nang (VVDN)?

Monitor Tower 125.0 MHz, Ground 121.6 MHz, Approach 125.3 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 125.0 MHz.

How do I know when Da Nang (DAD) switches active runways?

No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 3 kt, so 35R 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/VVDN#runway-alerts

Telegram Runway-Shift Alerts · $3/mo

Get a Telegram ping when Da Nang International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.

$3/mo · Instant Telegram ping 60 min before a forecast wind shift flips the active runway, plus golden-hour reminders.

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