Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN / VVTS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
Tan Son Nhat
SGN/VVTS
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 06:28 local
- Active runway
- 07R / 07L
- METAR wind
- 50° @ 5 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 07R - sunny side
- Sun
- 105° / 10°
Wind vector · +5 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 10h 34m
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Best Tan Son Nhat (SGN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR50° @ 5 kt
26°C · 10+ km · 1011 hPa
CAVOK
Golden hour in 10h 34m
Runway alerts for Tan Son Nhat 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 SGN, 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 07R - sunny side Runway 07R | 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. |
| Short final 07L - sunny side Runway 07L | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 07R / 07L · Dep 07R / 07L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07R | 69° | 12,468 ft | +4.7 kt | 1.6 kt | Both |
| 25L | 249° | 12,468 ft | -4.7 kt | 1.6 kt | Standby |
| 07L | 69° | 10,007 ft | +4.7 kt | 1.6 kt | Both |
| 25R | 249° | 10,007 ft | -4.7 kt | 1.6 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Tan Son Nhat (VVTS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 125.500 | Published |
| Departure | 125.275 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.575 | 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 Tan Son Nhat (SGN/VVTS)
Which runway is active at Tan Son Nhat (SGN/VVTS) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 06:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 07R+07L. The METAR wind is 50° at 5 kt. 07R shows +4.7 kt headwind and 1.6 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Tan Son Nhat (SGN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 31° elevation. Short final 07R - sunny side scores 76/100, 1234 m from runway 07R, view bearing 39.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 252° and 21°. Short final 07L - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 98.2° 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 Tan Son Nhat International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN/VVTS) 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 07R - sunny side, Short final 07L - 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 VVTS spotting locations?
VVTS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 07R - sunny side (runway 07R) 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. Short final 07L - sunny side (runway 07L) is BACKLIT / GLARE 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. Avoid 07:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Tan Son Nhat (SGN)?
Short final 07R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 07R 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 Tan Son Nhat (VVTS)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 125.5 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 118.7 MHz.
How do I know when Tan Son Nhat (SGN) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 50° at 5 kt, so 07R 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/VVTS#runway-alerts