Penang International Airport (PEN / WMKP) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Penang, Malaysia
Penang
PEN/WMKP
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 05:46 local
- Active runway
- 04
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 04 - sunny side
- Sun
- 102° / -20°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 1h 18m
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Best Penang (PEN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRCALM
24°C · 5.6 sm · 1010 hPa
SCT025
Sunrise in 1h 18m
Runway alerts for Penang 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 PEN, 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 04 - sunny side Runway 04 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 04 · Dep 04
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | 42° | 10,997 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 22 | 222° | 10,997 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Penang (WMKP)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 121.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.375 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.025 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.600 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.025 | 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 Penang (PEN/WMKP)
Which runway is active at Penang (PEN/WMKP) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 05:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 04. The METAR wind is calm. 04 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 Penang (PEN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 104° azimuth and 13° elevation. Short final 04 - sunny side scores 79/100, 1234 m from runway 04, view bearing 13.0°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 247° and 42°. Short final 04 - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 71.4° 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 Penang International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Penang International Airport (PEN/WMKP) 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 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 WMKP spotting locations?
WMKP spotting locations sun direction: Short final 04 - sunny side (runway 04) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Penang (PEN)?
Short final 04 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 04 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 Penang (WMKP)?
Monitor Tower 121.1 MHz, Ground 121.6 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 121.1 MHz.
How do I know when Penang (PEN) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 04 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/WMKP#runway-alerts