Cairns International Airport (CNS / YBCS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Cairns, Australia
Cairns
CNS/YBCS
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 08:53 local
- Active runway
- 15
- METAR wind
- 150° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 15 - sunny side
- Sun
- 92° / 45°
Wind vector · +7 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 8h 59m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when YBCS flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Cairns (CNS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR150° @ 7 kt
28°C · 10+ km · 1017 hPa
FEW055 SCT065
Golden hour in 8h 59m
Runway alerts for Cairns 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 CNS, 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 15 - sunny side Runway 15 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 12:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 15 · Dep 15
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 50° at 13 kt, favoring 33 in about 3.1 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 149° | 10,489 ft | +7.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Both |
| 33 | 329° | 10,489 ft | -7.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Cairns (YBCS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 124.900 | Published |
| Approach | 121.325 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.475 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.700 | Published |
| ATIS | 113.000 | 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 Cairns (CNS/YBCS)
Which runway is active at Cairns (CNS/YBCS) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 08:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 15. The METAR wind is 150° at 7 kt. 15 shows +7.0 kt headwind and 0.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Cairns (CNS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 95° azimuth and 32° elevation. Short final 15 - sunny side scores 78/100, 1234 m from runway 15, view bearing 178.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 265° and 32°. Short final 15 - sunny side scores 89/100 on a 119.8° 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 Cairns International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Cairns International Airport (CNS/YBCS) 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 YBCS spotting locations?
YBCS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 15 - sunny side (runway 15) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 12:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Cairns (CNS)?
Short final 15 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 15 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 Cairns (YBCS)?
Monitor Tower 124.9 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 113.0 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 124.9 MHz.
How do I know when Cairns (CNS) switches active runways?
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 50° at 13 kt, favoring 33 in about 3.1 hours. 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/YBCS#runway-alerts