Melbourne Airport (MEL / YMML) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne
MEL/YMML
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 08:07 local
- Active runway
- 27
- METAR wind
- 300° @ 11 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 27 - sunny side
- Sun
- 91° / 20°
Wind vector · +10 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 11h 7m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when YMML flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Melbourne (MEL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR300° @ 11 kt
11°C · 10+ km · 1021 hPa
FEW036 SCT043 BKN051
Golden hour in 11h 7m
Runway alerts for Melbourne 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 MEL, 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 27 - sunny side Runway 27 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 27 · Dep 27
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 171° | 11,998 ft | -6.9 kt | 8.5 kt | Standby |
| 34 | 351° | 11,998 ft | +6.9 kt | 8.5 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 94° | 7,500 ft | -9.9 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 274° | 7,500 ft | +9.9 kt | 4.8 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Melbourne (YMML)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.500 | Published |
| Approach | 132.000 | Published |
| Departure | 118.900 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 127.200 | Published |
| ATIS | 118.000 | 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 Melbourne (MEL/YMML)
Which runway is active at Melbourne (MEL/YMML) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 08:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 27. The METAR wind is 300° at 11 kt. 27 shows +9.9 kt headwind and 4.8 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Melbourne (MEL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 92° azimuth and 19° elevation. Short final 27 - sunny side scores 91/100, 1234 m from runway 27, view bearing 244.7°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 291° and 44°. Short final 27 - sunny side scores 70/100 on a 244.7° 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 Melbourne Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Melbourne Airport (MEL/YMML) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 27 - 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 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 YMML spotting locations?
YMML spotting locations sun direction: Short final 27 - sunny side (runway 27) 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. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Melbourne (MEL)?
Short final 27 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 27 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 Melbourne (YMML)?
Monitor Tower 120.5 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 132.0 MHz, ATIS 118.0 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 120.5 MHz.
How do I know when Melbourne (MEL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 300° at 11 kt, so 27 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/YMML#runway-alerts