Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI / YSWS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Sydney (Badgerys Creek), Australia
Western Sydney
WSI/YSWS
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 07:05 local
- Active runway
- 23
- METAR wind
- 250° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Badgerys Creek Road North (Runway 23 Approach)
- Sun
- 98° / 12°
Wind vector · +7 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 11h 43m
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Best Western Sydney (WSI) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR250° @ 7 kt
13°C · 10+ km · 1017 hPa
NCD
Golden hour in 11h 43m
Runway alerts for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) 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 WSI, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Badgerys Creek Road North (Runway 23 Approach) Runway 23, 05 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Experience Centre & Viewing Mound (Eaton Road) Runway 05, 23 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Adams Road South Perimeter (Runway 05 Approach) Runway 05, 23 | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 23 · Dep 23
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 52° | 12,139 ft | -6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 23 | 232° | 12,139 ft | +6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Western Sydney (YSWS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.200 | Assigned |
| Approach | 120.350 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.500 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.775 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.100 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 132.750 | Assigned |
Lens for the top pin: 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. 70-200mm f/2.8 zoomUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Western Sydney (WSI/YSWS)
Which runway is active at Western Sydney (WSI/YSWS) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 06:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 23. The METAR wind is 250° at 7 kt. 23 shows +6.7 kt headwind and 2.2 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Western Sydney (WSI) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 90° azimuth and 23° elevation. Badgerys Creek Road North (Runway 23 Approach) scores 94/100, 918 m from runway 23, view bearing 232.0°, best as a morning spot with a 70-200mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 283° and 40°. Badgerys Creek Road North (Runway 23 Approach) scores 77/100 on a 232.0° 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 Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI/YSWS) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Badgerys Creek Road North (Runway 23 Approach). Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Experience Centre & Viewing Mound (Eaton Road). Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 2 of 3 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 YSWS spotting locations?
YSWS spotting locations sun direction: Badgerys Creek Road North (Runway 23 Approach) (runway 23, 05) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Experience Centre & Viewing Mound (Eaton Road) (runway 05, 23) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Adams Road South Perimeter (Runway 05 Approach) (runway 05, 23) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 17:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Western Sydney (WSI)?
Badgerys Creek Road North (Runway 23 Approach) is 918 m from the 23 centerline. The working lens at this landmark is 70-200mm. Calculated pins use 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 223 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Western Sydney (YSWS)?
This airport did not publish tower or ATIS frequencies in the open feed. Use the charted tower and ATIS, and remember online streams lag by 30 seconds or more.
How do I know when Western Sydney (WSI) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 250° at 7 kt, so 23 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/YSWS#runway-alerts