Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TSN / ZBTJ) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Tianjin, China
Tianjin Binhai
TSN/ZBTJ
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 01:01 local
- Active runway
- 16R / 16L
- METAR wind
- 210° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 16R - sunny side
- Sun
- 34° / -60°
Wind vector · +2 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 5h 33m
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Best Tianjin Binhai (TSN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR210° @ 4 kt
9°C · 10+ km · 1028 hPa
CAVOK
Sunrise in 5h 33m
Runway alerts for Tianjin Binhai 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 TSN, 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 16R - sunny side Runway 16R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 16L - sunny side Runway 16L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 16R / 16L · Dep 16R / 16L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16R | 155° | 11,811 ft | +2.3 kt | 3.3 kt | Both |
| 34L | 335° | 11,811 ft | -2.3 kt | 3.3 kt | Standby |
| 16L | 154° | 10,499 ft | +2.2 kt | 3.3 kt | Both |
| 34R | 334° | 10,499 ft | -2.2 kt | 3.3 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Tianjin Binhai (ZBTJ)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.200 | Published |
| Tower | 118.425 | Published |
| Approach | 118.200 | Published |
| Departure | 124.000 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.750 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.000 | 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 Tianjin Binhai (TSN/ZBTJ)
Which runway is active at Tianjin Binhai (TSN/ZBTJ) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 00:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 16R+16L. The METAR wind is 210° at 4 kt. 16R shows +2.3 kt headwind and 3.3 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Tianjin Binhai (TSN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 121° azimuth and 15° elevation. Short final 16R - sunny side scores 74/100, 1234 m from runway 16R, view bearing 184.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 241° and 13°. Short final 16R - sunny side scores 84/100 on a 125.7° 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 Tianjin Binhai International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TSN/ZBTJ) 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 0 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 ZBTJ spotting locations?
ZBTJ spotting locations sun direction: Short final 16R - sunny side (runway 16R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 16L - sunny side (runway 16L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-15:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Tianjin Binhai (TSN)?
Short final 16R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 16R 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 Tianjin Binhai (ZBTJ)?
Monitor Tower 118.2 MHz, Ground 121.75 MHz, Approach 118.2 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 118.2 MHz.
How do I know when Tianjin Binhai (TSN) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 210° at 4 kt, so 16R 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/ZBTJ#runway-alerts