Xi'an, China
Live METAR wind (VRB at 2 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 05L+06L+06R, departure 05L+06L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Xi'an Xianyang International Airport.
As of Tue 27 Oct, 05:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 05L+06L+06R, departure 05L+06L. The METAR wind is variable at 2 kt. 05L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Tue 27 Oct, 05:39.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05L | 49° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 23R | 229° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 06L | 49° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 24R | 229° | 12,467 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 06R | 49° | 9,843 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing |
| 24L | 229° | 9,843 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
METAR ZLXY 262100Z VRB01MPS CAVOK 09/09 Q1033 NOSIG
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 2 kt
9°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1033 hPa
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Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Short final 05L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 66/100
Short final 05L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 05L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 19.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 13:00–14:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Night / Low light
Google Maps navigationShort final 06L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 66/100
Short final 06L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 06L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 19.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 13:00–14:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Night / Low light
Google Maps navigationKnow a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Best time to plane spot at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY / ZLXY): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 34.442, longitude 108.762, and the Asia/Shanghai clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 05L - sunny side Runway 05L | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Short final 06L - sunny side Runway 06L | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 124.3 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.45 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 05L, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Tue 27 Oct, 05:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 05L+06L+06R, departure 05L+06L. The METAR wind is variable at 2 kt. 05L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 114° azimuth and 11° elevation. Short final 05L - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 05L, view bearing 19.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 236° and 21°. Short final 05L - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 78.2° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY/ZLXY) 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: Short final 05L - sunny side, Short final 06L - sunny side. 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.
ZLXY spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05L - sunny side (runway 05L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 06L - sunny side (runway 06L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 05L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 05L 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.
Monitor Tower 124.3 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, Approach 119.6 MHz, ATIS 127.45 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 124.3 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 2 kt, so 05L 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/ZLXY#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Xi'an Xianyang International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.