Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN / ZMCK) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Ulaanbaatar (Sergelen), Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan
UBN/ZMCK
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 06:56 local
- Active runway
- 11
- METAR wind
- VRB @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 11 - sunny side
- Sun
- 102° / -6°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 35m
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Best Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (UBN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 4 kt
-10°C · 10+ km · 1015 hPa
CAVOK
Sunrise in 35m
Runway alerts for Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan 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 UBN, 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 11 - sunny side Runway 11 | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 11 · Dep 11
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 280° at 14 kt, favoring 29 in about 5.1 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 105° | 11,811 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 29 | 285° | 11,811 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (ZMCK)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 129.000 | Published |
| Approach | 120.000 | Published |
| Departure | 124.925 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.775 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 129.525 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 123.700 | 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 Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (UBN/ZMCK)
Which runway is active at Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (UBN/ZMCK) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 06:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 11. The METAR wind is variable at 4 kt. 11 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (UBN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 114° azimuth and 4° elevation. Short final 11 - sunny side scores 69/100, 1234 m from runway 11, view bearing 75.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 14°. Short final 11 - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 75.7° 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 Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN/ZMCK) 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 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 ZMCK spotting locations?
ZMCK spotting locations sun direction: Short final 11 - sunny side (runway 11) is BACKLIT / GLARE 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: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (UBN)?
Short final 11 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 11 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 Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (ZMCK)?
Monitor Tower 129.0 MHz, Approach 120.0 MHz, ATIS 123.7 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 129.0 MHz.
How do I know when Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan (UBN) switches active runways?
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 280° at 14 kt, favoring 29 in about 5.1 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/ZMCK#runway-alerts