Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN / ZSAM) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Xiamen, China
Xiamen Gaoqi
XMN/ZSAM
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 08:35 local
- Active runway
- 05
- METAR wind
- 30° @ 10 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 05 - sunny side
- Sun
- 123° / 29°
Wind vector · +9 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 8h 25m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when ZSAM flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR30° @ 10 kt
23°C · 10+ km · 1022 hPa
FEW040 BKN050
Golden hour in 8h 25m
Runway alerts for Xiamen Gaoqi 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 XMN, 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 05 - sunny side Runway 05 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 05 · Dep 05
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 53° | 11,155 ft | +9.2 kt | 3.9 kt | Both |
| 23 | 233° | 11,155 ft | -9.2 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Xiamen Gaoqi (ZSAM)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.250 | Published |
| Approach | 121.350 | Published |
| Departure | 125.975 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.475 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 126.250 | 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 Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN/ZSAM)
Which runway is active at Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN/ZSAM) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 08:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 05. The METAR wind is 30° at 10 kt. 05 shows +9.2 kt headwind and 3.9 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 117° azimuth and 22° elevation. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 79/100, 1234 m from runway 05, view bearing 23.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 245° and 19°. Short final 05 - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 82.2° 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.
What is the best time to plane spot at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN/ZSAM) 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 05 - sunny side. 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 ZSAM spotting locations?
ZSAM spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05 - sunny side (runway 05) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN)?
Short final 05 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 05 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 Xiamen Gaoqi (ZSAM)?
Monitor Tower 118.25 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 121.35 MHz, ATIS 126.25 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 118.25 MHz.
How do I know when Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 30° at 10 kt, so 05 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/ZSAM#runway-alerts