Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU / ZUUU) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Chengdu (Shuangliu), China
Chengdu Shuangliu
CTU/ZUUU
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 08:19 local
- Active runway
- 02L / 02R
- METAR wind
- 100° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 02L - sunny side
- Sun
- 113° / 12°
Wind vector · +1 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 9h 29m
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Best Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR100° @ 4 kt
16°C · 10+ km · 1022 hPa
OVC040
Golden hour in 9h 29m
Runway alerts for Chengdu Shuangliu 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 CTU, 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 02L - sunny side Runway 02L | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 02R - sunny side Runway 02R | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 02L / 02R · Dep 02L / 02R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02L | 24° | 11,811 ft | +1.0 kt | 3.9 kt | Both |
| 20R | 204° | 11,811 ft | -1.0 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
| 02R | 24° | 11,811 ft | +1.0 kt | 3.9 kt | Both |
| 20L | 204° | 11,811 ft | -1.0 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Chengdu Shuangliu (ZUUU)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 123.000 | Published |
| Approach | 119.700 | Published |
| Approach | 125.600 | Published |
| Departure | 126.525 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.850 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.725 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 128.600 | 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 Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU/ZUUU)
Which runway is active at Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU/ZUUU) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 08:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 02L+02R. The METAR wind is 100° at 4 kt. 02L shows +1.0 kt headwind and 3.9 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 8° elevation. Short final 02L - sunny side scores 84/100, 1234 m from runway 02L, view bearing 354.8°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 234° and 27°. Short final 02L - sunny side scores 96/100 on a 53.2° 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 Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU/ZUUU) 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 ZUUU spotting locations?
ZUUU spotting locations sun direction: Short final 02L - sunny side (runway 02L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 02R - sunny side (runway 02R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU)?
Short final 02L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 02L 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 Chengdu Shuangliu (ZUUU)?
Monitor Tower 123.0 MHz, Ground 121.85 MHz, Approach 119.7 MHz, ATIS 128.6 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 123.0 MHz.
How do I know when Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 100° at 4 kt, so 02L 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/ZUUU#runway-alerts