Madrid Barajas airport Spotting Guide [ENGLISH VERSION]

NOT FINISHED


On this page you will find information about:

-Basic airport information
-Spotting sites with lens and light information
-Airlines flying to Madrid
-Radio frequencies



TO MAKE THINGS EASIER, APART FROM ALL THIS INFORMATION, I HAVE CREATED AN INTERACTIVE MAP WITH ALL THE LOCATIONS AND ROUTES:

INTERACTIVE MAP:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zbsCiuQiRPRY.kUje-wkvfE8o&usp=sharing






BASIC INFORMATION OF THE AIRPORT
Madrid-Barajas airport is located in the east of Madrid. It has 4 runways, 32R / 14L, 32L / 14R, 36R / 18L and 36L / 18R. The coordinates of the airport are:

40.46846581,-3.569612503



Ver mapa más grande



SKIING -CONFIGURACIONES
The Madrid-Barajas airport has 2 configurations tracks:

North configuration (Preferential): Runways 32R and 32L for arrivals, runways 36R and 36L for departures
South configuration: Runways 18R and 18L for arrivals, runways 14R and 14L for departures.

From 23:00 to 07:00 runways 32L/14R y 36R/18L are closed

The active configuration is selected as follows:

Always conditions are equal or better than the following, North configuration will take precedence over the South configuration:

• Dry runway or wet runway with good braking action.
• The wind component, including gusts, not to exceed 10 kt of tailwind or 15 kt of crosswind.
• No reported or forecast gradient wind and / or thunderstorms on approach or departure.



 
LIGHT CONDITIONS BY HOURS:
  • In spring:






  • In summer:



  • In autumn:



  •  In winter:



-USEFUL WEBS

http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/infovuelos/es/Busqueda-avanzada.html (Flights information)

http://www.allmetsat.com/es/metar-taf/espana-portugal.php?icao=LEMD (Latest METAR/Weather information of Madrid Barajas)

http://www.flightradar24.com/40.5,-3.54/10 (Real time flight radar)

-http://www.crtm.es/servlet/RedTransServlet?xh_ACCION=0&xh_TIPO=8&CODPANTALLA=1&CODBOTON=106 (Madrid interurban bus schedules)


SPOTTING LOCATIONS



-- POSITION 1: TÚNEL DE PARACUELLOS (AFTERNOON site)

The "Tunel de Paracuellos" is a point of spotting that allows you to photograph the filming. The types of traffic that are dependent on the active configuration.

It is located near the entrance of a tunnel that connects Barajas with Paracuellos, hence the name.


Location: coordinates 40.48340386,-3.581010550




How to reach:

  • Public transport: Metro station "Barajas" ("Barajas", not Aeropuerto or anything else), line 8. Then, walk the path marked in the picture, about 5-10 minutes. CAUTION: You have to walk in a road, always go at your own risk and always stuck to the fence. When you have to cross, look well to see if a car is coming.






  • Car: Highway M-13 / M-14 westbound, exit 1, then you can park your car at the restaurant indicated in the picture, then keep going as the map above.




Photo examples:


250mm

150mm


150mm
150mm


-- POSITION 2: ROTONDA 32L/ROUNDABOUT 32L (AFTERNOON SITE)


This site allows you to photograph the arrivals at 32L and 14R departures in south configuration, you can also see the traffic of the 32R / 14L (far). The site is in a roundabout (hence the name), but can move along the road, depending on how you want the photo, if you want to photograph more or less "belly" of the plane.
In south configuration, is an awesome site to see the rotation, but for this you need a big lens (400mm and higher)

Location: Coordinates 40.45189469,-3.5447752475



How to reach:


  • Public transport: You can reach by the buses shown in the image. In front of the bus stop (marked with the circle bottom left), another stop, with the same bus, but the route is reversed. CAUTION: You have to walk on a road, so proceed with caution.


  • Car: Highway E90 / A2 towards Madrid, exit 15. Some people leave the car at the side of the roundabout, but that's not allowed, you can leave the car around the "Hotel Aeropuerto" which is in front of the bus stop.



Photo examples:

 82mm

300mm


220mm


450mm


-- POSITION 3: PINAR DE LOS BERROCALES EASY ACCESS (MORNING SITE)

This point allows you to get the 32R landings (also 32L but far), and the 14L departures in south configuration (and 14R departures but far).
This is one of my favourites sites at Madrid. You have an excellent view of the airport with an amazing background.

Location: Coordinates 40.472464, -3.521828




How to reach:


  • Car: Supposing you are coming from the A-2 highway towards Valencia:


We leave the car at the end of the route, it's a road without exit and you can leave the car at the side of the street.

Then you follow the path that is on our Madrid Barajas spotting map, called "Camino (andando) al punto 3.1: Berrocales acceso facil":




Photo examples:


(300mm)

(290mm)

(230mm)


 (450mm but reachable with less zoom)

(450mm)



--POSITION 4: THE "CEMENTERA" (MORNING SITE)

The "Cementera" is a site that allows you to photograph 36R departures easily, without needing a big lens. It also lets you shoot takeoffs 36L, but they are far and you need a big zoom and a clear day.

Location: Coordinates 40.52851597,-3.5533207654



How to reach:

  • Public transport: Bus, along the road M-111 two stops are nearby. In our Madrid Barajas spotting map, it is marked with the name "Parada de autobus para Punto 4: Cementera". To go to these stops you can take buses 210, 211 y 263. Be careful, when you go on the bus, some of them make a detour through the area, but always go through that stop.



  •  Car: M-111 road, you can get there from the tunnel next to the Location 1: Tunel de Paracuellos (see above):



            You can leave the car at the left side of the road, and then walking to the spot:


Photo examples:


400mm 


150mm


290mm


500mm

--POSITION 5: CATERING (AFTERNOON SITE)

The catering is located to the left of the head of the 32L , allowing you to get 32L landings and 14R takeoffs (on south configuration)

Location: Coordinates 40.455609,-3.552298


How to reach:



  • Public transport: From the bus stops of the Position 2: Rotonda 32L / Roundabout 32L (see above):




  • Car: The path that you go includes a checkpoint that is fully open from Monday until Friday (both included), and closed for the weekend. See Madrid Barajas spotting map for location of the checkpoints (Named "GARITA: Acceso libre SOLO entre semana")
Supposing you are coming from the E-90 / A-2 highway towards Madrid. Leave the car at the red dot (blue path):



And then you walk until you reach the site:




Photo examples:

(500mm)

(350mm)
(150mm)



--POSITION 6: DEPURADORA 18R (AFTERNOON SITE)
This site is very close to the 18R threshold, so that allows you to get 18R arrivals (in south configuration) and 36L departures, and, if the day is clear and with no haze, you can get by 18L arrivals and 36R departures.
Location: Coordinates 40.536745, -3.578695


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How to reach:


  • Public transport: No.
  • Car: The road to get into the site is near the "Plaza Norte" shopping center.



  • You have to park your car here (and then walk to the point, passing under the bridge and then climbing the little montain until you reach the site)  Caution: That gravel track after the bridge doesn´t allow cars.

Photo examples:

 (380mm)

(190mm)

(500mm without crop)

(290mm)

(450mm without cropping, 18L arrival)


--POSITION 7: PARACUELLOS TAKEOFFS 36R (MORNING SITE)

This site allows you to photograph the 36R takeoffs or 18L landings ( in south configuration). The only drawback is that you need a big zoom (400mm or bigger).

Location


How to reach
  • Public transport: There is a bus stop nearby, with the same buses stopping in than the bus stop for "the Position 4: Cementera" (see above)

  • Car: Supposing you are in the same road as if going to "Position 4: Cementera". You can park in the nearby streets:

Ejemplos de fotos

(400mm) 
 (400mm)
(450mm)


(500mm but reachable with less zoom)




--PUNTO 8: FREIGHTER AREA FENCE

It is a site in the industrial area of Barajas, in which you can photograph mainly those planes parked at stand 165 and around, and those aircraft to roll and to park in that area. It is an area of countryside but with fence, so you can move around a little. With a small lens (eg 18-55) is easily avoidable, but is not very difficult to avoid with a bigger zoom

Blue: Area where you can move and shot.




How to reach

  • Car: Blue path, coming from A-2 highway towards Madrid. There are space for parking at the sides of the road. As happened in the Position 5, The path that you go includes a checkpoint that is fully open from Monday until Friday (both included), and closed for the weekend. See Madrid Barajas spotting map for location of the checkpoints (Named "GARITA: Acceso libre SOLO entre semana")


Photo examples

 (18mm without crop)


(18mm without crop)

 (180mm)

 (250mm, easily reachable)

 (300mm, easily reachable)

(27mm)


(115mm)


--PUNTO 10: BANKINGS 36R

It is a site to see the 36R takeoffs and the turn they do to the right, an unusual angle here in Madrid.
The planes are far, so a powerful telephoto lens is needed.

Localización: Coordenadas 40.534491, -3.542831


How to reach

  • Car: Follow the "Camino (en coche) al punto 4: Cementera" link on my Madrid Barajas spotting map. When you reach the last roundabout, you keep straight, and you leave the car in the driveway that goes to the right. There is a fence and is near the road, so park the car very close to the fence. Then, walk to the point.



  • Public transport: The same bus stops as if going to "Punto 4: Cementera". Then walk to the site, following the path named in my map "Camino (andando) al punto 10: Bankings 36R".



Photo examples


***NOTE***: Keep in mind all planes don't do the same banking, some do it better, others do only a small turn...

(450mm)

http://www.aviationcorner.net/show_photo.asp?id=381817
(400mm)

http://www.aviationcorner.net/show_photo.asp?id=325134
(400mm)


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AIRLINES FLYING TO MADRID (Aena information)

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FRECUENCIAS DE RADIO DEL AEROPUERTO (LEMD)
 - 121.950 / LEMD AUT – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 127.500/ LEMD APP final – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 127.100 / LEMD APP inicial – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 124.025 / LEMD APP – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 127.500 / LEMD APP – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 128.700 / LEMD APP – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 118.075 / LEMD TWR 36L/18R– MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 118.150 / LEMD TWR 32L/14R – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 118.675 / LEMD TWR 36R/18L – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 118.975 / LEMD TWR 32R/14L – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 120.150 / LEMD TWR – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 121.625 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 121.700 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 121.750 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 121.850 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 121.975 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 123.000 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 123.150 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 123.250 / LEMD GMC – MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 118.250 / LEMD ATIS llegadas– MADRID BARAJAS 
 - 130.850 / LEMD ATIS salidas– MADRID BARAJAS



*Disclaimer*: Madrid Spotting not responsible for any misuse of this guide or damages it may cause.



Last update: 8 October 2015



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