Planespotting Charleroi — EBCI
Brussels South Charleroi, 5 km north of Charleroi and about 45 minutes from Brussels, is Belgium's second airport by passengers and almost entirely a low-cost field. Ryanair keeps a large base of Boeing 737s here and Wizz Air adds A320-family jets, so the variety is limited — but the sheer number of identical 737s pushing back at dawn is a sight of its own. The single runway, 07/25, is about 2.5 km long; with the prevailing westerly wind runway 25 is used on most days, with 07 only for a few weeks a year. The terminals are on the north side, while the old terminal and tower on the south side handle business aviation and a flying school. Two aerospace companies add interest: Sonaca builds aircraft parts north-west of the field and SABCA maintains military aircraft on the south-west side, so a fighter or transport turns up now and then. The airport is closed overnight.
- SWR736 BCS3 34 000 ft
- LGL4L DH8D 23 000 ft
- RYR8VV B38M 4 350 ft
Conditions right now
Runways
- 06/24 RWY 06 2,555 × 45 m · 8,383 × 148 ft concrete
- 07/25 2,549 × 45 m · 8,363 × 148 ft closed
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 07:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody88%
- Bizjet6%
- GA4%
- Military2%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Rue d'Heppignies — runway 25 approach
A pavement along the Rue d'Heppignies sits under the final approach to 25, close enough for a 737 to fill about 80 mm. It is the standard spot for clean landing shots against the sky.
- Getting there
- No parking on the street itself — use the airport's paid P3 car park or park free in Ransart village and walk. Food and toilets at the petrol station by the roundabout further along.
- Best time
- Landings on 25, roughly 08:00 to 15:00, when the sun is behind you.
- Lens
- 70–200 mm.
Rue d'Heppignies roundabout and petrol station
Further along the same road, the roundabout on the airport approach road works for 25 arrivals once the light has moved round in the late afternoon.
- Getting there
- Park briefly at the petrol station or, for longer stays, along the Avenue Jean Mermoz; do not leave valuables in the car.
- Best time
- Landings on 25, from about 17:00 to sunset in the long summer days.
- Lens
- 100–200 mm.
Terminal bus station
On the west side of the terminal, the bus station stands above the fence and gives the best overview at the airport: 25 landings, 07 departures, pushbacks and taxiing, with the old village and its church as a backdrop.
- Getting there
- Shuttle buses from Charleroi-Sud station and coaches from Brussels stop here; drivers should use the official airport car parks, not the bus bays. Shops and toilets in the terminal.
- Best time
- Summer evenings, from about 18:00 to sunset; earlier in the day you look into the sun.
- Lens
- 70–300 mm (a 737 is about 200 mm on the runway).
N5 Chaussée de Bruxelles — runway 07 approach
At the eastern end, the N5 reaches the airport fence under the approach to 07. On east-wind days this is where arrivals come in low, and aircraft that backtrack to the very end of 07 line up in front of you.
- Getting there
- Park at the nearby shops or take a bus or tram along the N5 and walk a few metres. A burger restaurant with toilets is a short walk away; a ladder helps for line-up shots.
- Best time
- Easterly operations only: line-ups from about 13:00, 07 landings in the late afternoon.
- Lens
- 70–200 mm.
Rue des Fusillés — 07 arrivals
The quiet section of the Rue des Fusillés, reached from the N568, lies under the approach to 07. You cannot see the runway, and trees and light poles need working around, but the morning light is good for aircraft on final.
- Getting there
- Enter the street from its northern end and park at the roadside. Restaurants nearby.
- Best time
- Easterly operations, from shortly after sunrise to early afternoon.
- Lens
- 70–200 mm.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Ryanair's 737-800s and 737 MAX 8-200s make up the bulk of movements, with a big first wave of departures at dawn and rotations through the day; Wizz Air flies A320s and A321neos to Central and Eastern Europe. Carriers serving Morocco, Turkey and other holiday and diaspora markets add variety, especially in summer. Business jets use the southern apron, and the SABCA maintenance plant brings occasional military visitors — fighters and transport aircraft — while Sonaca's site and a flying school complete the picture. Expect quiet evenings after the last arrivals and no movements overnight.
What actually flew over Charleroi in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- B738 38.7 %
- A21N 12.7 %
- B38M 12.1 %
- A320 11.8 %
- A20N 10.7 %
- A319 5.7 %
- SLG2 4.3 %
- B789 3.9 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Charleroi?
Spotterra's live map shows every ADS-B aircraft over Charleroi and the Hainaut in real time — type, registration and route — so you can tell the based Ryanair 737s from the odd visitor heading for SABCA.
Which runway does Charleroi use?
Runway 25 on the vast majority of days, because of the westerly wind; 07 is used for only a few weeks a year. Spotterra's live map shows which way arrivals are lining up.
Is there a viewing terrace?
The rooftop terrace on the terminal is reported to be for passengers only, so landside spotters use the bus station area beside the terminal instead.
Is spotting allowed around the airport?
Belgian law does not forbid it, and police are generally relaxed. Private security sometimes asks questions — explain what you are doing, and if you use a ladder at a fence, step away between movements.
Spotterra watches the sky over Charleroi
A live ADS-B map of your area and smart alerts on military transports, warbirds and rare types — with 10–30 minutes lead on long-haul arrivals. Free forever, no card.
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