Planespotting Eindhoven — EHEH
Eindhoven is the Netherlands' second-busiest airport and a joint civil and military field, which is exactly why spotters rate it above its size. One 3,000 m runway, 03/21, serves both the low-cost terminal and Eindhoven Air Base, home to the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force transport fleet and headquarters of the European Air Transport Command. Since 2020 the multinational NATO A330 MRTT tanker fleet has also been a regular sight. The wind usually puts traffic on runway 21, with arrivals from the north-east across the A2, and the airport is closed to normal civil traffic at night. Most spots are spread around the perimeter and only the terminal is easy by bus, so a car (or a bike) is the practical choice. Remember the special rule here: pictures of the military apron are not to be posted online.
- RYR143F B738 8 200 ft
Conditions right now
Runways
- 03/21 RWY 03 3,000 × 45 m · 9,843 × 148 ft asphalt
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: 08:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody74%
- Military12%
- Bizjet8%
- GA3%
- Turboprop3%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Spottersweg car park
The most popular spot at Eindhoven, with benches, trees for shade and a view over almost the whole airfield. Stand on the grass bank at the far left of the car park for 21 departures and taxiing traffic; arrivals on 21 appear late because of the trees.
- Getting there
- From the terminal follow the road past the JetNetherlands hangar to the canal bridge, turn left before the bridge and the car park is on the left. A few minutes' walk from the terminal or park on site.
- Best time
- Sunrise to about 15:00 in summer; after that the sun moves to the far side of the runway.
- Lens
- 70–300 mm.
Parking garages P3 and P4 — top decks
The upper decks of the long-stay garages give an elevated view of the runway and aprons. P3 overlooks the passenger ramp, P4 the military and business aviation platforms; both work for night shots of the civil apron.
- Getting there
- Walk in — 5–10 minutes from the terminal. You cannot drive in without a long-stay reservation, so park elsewhere. Heat haze builds quickly on warm days. Posting photos of the military platform online is not allowed, and military police may ask you to leave when that ramp is in use.
- Best time
- Runway shots until early afternoon; apron shots in the early morning or late evening.
- Lens
- 18–300 mm — a 737 touching down in front of you is about 180 mm.
Terminal upstairs viewing area
On the upper floor, past the restaurant, a terrace behind glass overlooks the apron and aircraft taxiing out to 21. It is the warm, dry option and the only spot with everything on hand, but expect reflections.
- Getting there
- Bus 400 or 401 from Eindhoven Centraal to the terminal; McDonald's on the ground floor by the bus stops. Opening of the viewing area can change — check on the day.
- Best time
- Mornings; from about 15:00 you are shooting into the sun.
- Lens
- 18–300 mm.
Scherpenering — runway 03 arrivals
On the southern side, the Scherpenering lies under the approach to 03, and in good visibility you can watch aircraft turn onto final. Moving north along the fence on the other side of the approach path gives line-ups for 03 and 21 departures later in the day.
- Getting there
- Car only: continue past the Spottersweg, left at the first T-junction and left again; park on the side of the Schotelbleekweg or at field entrances without blocking farm traffic. A lunchroom with a terrace in the SchippersStop centre by the roundabout is nearby. Ladder needed along the fence.
- Best time
- Easterly operations (landings on 03): early morning to 15:00 on the approach, after 15:00 on the fence side further north.
- Lens
- 50–300 mm.
Landsard — runway 21 arrivals
A minor road just west of the A2 off the Oirschotsedijk, with a cleaner angle on 21 arrivals than the Spottersweg. A favourite for MRTTs and C-130s on finals in the morning.
- Getting there
- Oirschotsedijk, then turn into the Landsard; park on the grass by a field entrance without blocking it. No facilities.
- Best time
- Westerly operations (landings on 21), from sunrise to early afternoon.
- Lens
- 70–300 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
On the civil side Ryanair, Transavia and Wizz Air have bases here and fly 737-800s, 737 MAX and A320/A321s across Europe, with TUI adding summer holiday flights. Business jets fill the GA apron most days. The air base is what makes Eindhoven special: Dutch C-130H Hercules, the government Gulfstream, NATO Multinational MRTT Fleet A330s, and visiting transports from European air forces linked to the EATC headquarters — A400Ms, C-130Js and others. Dutch C-390s are on order to replace the Hercules. Civil traffic peaks in summer; military movements run on weekdays all year.
What actually flew over Eindhoven in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- B738 39.1 %
- A21N 16.4 %
- B38M 12.5 %
- A320 11.3 %
- A20N 9.8 %
- B789 3.9 %
- A319 3.8 %
- H47 3.1 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Eindhoven?
Spotterra's live map shows every ADS-B aircraft over Eindhoven in real time — handy for telling a Ryanair 737 from a NATO MRTT on approach. Type, registration and route, free in the browser.
Can I photograph military aircraft at Eindhoven?
You can photograph aircraft from public places, but posting pictures of the military platform online is not allowed, and the military police may move you on from the garage roofs when the military ramp is busy. Runway shots of military aircraft from the perimeter roads are the usual approach.
Which runway is used at Eindhoven?
Runway 21 on most days with south-westerly wind, 03 in easterly weather. Spotterra's live map shows arrivals lining up so you can choose between the Landsard and the Scherpenering.
Can I get around without a car?
The terminal, the parking garages and the Spottersweg are walkable from the bus stop (lines 400/401 from Eindhoven Centraal). The Scherpenering and the Landsard are only practical by car or bike.
Spotterra watches the sky over Eindhoven
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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