Planespotting Sydney — YSSY
If you want volume and variety, Sydney delivers. Shep's Mound — the official spot. Below: the best vantage points and the typical daily rhythm — plus Spotterra to alert you when a rare frame is on approach.
- CAR10
- CAR3 SERV
- —
- CAR40
- CAR64
- —
- CAR14 SERV
- —
Conditions right now
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
- Narrowbody55%
- Widebody22%
- Cargo8%
- Bizjet7%
- Turboprop5%
- Military3%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Shep's Mound
Shep's Mound — the official spot. The signature vantage point for arrivals — best light in the afternoon, aircraft low and overhead.
Terminal viewing terrace
Comfortable overview of the apron and taxiways — a good place to start and to log registrations between banks.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Expect European narrowbodies (A320 family, 737) all day, long-haul A330/777/787 on the banks, the odd freighter and business jets on the GA apron. Exactly the mix where a rare tail hides — and where Spotterra earns its keep.
What actually flew over Sydney in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- B738 27.3 %
- A320 18.2 %
- A35K 9.1 %
- B772 9.1 %
- BCS3 9.1 %
- A21N 9.1 %
- SERV 9.1 %
- A333 9.1 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Sydney?
Open Spotterra's live map — you'll see every aircraft over Sydney in real time, with type, registration and route. Free, no install, straight from the ADS-B network.
Where's the best spot at YSSY?
Shep's Mound is the go-to. Which runway is active depends on the wind — Spotterra predicts it from the live METAR so you know where to stand.
How do I get alerts for interesting aircraft?
Sign up, set your location and radius, pick your categories (military, cargo, rare types) and the alert arrives by push, Telegram or email — often 10-30 minutes before a long-haul arrival.
Spotterra watches the sky over Sydney
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.
Start spotting free