Wrocław Copernicus Airport (Polish: Lotniczy Wrocław im. Mikołaja Kopernika, Port lotniczy Wrocław-Strachowice) (WRO/EPWR) is an international airport in Lover Silesian Voivodoship in southwestern Poland, located 10km outside of the city centre. It has one runway, one passenger, one cargo and one general aviation terminal.

Traffic is dominated by the two low cost carriers Ryanair and Wizzair. During the summer holiday saison there are many additional charter flights to various holiday destinations. Wrocław airport is also often used by Polish Air Force, the SAC C17s and sometimes also the US Air Force. Thus there is a good mix of all kinds of movements, but the amount is not that impressive: the airport handles 3 million passenger a year.

Written by Severin Hackenberger in cooperation with Michal Wieczorek. Last Update: 2022

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
11/29	2503m x 45m
Terminals	There is just one terminal in WRO handling all ops.
T1
Spotting Information
Ladder	Needed for most spots and it is recommend to bring one with you.
Car/Public Transport	A car is needed as there is no public transport around the airport. If you start from the terminal you can walk to spots 1 and 2 if you don´t mind a 20-30 minute walk you can go to the spot 11 or even 10.
Drinks/Food	Spots 1 and 2 are next to the terminal. For the other spots there is nothing around directly except some bushes and trees.
Hotels	There is the hotel Arche next to the terminal.
Season	Best in the summer holiday season beacuse of additional charter traffic.
Security	Spotting is no issue here although WRO has some military traffic. Keep to the basic rules: be friendly, explain what you do, listen to all instructions and you should be good to go.
Runway Usage
11/29	Used in both directions. There is no preferred direction and depends on the wind.

Longterm parking hill - 11 movements + nearby Apron

WHERE	Spot is located in the longterm parking west of the terminal on a small hill. Rather get rid of your car at the terminal and walk up on the hill by foot.
WHAT	11 operations plus apron in front.
TIME	In winter backlit all day. At summer from sunrise to 9am and after 18pm for the ramp. Depends on the angle.
MISC.	Many shops inside the terminal, toilets is available. No ladder needed.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm A320 runway = 250mm

WRO-Spot1

WRO-Spot1

WRO-Spot1

VIP Parking - Apron in front

WHERE	Spot is located in the VIP parking west of the terminal. Rather get rid of your car somewhere else and walk up to the fence here by foot.
WHAT	Apron in front can be seen from here.
TIME	Morning and evening hours in the summer but depends on the angle. In winter mainly backlit.
MISC.	Many shops inside the terminal. Ladder needed.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm A319 = 75mm

WRO-Spot2

WRO-Spot2

WRO-Spot2

Abandoned Parking - 11/29 movements

WHERE	This spot is located west of the cargo terminal on an abandoned parking area and along the fence. From the terminal access road just drive southwards on the big roundabout on Skarżyńskiego street until the former passenger terminal. Park by the side of the road and walk through a parking lot until the empty area.
WHAT	Taxiway and arrivals on runway 29.
TIME	In winter backlit all day. In the summer from sunrise to 9am.
MISC.	Nothing around here. Ladder needed here.
FOCAL LENGTH	18-300mm C17 = 150mm / Saab 340 = 25mm

WRO-Spot3

WRO-Spot3

WRO-Spot3

PPS1 - Cargo ramp

WHERE	Same way as above but on the opposite side, just at the eastern end of the parking area, next to the old passenger terminal.
WHAT	Here you can nicely see aircraft parked on the cargo apron.
TIME	Best in the summer evenings.
MISC.	Fence is very high and sort of plexiglass wall partly, so it is hard to take pictures here! High ladder or tiny lense needed to shoot above/thru the fence. Nothing here otherwise.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm

No pictures available yet.

Smolec - 29 Arrivals

WHERE	Spot is located near an auto repair service at Chłopska 60 street in the town of Smolec, simply along the roadside. You can stop and stand wherever you want here.
WHAT	Best for 29 arrivals. 11 departures are already very high.
TIME	All day as you can easily switch sides.
MISC.	Nothing here, nearest shop is 2km away.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm

WRO-Spot5

WRO-Spot5

Threshold east - 11/29 movements

WHERE	To get to this place you need to get to the end of Główna street, in the nort part of the village of Kłębowice by car. Then park by the road/forestside here and walk north through the forest along the small river to the airport fence.
WHAT	11 departures and 29 arrivals.
TIME	From early noon until late afternoon in the summer. Almost all day in winter.
MISC.	Nothing around except forrest. Ladder needed.
FOCAL LENGTH	150-400mm

No pictures available yet.

Sport aircraft apron - 11/29 movements

WHERE	To get to this place you need to get to the end Lesna street in the northwest part of the village of Kłębowice by car. Then park by the road/forestside here and walk north through the forest to the airport fence. Going eastwards along the airport fence, you will get there then.
WHAT	All 11/29 movements as well as the sport aircraft movements in front of you.
TIME	From early noon until late afternoon in the summer. Almost all day in winter.
MISC.	Nothing around except forrest.
FOCAL LENGTH	150-400mm

No pictures available yet.

Runway axis - 11 Arrivals + 29 Departures

WHERE	On the west side of the airport, access only by car. Therefore exit highway 362 to the east as marked onto a bumpy dirt road, drive in as much as you can, stop the car there and then just search your favourite position along the fence here.
WHAT	11 landings, 29 departures.
TIME	Actually all day as you can easily move along the fence with the sun.
MISC.	Nothing. Ladder useful if you wanna shoot aircraft just lifting off the runway. Hard in winter/when it is wet and with sport cars!
FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm

WRO-Spot8

WRO-Spot8

Polanka - 11/29 movements

WHERE	Continue from the previous location by foot along the fence for approximate 10 minutes. You can also go back some steps to the forest line to get a bit better angle.
WHAT	11 landings, 29 departures
TIME	Possible from early noon until late afternoon in the summer. Almost all day in winter.
MISC.	Nothing just forest. Ladder with two steps needed at the fence. Hard in winter/when it is wet and with sport cars!
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm

At the fence directly:

WRO-Spot9-Fence

WRO-Spot9-Fence

WRO-Spot9-Fence

Few meters back at the forest:

Crash gate - 11/29 movements

WHERE	Continue another 10 minutes from the previous location by foot along the fence until a crash get.
WHAT	11 arrivals and line-up, 29 landings and departures. In general you can catch all movements from here.
TIME	Best from afternoon to sunset for the line-up. For the runway movements from early noon until late afternoon in the summer. Almost all day in winter. Be aware of heat haze for ground photos!
MISC.	Nothing just forest. Ladder with two steps needed. Hard in winter/when it is wet and with sport cars!
FOCAL LENGTH	150-400mm B738 side on = 180mm

WRO-Spot7

WRO-Spot7

WRO-Spot7