Viracopos Airport (VPC/SBKP) is located in the city of Campinas, a major Brazilian industrial center, and is the second busiest (CARGO) airport in Brazil. It serves numerous companies in this sector, such as Atlas, Cargolux, Korean Air Cargo, Emirates, Fedex, UPS , Lufthansa, Latam cargo and many others. Azul Airlines hub is responsible for the movement of more than 90 percent of the passenger movement, the airport has numerous connections with other countries and passenger traffic has grown a lot in recent years, mainly due to operations of Azul airlines. The days of the biggest movements are during the week and on Saturdays/Sundays the airport has less movement and the planes of Azul airlines dominate.

During the week in the morning flights from North America and Europe and some freighters arrive. This airport does not have many international passenger flights its traffic is bigger in the cargo flights. However many are charters and not being able to know for sure the landings and takeoffs times. But flights from Aerologic, Cargolux, Atlas, Lufthansa, FedEx, UPS, and Brazil’s Latam Cargo, Modern Logistic are flying on a regular base.

Written by Ediney Ribeiro and Pedro Paim Marion (Spot 5). Last change: September 2023 (Spot 5 added)

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
15/33	3.240 m (10.630ft) asphalt
Terminals	One terminal for all commercial passenger traffic.
Spotting Information
Ladder	No need to use ladder at any of the photo locations.
Car/Public Transport	You will need a car to go everywhere, are difficult to access by urban transport, a car here is very necessary.
Restrooms	There are no restrooms in any of the venues except for location # 3 where there are some bars you can ask to use the bathroom.
Drinks/Food	Only on location number # 3 there are bars the others there is nothing.
Hotels	No hotels are available at the airport, only in the city of Campinas.
Season	With the exception of the months of December and January, which are the most rainy, all year round it is possible to photograph here.
Security	Spotters are already reported out of this airport, do not go alone and even accompanied being attentive.
Runway Usage
15/33	Runway are used according to the direction of the winds and, it is difficult to say which will be used. However of any of these places marked here you can take photos of both, takeoffs and landings.

	Spot #1 – Servulo Henrique Barros – 33 arrivals
WHERE	To get here leave the airport heading to the city of Campinas after passing over an overpass turn right and follow the Santos Dumont highway northwards. Soon you will see the lights of ILS, leave the highway and turn right and drive for a few meters. Park along the road. You are on an elevated position so you can photograph the runway and taxiway over the fence.
WHAT	You’ll be able to take pictures of arrivals at 33 in the afternoon, and shoot the planes straight ahead, and the rubber burning at the touch of the track. You can photograph the line-up on 33 too.
TIME	Afternoon till sunset all year round for arrivals. Line-up in the morning only.
MISC.	There are no restrooms here, and the place is known as unsafe, watch out!
FOCAL LENGTH	50-400mm Arrivals: E190=220mm; MD-11=120mm

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	Spot #2 – Servulo Henrique Barros – 33 arrivals
WHERE	This place can be reached following the same guidelines of spot 1, follow another thousand meters and you will see a small parking lot next to a warehouse. Leave the car here and go another 100 meters, climb a mound and start photograph.
WHAT	Best for 33 arrivals and 15 heavy departures. Might be able to make some banking shots.
TIME	From morning until noon all year round. Due to distance and the higway heat distortion is an issue here!
MISC.	There are no toilets, no shade here. You are close to a company but  the small parking lot is outside of this company. Also there are no snack bars and bars, take water and food
FOCAL LENGTH	300-500mm Arrivals: E190 = 400mm+; MD11 = 200mm Departures: E190 = 290mm; ATR72 = 400mm+

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	Spot #3 – Evangelical Church – 15 arrivals
WHERE	This place is difficult to explain how to get there, put in your GPS “Av. Paulo Machado de Carvalho, 542 – Jardim Adhemar de Barros, Campinas – SP” stands in front of an evangelical church named “Congregração Cristã do Brazil”. Park direclty at the curch at nearby trees.
WHAT	Best for runway 15 arrivals. 33 departures are already very high.
TIME	From morning until noon all year round.
MISC.	This place is considered dangerous due to robberies, so it is better to go in a group or with local observers. I have been there several times and I have never seen any of this, but I advise you to exercise caution. Some bars and snack bars are very close in the nearby village.
FOCAL LENGTH	100-400 mm

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	Spot #4 – Railroad Track – 15 arrivals
WHERE	Difficult access location and better to go with local spotters. From the curch take the road that runs parallel to the airport boundaries. After a few meters you are on a dirt road than turn left and you will drive parallel to a railroad track. Follow it until you see a tunnel to your right. Pass it and you reached the position. These are the coordinates you can put on your GPS 22°59’52.2″S 47°09’23.8″W
WHAT	Arrivals and line-up on RWY15. Heavy departures on RWY33.
TIME	Afternoon till sunset all year round for arrivals and departures. Line-Up 15 in late afternoon only for 1-2 hours.
MISC.	There are no bars, there are no restrooms, take sunscreen and keep in mind that the place is outlying, risk of robberies
FOCAL LENGTH	100-500 mm

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	Spot #5 – Azul Hangars – 33 Movements, 15 departures and Ramp
WHERE	The location is right next to the Azul Maintenance Hangars and is an “offical spotting location”. It is possible to arrive by Uber and also by car. By placing Azul Cargo Express, Viracopos you will get to the place. There is a parking lot a few meters from the stop. It is possible to get there by bus, but you will have to walk around 3km from the next station.
WHAT	The runway that can be seen is runway number 33 with views of the taxiway that leads to the hold point on the same runway 33, with a view of the Azul Linhas Aéreas hangar itself. It is also possible to see the takeoffs when the operational threshold is 15.
TIME	Afternoon till sunset all year round for arrivals. Otherwise it will be backlit. Line-up from the afternoon.
MISC.	It is recommended that you take sunscreen, food and water, as the closest bathrooms are in the terminal. It is more than 2km from this photography point. Problems with the police are very rare as it is close to a cargo loading and unloading location, which greatly increases your safety on site.
FOCAL LENGTH	Around 200-300 for arrival side-on shots

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