Lubumbashi International Airport

Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga Province (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

IATA: FBM ICAO: FZQA

Longest Active Runway

10,623 ft

3,238 meters

Field Elevation

4,295 ft

1,309 m MSL

Runway Inventory

1 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

-11.5915°, 27.5308°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#436 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#695 of 7558

Top 9.2% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

#3 in CD

#3 of 38 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+6.2%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Lubumbashi International Airport's longest active runway measures 10,623 ft (3,238 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #436. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #695 worldwide (Top 9.2%) and #3 nationally in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Mid-Altitude Plateau / Valley Facility

Operating at 4,295 ft (1,309 m MSL), true airspeed (TAS) on approach and takeoff roll is moderately higher than indicated airspeed (IAS). Engines experience slight thrust lapse under elevated summer temperatures, necessitating conservative density-altitude dispatch calculations for fully laden twin-engine commercial transports.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

With no qualifying commercial facilities with paved runways ≥5,000 ft within a 100 NM radius, Lubumbashi International Airport functions as an isolated regional aviation hub. Scheduled air services and transiting aircraft must calculate extended diversion reserves to alternate airfields outside the immediate 100 NM quadrant.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 10,623 ft (3,238 m)

With its longest runway exceeding 10,500 ft (3,238 m) and paved surface engineering, Lubumbashi International Airport meets the operational runway criteria for unrestricted long-haul operations by Code 4E and 4F heavy widebody aircraft, including the Airbus A380-800, Boeing 747-8, Airbus A350-1000, and Boeing 777-300ER at high operational weights.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
07/25	10,623 ft (3238m)	164 ft (50m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/fbm.json ↗