Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport

Francistown, Francistown (city) (Botswana)

IATA: FRW ICAO: FBPM

Longest Active Runway

9,843 ft

3,000 meters

Field Elevation

3,283 ft

1,001 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

1 closed, Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

-21.1592°, 27.4688°

LARGE AIRPORT

🏆

Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#610 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#1098 of 7558

Top 15.9% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Botswana)

#2 in BW

#2 of 10 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

-1.6%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport's longest active runway measures 9,843 ft (3,000 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #610. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #1098 worldwide (Top 15.9%) and #2 nationally in Botswana.

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

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

ICAO Code 4D / 4E Heavy Intercontinental

⛰️

Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Mid-Altitude Plateau / Valley Facility

Operating at 3,283 ft (1,001 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.

🧭

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, Phillip Gaonwe Matante 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.

✈️

Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 9,843 ft (3,000 m)

At 9,843 ft (3,000 m), the primary runway comfortably accommodates mid-to-large twin-aisle widebody transports (such as the Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A330-900) as well as maximum-range narrowbody transcontinental configurations (Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 737 MAX 9) under typical atmospheric conditions.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
13/31	9,843 ft (3000m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
11/29	7,218 ft (2200m)	98 ft (30m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
16/34	4,147 ft (1264m)	72 ft (22m)	`GVL`	❌ Unlighted	⛔ Closed

🛡️ 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/frw.json ↗