← Home / Airports / Kyrgyzstan

Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Issyk-Kul International Airport

Tamchy, Issyk Kul Region (Kyrgyzstan)

IATA: IKU ICAO: UCFL

Longest Active Runway

12,467 ft

3,800 meters

Field Elevation

5,425 ft

1,654 m MSL

Runway Inventory

1 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

42.5856°, 76.7012°

LARGE AIRPORT

🏆

Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#115 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#192 of 7558

Top 2.8% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Kyrgyzstan)

#2 in KG

#2 of 4 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+24.7%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Issyk-Kul International Airport's longest active runway measures 12,467 ft (3,800 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #115. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #192 worldwide (Top 2.8%) and #2 nationally in Kyrgyzstan.

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

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

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

⛰️

Elevation & Atmospheric Density

High-Altitude Aerodrome (Hot & High)

At an elevation of 5,425 ft (1,654 m MSL), this aerodrome operates under severe 'hot and high' atmospheric density penalties. Standard atmospheric air density decreases significantly at this altitude, reducing aerodynamic lift over the wing surfaces and engine thrust output. As a direct operational result, departing commercial airliners require substantially extended ground takeoff rolls and experience reduced initial climb gradients compared to sea-level operations, frequently imposing Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) payload restrictions on ultra-long-haul transcontinental stages.

🧭

Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Within its 100 NM cluster of 1 neighboring aerodromes, Issyk-Kul International Airport is supported by major regional alternatives. Notably, Almaty International Airport (ALA) lies just 48.5 NM away with a 14,764 ft runway, offering reliable operational redundancy for commercial diversions and congested airspace rerouting.

✈️

Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 12,467 ft (3,800 m)

With its longest runway exceeding 10,500 ft (3,800 m) and paved surface engineering, Issyk-Kul 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	12,467 ft (3800m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Almaty International Airport (Almaty)	`ALA`	48.5 NM (89.8 km)	14,764 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ 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/iku.json ↗