Francistown Airport
| Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base | |||
|---|---|---|---|
IATA: FRW – ICAO: FBFT [1]
  FRW | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public/Military | ||
| Owner | Botswana Defence Force/Botswana CAA | ||
| Operator | Botswana Defence Force (military airbase) Civil Government (civilian) [1] | ||
| Location | Francistown | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 3,283[1] ft / 1,001[1] m | ||
| Coordinates | 21°09′34″S 27°28′28″E / 21.15944°S 27.47444°E[1] | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 11/29[1] | 7,218[1] | 2,200[1] | Asphalt[1] |
| 16/34[1] | 4,147[1] | 1,264[1] | Gravel[1] |
Francistown Airport is a public airport in Francistown, Botswana (IATA: FRW, ICAO: FBFT).[1] It has two runways, one paved and one not,[1] and most flights fly for the airline Air Botswana.
The new terminal building opened in 2011 and the old terminal is now used by the Botswana Defence Force.
Expansion
The airport received plans for reconstruction and expansion in 2008 to be completed in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as Francistown could receive an influx of foreign tourists due to the World Cup in neighbouring South Africa.
The estimated cost for all three expansion phases is expected to exceed P500 million, and will all be completed at the same time, around May 2010.
Phase One of the construction cost P224 million, while Phase three cost P160 million. Phase Two is still in the tender stages but is expected to cost more the P100 million.
Two new runways are being added as well as the renovations of the current ones. Additional check-in counters and duty-free shops are also to be added. This follows the expansion and renovations at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone, the Maun Airport in Maun, Kasane Airport and the construction of a new airport in Ghantsi.
However, currently the project is expected to miss its May deadline, after the airport in Gaborone also missed its deadline set date for May 10, 2010, with contractors at both sites struggling to finalise each stage of construction in time.
In 2011 the airport's ownership of the old terminal was transferred to the Botswana Defence Force and became a military airport,[2] with civilian traffic moved to the new Francistown International Airport terminal to the west of the airport lands.
Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Botswana | Gaborone, Johannesburg-OR Tambo.[3] |
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing
Francistown is home to Botswana Defence Force Air Wing's Z3 Transport(Liaison) Squadron and Z12 Transport Squadron. It is located in the old terminal building at the east end of the airport.
References
External links
- Accident history for FRW at Aviation Safety Network
- Airport information for FBFT at Great Circle Mapper.
- Current weather for FBFT at NOAA/NWS
- Airport information for FBFT at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.