Airports / Papua New Guinea / CMU
Chimbu Airport.
Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea · 4,974 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
3.8/5
Google rating
61 ratings
0
Operators based
4,974
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
#10 / 20
Papua New Guinea airports by Google rating
3.8★ across 61 Google ratings , ranked against 20 rated Papua New Guinea fields.
25 nm
To the nearest alternate
Goroka Airport (GKA), 2 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Chimbu Airport, listed as AYCH / CMU, is a mid-sized airport in Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea. Field elevation is 4,974 feet above sea level. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
While no charter operators list CMU as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Goroka Airport (GKA, 25 nm), Mount Hagen Kagamuga Airport (HGU, 42 nm), and Wapenamanda Airport (WBM, 69 nm). The field has a single 3,330-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to turboprops.
Trip costs from CMU are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from CMU to plan your flight.
Run an FBO at AYCH? Become the preferred FBO
Field capability
ICAO
AYCH
IATA
CMU
FAA / Local
AYCH
Elevation
4,974 ft
Coordinates
6.0243° S · 144.9710° E
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Papua New Guinea fields
state range 7–5,889 ft
At 4,974 ft, CMU sits higher than 76% of the 21 Papua New Guinea fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 3,330 ft
- 03/213,330 ft × 89 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 3,330 ft
CMU's 3,330 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to turboprops.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation, and at 4,974 ft this field's density altitude can extend the runway a jet actually needs on warm days. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 25nmGKAGoroka AirportGoronka
- 42nmHGUMount Hagen Kagamuga AirportMount Hagen
- 69nmWBMWapenamanda AirportWapenamanda
- 69nmMAGMadang AirportMadang
- 79nmMDUMendi AirportMendi
- 89nmVMUBaimuru AirportBaimuru
Location
Open the full mapAYCH · Chimbu Airport · Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from CMU on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu (HNL) | 3,740 nm | 9h 6m |
| Anchorage (ANC) | 5,023 nm | 12h 5m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 5,750 nm | 13h 46m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 5,780 nm | 13h 51m |
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 5,931 nm | 14h 12m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 6,095 nm | 14h 34m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 6,232 nm | 14h 54m |
| Scottsdale (SCF) | 6,259 nm | 14h 57m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use CMU?
- Chimbu Airport's longest paved runway is 3,330 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to turboprops. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at CMU?
- Chimbu Airport has one runway; the longest measures 3,330 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to CMU?
- The closest alternate is Goroka Airport (GKA), about 25 nm away, followed by Mount Hagen Kagamuga Airport (HGU) at 42 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from CMU to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Honolulu about 9h 6m (3,740 nm), Anchorage about 12h 5m (5,023 nm), San Francisco about 13h 46m (5,750 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.