Airports / Zambia / NLA
Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport.
Ndola, Zambia · 4,308 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
FLSK
IATA NLA
0
Operators based
4,308
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
9 nm
To the nearest alternate
Peter Zuze Air Force Base (FLND), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Located in Ndola, Zambia, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (FLSK / NLA) operates as a large commercial airport. The field lies at an elevation of 4,308 feet. The airport supports scheduled airline service as well as private jet and charter movements.
NLA has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Peter Zuze Air Force Base (FLND, 9 nm), Southdowns Airport (KIW, 22 nm), and Kasompe Airport (CGJ, 43 nm). NLA offers a single 11,483-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of NLA vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from NLA, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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Field capability
ICAO
FLSK
IATA
NLA
FAA / Local
FLSK
Elevation
4,308 ft
Coordinates
12.9651° S · 28.5156° 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
Large
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Zambia fields
state range 1,853–4,636 ft
At 4,308 ft, NLA sits higher than 70% of the 10 Zambia fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 11,483 ft
- 09/2711,483 ft × 148 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 11,483 ft
NLA's 11,483 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- 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 4,308 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.
- 9nmFLNDPeter Zuze Air Force BaseNdola
- 22nmKIWSouthdowns AirportKitwe
- 43nmCGJKasompe AirportChingola
- 101nmFBMLubumbashi International AirportLubumbashi
- 142nmLUNKenneth Kaunda International AirportLusaka
- 147nmFLLCLusaka City AirportLusaka
Location
Open the full mapFLSK · Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport · Ndola, Zambia
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from NLA on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 6,358 nm | 15h 11m |
| New York (TEB) | 6,478 nm | 15h 28m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 6,632 nm | 15h 49m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 6,739 nm | 16h 4m |
| Miami (MIA) | 6,746 nm | 16h 5m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 7,076 nm | 16h 51m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 7,096 nm | 16h 54m |
| Houston (HOU) | 7,541 nm | 17h 56m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use NLA?
- Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport's longest paved runway is 11,483 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. 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 NLA?
- Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport has one runway; the longest measures 11,483 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to NLA?
- The closest alternate is Peter Zuze Air Force Base (FLND), about 9 nm away, followed by Southdowns Airport (KIW) at 22 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from NLA to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 15h 11m (6,358 nm), New York about 15h 28m (6,478 nm), Washington DC about 15h 49m (6,632 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.