Airports / Zambia / KIW
Southdowns Airport.
Kitwe, Zambia · 4,145 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
FLSO
IATA KIW
0
Operators based
4,145
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
22 nm
To the nearest alternate
Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Located in Kitwe, Zambia, Southdowns Airport (FLSO / KIW) operates as a mid-sized airport. Field elevation is 4,145 feet above sea level. Free of scheduled airline operations, it serves business aviation, charter flights, and local general aviation.
While no charter operators list KIW as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA, 22 nm), Kasompe Airport (CGJ, 25 nm), and Peter Zuze Air Force Base (FLND, 31 nm). The field has a single 6,562-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
Trip costs from KIW 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 KIW to plan your flight.
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Field capability
ICAO
FLSO
IATA
KIW
FAA / Local
FLSO
Elevation
4,145 ft
Coordinates
12.9005° S · 28.1499° 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
No
Elevation vs Zambia fields
state range 1,853–4,636 ft
At 4,145 ft, KIW sits lower than 50% of the 10 Zambia fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 6,562 ft
- 11/296,562 ft × 100 ftAsphaltUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 6,562 ft
KIW's 6,562 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 4,145 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.
- 22nmNLASimon Mwansa Kapwepwe International AirportNdola
- 25nmCGJKasompe AirportChingola
- 31nmFLNDPeter Zuze Air Force BaseNdola
- 87nmFBMLubumbashi International AirportLubumbashi
- 147nmLUNKenneth Kaunda International AirportLusaka
- 151nmFLLCLusaka City AirportLusaka
Location
Open the full mapFLSO · Southdowns Airport · Kitwe, Zambia
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from KIW on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 6,339 nm | 15h 9m |
| New York (TEB) | 6,459 nm | 15h 25m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 6,613 nm | 15h 47m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 6,718 nm | 16h 1m |
| Miami (MIA) | 6,725 nm | 16h 2m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 7,057 nm | 16h 49m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 7,078 nm | 16h 52m |
| Houston (HOU) | 7,520 nm | 17h 53m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use KIW?
- Southdowns Airport's longest paved runway is 6,562 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 KIW?
- Southdowns Airport has one runway; the longest measures 6,562 ft on a paved surface.
- What is the nearest major airport to KIW?
- The closest alternate is Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA), about 22 nm away, followed by Kasompe Airport (CGJ) at 25 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from KIW to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 15h 9m (6,339 nm), New York about 15h 25m (6,459 nm), Washington DC about 15h 47m (6,613 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.