Airports / Zimbabwe / GWE
Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base.
Gweru, Zimbabwe · 4,680 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
FVTL
IATA GWE
0
Operators based
4,680
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
67 nm
To the nearest alternate
Masvingo International Airport (MVZ).
Overview
Located in Gweru, Zimbabwe, Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base (FVTL / GWE) operates as a mid-sized airport. The field lies at an elevation of 4,680 feet. The field has no airline schedules, which keeps it focused on private and general aviation flying.
GWE has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Masvingo International Airport (MVZ, 67 nm), Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ, 78 nm), and Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport (HRE, 114 nm). GWE offers a single 8,766-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of GWE vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. The airport is also known as Thornhill. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from GWE, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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Field capability
ICAO
FVTL
IATA
GWE
FAA / Local
FVTL
Elevation
4,680 ft
Coordinates
19.4367° S · 29.8619° 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 Zimbabwe fields
state range 1,421–4,887 ft
At 4,680 ft, GWE sits higher than 78% of the 9 Zimbabwe fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 8,766 ft
- 13L/31R8,766 ft × 100 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,766 ft
GWE's 8,766 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 4,680 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.
- 67nmMVZMasvingo International AirportMasvingo
- 78nmBUQJoshua Mqabuko Nkomo International AirportBulawayo
- 114nmHRERobert Gabriel Mugabe International AirportHarare
- 135nmBFOBuffalo Range AirportChiredzi
- 168nmHWNHwange National Park AirportGwayi River Farms
- 170nmFRWPhillip Gaonwe Matante International AirportFrancistown
Location
Open the full mapFVTL · Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base · Gweru, Zimbabwe
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from GWE on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 6,668 nm | 15h 54m |
| New York (TEB) | 6,779 nm | 16h 10m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 6,923 nm | 16h 30m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 6,960 nm | 16h 35m |
| Miami (MIA) | 6,961 nm | 16h 35m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 7,352 nm | 17h 30m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 7,404 nm | 17h 37m |
| Houston (HOU) | 7,776 nm | 18h 29m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use GWE?
- Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base's longest paved runway is 8,766 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 GWE?
- Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base has one runway; the longest measures 8,766 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to GWE?
- The closest alternate is Masvingo International Airport (MVZ), about 67 nm away, followed by Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) at 78 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from GWE to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 15h 54m (6,668 nm), New York about 16h 10m (6,779 nm), Washington DC about 16h 30m (6,923 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.