Aviation » Infrastructure

Polokwane International airport located to the north of Polokwane is currently the only international airport in Limpopo province and is centrally located from most parts of the province. The airport is owned by Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport but it is managed by GAAL on their behalf.

The airport consists of two diagonally crossed runways with supporting taxiways and has a 24 hour operational tower manned by ATNS. The airport handles an average of 3700 aircraft a year carrying about 60000 arriving and departing passengers. AIRLINK offers three daily scheduled flights from Johannesburg (OR Tambo) and it is also the main transporter of air freight into Polokwane.

Polokwane airport is mainly preferred by business people coming in and out of the town but government officials form the majority of the users.

Airport tower is shown below.

Airport Physical Characteristics

The airport consists of two asphalt cross runways with supporting taxiways leading to the main terminal as shown in the picture shown below.

[source: CAA- Aeronautical Information Publication]

Polokwane Airport General Information

Airport Coordinates and site	REF Point: S235043, 2 E0292730, 7 taken at Runway intersections
Direction and distance from City	3600 , 5 NM of Polokwane
Airport Elevation	4076 FT
Airport Administration, address, contacts	Limpopo Provincial Government P.O. Box 1309 Polokwane, 0700 TEL: 015 288 0122 FAX: 015 288 0125 ATC: 015 288 0343 ATC FAX: 015 288 0344 Border Police: 015 288 0181 Border Police: 082 565 8316 Customs: 015 288 0233 Customs: 082 822 7202 Immigration: 015 288 0083 Immigration: 083 773 5218 or 073 993 7642
Type of traffic permitted	IFR/VFR

 

Polokwane Airport Operational Hours

Airport administration	MON - FRI: 0400 - 1800 SAT: 0600 - 1600; SUN: 0600 - 1700 Public holidays are by notification.
Customs and Immigration	Same as airport operational hours. Also available after hours preferably with prior notice giving the date and time of arrival or departure to the airport officials.
ATS	MON - FRI: 0400 - 1800 SAT: 0600 - 1600; SUN: 0600 - 1700 Public holidays are by notification.
Fuelling	Same hours of operation as the airport. Supplier: BP/ Air BP CTC: 015 288 0352 or 073 409 1895 FAX: 086 612 1706 After Hours: 082 653 7956 or 082 878 7610 Call out fee of between R50 and R114 will be charged.
Handling	Available through prior arrangement Contact: 082 493 8664
Security	H24 Security Services
Remarks	Outside these hours, services are available on request. Request to be not later than 24 hours in advance.

 

Polokwane Airport Passenger Facilities

Hotels	Overnight accommodation: Hotels, Chalet and Lodges in town within 10km radius.
Restaurants	Chinese, Italian and other European restaurants.
Transportation	Car rentals, Buses, Taxis and Limousine available on request.
Medical facilities	First Aid and Hospital in town and at Airport. Oxygen and related servicing.

Phalaborwa airport is located 1nm to the north east of the town of Phalaborwa and has a single 1373 x 18m runway suitable for aircraft with a seating capacity not exceeding 29 passengers. The airport is owned by Phalaborwa Airport (Pty) Ltd in which AIRLINK has ownership rights. The airport offers AIRLINK operated daily scheduled flights from Johannesburg (OR Tambo) and it is mainly used by mining executives and the SANDF. A picture of the entrance to the main terminal building is shown below.

Phalaborwa airport handles about 1000 aircraft movements (takeoff and landing included) and about 12000 passengers (arriving and departing included) annually.

 

Typical aircraft that are supported at Phalaborwa airport is shown in the picture below. Several car hire companies operate from this facility offering much needed transport services.

Airport Physical Characteristics

Phalaborwa airport consists of a single short asphalt runway of 1373 x 18m connected to the terminal building through a taxiway as shown in the picture below.

Phalaborwa Airport General Information

Airport Coordinates and site	REF Point: S235609, 88 E0310918, 34
Direction and distance from City	1 NM NNE
Airport Elevation	1432 FT
Airport Administration, address, contacts	Kruger Park Gateway, Phalaborwa Airport (Pty) Ltd, P.O. Box 7529 Bonaero Park, 1622 TEL: 015 781 5823 FAX: 015 781 5813
Type of traffic permitted	IFR/VFR
Remarks	Prior notification must be obtained at least 72 hours or 3 working days in advance before arriving. It must be in writing to Kruger Gateway Airport. Appropriate forms required for permission to land obtainable from: TEL: 015 781 5823/33, 082 891 8720 FAX: 015 781 5813

 

Phalaborwa Airport Passenger Facilities

Hotels	Overnight accommodation: Hotels, Chalet and Lodges in town within 10km radius.
Restuarants	Yes (1).
Transportation	Car hire available

Eastgate airport is located 7 nautical miles to the east of the town of Hoedspruit and it is partly owned by the South African Air Force (SAAF). The airport is currently operated by SA EXPRESS which runs two daily flights from Johannesburg (OR Tambo) and a daily flight to Cape Town. Over 95% of the passengers are tourist visiting the Kruger national park and other game reserves in the area, especially KAPAMA Game Reserve which has a stake in the airport.

Kapama Game Reserve which is the destination of most tourists is situated nearby the airport and has its own transport to pick up their customers.

Airport Physical Characteristics

The airport consists of two runways connecting to the terminal building through a taxiway as shown below.

Hoedspruit Airport General Information

Airport Coordinates and site	REF Point: S242116, 635 E0310301, 44
Direction and distance from City	7 NM East of Hoedspruit
Airport Elevation	1738 FT
Airport Administration, address, contacts	Air Force Base Hoedspruit Private Bag 504 Hoedspruit, 1380 TEL: 015 799 2911 FAX: 015 799 2695
Airport administration	MON - FRI: 0500 - 1530
ATS	TEL: 015 799 2451 TELEFAX: 015 799 2426
Fuelling	JET A1 available. MON - FRI: 0500 - 1530
Remarks	Outside these hours, services are available on request. Request to be not later than 24 hours in advance.

 

Hoedspruit Airport Passenger Facilities

Hotels	Overnight accommodation: Hotels, Chalet and Lodges in tow.
Restaurants	South African
Transportation	Rent a car available on request.
Medical facilities	First Aid and Hospital in town and related servicing.

 

 

Tzaneen airport is owned by the Greater Tzaneen local municipality and is located 10 nautical miles to the east of the town of Tzaneen. The airport is currently mainly used by private individuals most of which belong to Letaba Flying Club, some of whom are business people who use their private aircraft to fly to Gauteng and other destinations in South Africa for business purposes.

There are currently no scheduled passenger services and no recorded movements of passengers or aircraft. From the number of hangers at the facility, one can tell that it is quite busy. Looking at its close proximity to the three busy airports in the province (Polokwane International, Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa airports), air potential air freight into the town of Tzaneen can come through this airports and transported by road once they have landed.

The number of hangers as shown below is a good sign of a very large general aviation community at this airfield. There is also an aircraft maintenance company located at these airfield.

Tzaneen Airfield Physical Characteristics

The airport consists of a single 1420 x 20 m asphalt runway which is sufficient for most general aviation type of aircraft as shown below.

Tzaneen Airfield General Information

Airport Coordinates and site	REF Point: S2349.8 E03019.0
Direction and distance from City	10 NM East of Tzaneen
Airport Elevation	1914 FT
Airport Administration, address, contacts	Transitional Local Council P.O. Box 24 TZANEEN, 0850 TEL: 083 629 3503 FAX: 015 307 4872 Email: sievel@tzaneen.gov.za
Types of traffic permitted	IFR/VFR
Remarks	Landing fees for single engine ACFT R50, Twin engine ACFT R100 and parking fees R30 a day.
Airport administration	Airport operational hours: HJ (HN - PPR)
Fuelling	Supplier: ENGEN / Letaba Aircraft Maintenance. TEL: 015 3043142 After Hours: 083 629 4917 / 083 630 3506 HOD: MON - FRI: 0600 - 1430 SAT/SUN: 0600 - 1300 PUBL HOL: Same as weekends. Pilots are to contact supplier to establish fuel availability.

 

 

Polokwane Municipal airport is located 1nm south east of Polokwane town and it is currently operated by the South African Police Services Air Wing as shown in the picture below. There are charter services being offered as well as flight training for the general public.

 

Some of the users of the airport include a flight school and Netstar car recovery helicopter as shown below.

Polokwane Municipal Airfield Physical Characteristics

The airport consists of a single 2200 x 25m runway as shown in the picture below.

Polokwane Municipal Airfield General Information

Airport Coordinates and site	REF Point: S235500 E0292900
Direction and distance from City	1 NM SSE of Polokwane
Airport Elevation	4354 FT
Airport Administration, address, contacts	Expectra P.O. Box 938 POLOKWANE, 0700 TEL: 015 291 4700 FAX: 015 291 2929 VHF: 122.7 MHz

 

 

Modimolle airport is owned by the local municipality and it is located 2nm east of the town of Modimolle. The airport is mainly used by Nylstroom flying club whose members own aircraft and do parachuting on weekends.

 

Modimolle Municipal Airfield General Information

Airport Coordinates and site	REF Point: S244107,94 E0282541,36
Direction and distance from City	2 NM E of Modimolle
Airport Elevation	3900 FT
Airport Administration, address, contacts	MUNICIPALITY Private Bag X1008 NYLSTROOM, 0510 Contact Person: Mr Thabo Hlabela TEL: 014 717 5211 FAX: 014 717 4077
Types of traffic permitted	VFR
Fuelling	Supplier: SHELL/Nylstroom Flying Club HOD: MON - SAT: 0500 - 1500 TEL: 015 317 1391

 

Lephalale airport located in the heart of the mining town consists of a 2200 x 30m runway with a terminal building as shown in the picture below. The airfield is owned by Limpopo Department of Public Works and operated by the South African Defence Force.

At the time of writting (April 2012) the airfield was unmanned although there is an operational flying school and daily scheduled flights to Johannesburg (Lanseria). There are about 60 people using this facility on a daily basis.

Lephalale Airfield Physical Characteristics

Lephalale Airfield General Information