Congo (Kinshasa) airport comments

According to Wikipedia, the plane is a DC-8 that has been stranded since the eruption.

All the best,

David

There doesn't appear to be a taxiway to the south that could get it to the runway.

In the satellite picture, it looks like there is a very large airplane with no way to get to the runway. I wonder if it's really cut off, or if they taxi it over the lava flow?

A 2002 volcanic eruption nearby sent a lava stream over the north portion of the runway. The south portion of 18/26 is still operational.

On 15 April 2008, a Hew Bora Airways DC-9 lost power to an engine during its takeoff roll, attempted to abort, and overran the end of the runway into a crowded market immediately to the south of the airport:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Hewa_Bora_Airways_crash

First 800 metres Rwy 07 u/s

ILS okay

August 2007

K Watkins Safair C-130

In use 13R / 31L

Viz quite poor Aug/Sept

K Watkins Safair C-130

According to an interesting article in Vanity Fair's July 2007 issue ("Congo from the Cockpit" by pilot/writer William Langewiesche) this aiport lies in the centre of town. When he lands, there are people walking across the runway, carrying items on their heads, apparently oblivious to the plane landing. People grow vegetables in the grass near the runway, soldiers have taken over some of the empty hangars, and their children play among the moving airplanes, unconcerned about the danger. A very interesting article.

According to an article in Vanity Fair's July 2007 issue ("Congo from the Cockpit" by pilot/writer William Langewiesche) the single, 15,420-foot runway, is designated by the US as an emergency landing strip for the space shuttle. According to Langewiesche, the ramp is crowded with "decrepit jets that are too fragile for the country's dirt strips, but can manage the paved runways of eastern and southern Congo." Interesting article to read.

An interesting article in Vanity Fair's July 2007 issue called "Congo from the Cockpit" by pilot/writer William Langewiesche describes the runway as asphalt, but "jarring", as pilots have to "pick our holes". The article is definitely worth reading, as the conditions some of these pilots fly under are pretty extreme.