Former Pweto Airport

Replacement and obsolescence. The former airport was a basic, unpaved laterite airstrip with limited capacity and safety features. It was replaced by the new FZQC airport, built to modern standards with a 2,200-meter paved runway. The new facility was constructed to handle larger aircraft (such as the Dash 8, Boeing 737, and C-130 Hercules), support the growing economic activity from the region's mining sector, and provide a more reliable hub for humanitarian and military operations.

The site is completely abandoned as an aviation facility. An analysis of satellite imagery shows the faint outline of the former runway, but it is heavily overgrown with grass and shrubs. The area is now being used for informal local activities, with footpaths and tracks crossing the old runway. There is evidence of encroachment from small-scale agriculture and local settlements. It is no longer maintained and is unusable by aircraft.

The former airstrip was a critical lifeline for the remote Pweto territory for decades. Its primary operations included:
1. **Humanitarian Aid:** It was extensively used by United Nations missions (MONUC, later MONUSCO) and various NGOs to deliver aid, transport personnel, and perform medical evacuations in a region frequently affected by conflict and displacement.
2. **Military Operations:** The airstrip held significant strategic importance, especially during the Second Congo War (1998-2003). Pweto was the site of a major battle in late 2000, and the airstrip was essential for supplying troops and materiel for the armed forces controlling the town.
3. **Economic and Local Transport:** It facilitated transport for personnel and high-value cargo related to the rich copper and cobalt mining activities in the Katanga province. It also provided the only rapid connection for local government officials and residents to major cities like Lubumbashi.

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the former Pweto Airport. Its functions have been entirely and permanently superseded by the new Pweto Airport (FZQC), which is located just 5 kilometers to the northeast and offers vastly superior infrastructure, safety, and capacity. Any future investment in aviation infrastructure for the region will be directed towards the new airport.