Flying to Upington (FAUP)
Notice: The following information provided for convenience and consideration, but always follow official aerodrome and planning information. I do however only write about airfields that I have personally flown to.
"Upington Airport (IATA: UTN, ICAO: FAUP) is an airport located in Upington, Northern Cape, South Africa. At 4,900 metres (16,100 ft), runway 17/35 is one of the longest runways in the world! The high elevation of the airport, extremely high summer temperatures and the fact that it was designed for the Boeing 747 necessitated the extreme length of the main runway." - Wikipedia
What's there and why would you fly there?
It is an international airport, so a good point of call for customs, fuel and a refresh if you're planning on flying to Namibia. It services the city of Upington which in itself provides a lot to do in the area. See TripAdvisor's top list of attractions by clicking here.
Why and when did I fly there?
I travelled for a family wedding and stayed for three days / two nights in August 2023. It was also the longest flight I have done with my wife and son. It was approximately 3 hours from Johannesburg. I used my flight to Upington in this video (How I bought ZS-DED) to compare driving vs flying. It is a nice comparison as the distances are almost equal:
| Item | Flying | Driving | Flying minus Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | 735 km / 397 nm | 793 km / 428 nm | -58 km / -31 nm |
| Moving Time | 2 hours 58 mins | 9 hours | - 6 hours (-66%) |
| Average Speed | 245 kph / 132 kts | ~90 kph (lots of stops en route) | + 155 kph |
| Fuel used | 129 litres | 80 litres | + 49 liters (+ 61%) |
| Fuel cost per liter | R 34.40 ($ 1.83) | R 22.83 ($ 1.21) | + R 11.57 (+ $ 0.62c) / + 51% |
| Fuel cost per gallon | R 130.21 ($ 6.91) | R 86.42 ($ 4.59) | + R 43.79 (+ $ 2.32) / + 51% |
| Total Cost | R 4 425 ($ 235.00) | R 1 826 ($ 96.90) | + R 2 600 ($ 138.10) |
The morning of our departure Rand Airport was particularly busy and it took about 30 minutes for us since startup to get takeoff clearance. Making it actually 3h30mins in the cabin. I was worried about this length of time considering no toilets, but everyone lasted just fine :). The flight plan from Johannesburg pretty much takes you along the N14 and close to the towns of Ventersdorp, Vryburg, Kuruman, Kathu and then Upington. Along most of the way there are many alternative airport options. The final 30 mins stretch between Kathu and Upington is extremely baron with uneven terrain and doesn’t provide good emergency options.
Flying over Kathu one can see the scale of the Sishen iron ore mines and it is quite a sight to behold. Our arrival at Upington was straightforward and we joined right base for runway 01, the only aircraft in the pattern. Even though it is the second biggest runway there, it is still massive compared to the usual GA airstrips.
ATC directed me to parking at the apron, and I called refueling right away who arrives with a bowser to refuel. They did take their time to arrive, so best to call them as soon as you land. There is a tie down surface cable, so I secured my aircraft with tie down straps. There is 24 hour security and we found the aircraft exactly as we left it a few days earlier.
My flight stats to Upington Airport from Rand Airport
This is a SkyDemon log started at 11 Aug 2023 07:09 Z from Johannesburg/Rand to Upington Int/Pierre van Ryneveld.
Engine on time was 11 Aug 2023 07:09 Z and engine off time was 11 Aug 2023 10:32 Z with a total logged engine time of 3 hr 23 m.
My flight from Johannesburg/Rand to Upington Int/Pierre van Ryneveld
I took off at 07:31 Z and flew 397 nm before landing at Upington Int/Pierre van Ryneveld at 11 Aug 2023 10:29 Z after 2 hr 58 m.
My maximum groundspeed during the flight was 148 kt and I reached a maximum altitude of 9 124 ft
Skydemon track of my actual flight on 11 August 2023
The airfield
It is situated to the north of the city of Upington, it is an easy 10 minutes / ~7km drive to Upington city.
Location: Click for Google Maps
ICAO Code: FAUP
Official AIP: Click here for CAA AIPs - download the latest Aerodromes PDF. Currently FAUP is on page 553 of the AIP file dated 5 Jan 2024.
Aeronautical Charts: Click here for CAA Charts - Search for FAUP
Elevation: 2791 ft
Runway: 17/35 4 900m (16 076ft) x 60m asphalt
Runway: 08/26 834m (2 736ft) x 30m asphalt
Runway: 01/19 2 438m (7 998ft) x 46m asphalt
Runway PAPI's: 17/35 and 01/19
Radio: Upington TWR on 121.30MHz. Apron on 122.65MHz
Tower: Manned. Mon to Fri: 0500-1630, Sat: 0600 - 1130 and Sun: 1000 - 1630. Public holidays same as normal days.
Fuel: Avgas and JetA1 available - check HOD and availability prior: Tel 054 332 2772 / 082 806 6405 and 082 808 1696 a/h.
Restaurant: None at AD, town closeby.
Overnight parking: Yes, apron.
Overnight parking charges: minimal
Overnight security: Yes
Circuit / approach
All circuits are left hand except for runway 26. ATC did direct me on R/H base for 01 which was most optimal as the airfield was quiet.
Circuit altitude: Standard 1200ft AGL / 4000ft MSL (Turbine a/c at 4500ft MSL)
Risks
Be aware that some parts of the runways cannot be viewed from the tower. Two steel towers 3NM East of AD, at 115ft AGL. Small buck roams AD at night. Bird activity is high. High temperatures during summer, be extra careful with density altitude.
Sources
The Airfields Directory for Southern Africa by Aviation Direct, 6th Edition
Aeronautical Information AIP by the CAA: https://www.caa.co.za/industry-information/aeronautical-information-aip/
Aeronautical Charts by the CAA: https://www.caa.co.za/industry-information/aeronautical-information-aeronautical-charts/
NOTAMs: https://www.caa.co.za/industry-information/aeronautical-information-notam-summaries/
