Simisini Air Base
Military airport of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kisangani Simisini Air Base (ICAO: FZIA) is a military airport in the city of Kisangani, capital of the Tshopo Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kisangani Simisini Air Base Kisangani Ville Airport | |||||||||||
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The Airport during Operation Dragon Rouge in 1964 | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Serves | Kisangani | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,290 ft / 393 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 0°31′02″N 25°09′20″E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Sources: GCM[1] Google Maps[2] SkyVector[3] | |||||||||||
Located in the western portion of Kisangani, 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) north of the Congo River, most of its traffic has moved to Bangoka International Airport. The airport is now a military airfield, though it also serves humanitarian flights and some private operations.
Navigation is supported by a VOR-DME and a non-directional beacon at Bangoka International Airport.[4][5]
History
As Kisangani Ville Airport, it was the original airport of the city, then named Stanleyville. In the turbulent times of Congo's independence and the subsequent struggles, it was the city's only airport, and was the scene of severe fighting during the Simba Rebellion and the associated Operation Dragon Rouge in 1964.