Home › Zimbabwe › Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base (GWE)
GWE · FVTL · Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base

Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base (GWE)

Gweru, Zimbabwe · medium airport · -19.437° 29.862° ·
Airport Information
IATA CodeGWE
ICAO CodeFVTL
Typemedium airport
NameJosiah Tungamirai Air Force Base
MunicipalityGweru
CountryZimbabwe
ContinentAF
Latitude-19.437° S
Longitude29.862° E
Elevation4680 ft
Climate ZoneTropical
Scheduled ServiceYes
Score275
Local TimeLoading...
Country & Timezone Info
CountryZimbabwe
ISO Code
RegionGweru
Continent CodeAF
IANA TimezoneAfrica/Harare
UTC Offset (Standard)UTC+2
DST OffsetUTC+2
Current Offset--

🌬 Best Time to Fly

Recommended: November – February
Cooler dry season across Africa
Loading season...
Dry: Nov–FebWet: Mar–Oct

✈ Airlines Serving GWE

ET — Ethiopian AirlinesMS — EgyptAirSA — South African AirwaysKQ — Kenya Airways

🌡 Climate — Tropical (19.4°S)

Jan
30°
22°
Feb
30°
22°
Mar
31°
22°
Apr
31°
23°
May
31°
23°
Jun
31°
23°
Jul
30°
22°
Aug
30°
22°
Sep
30°
22°
Oct
30°
22°
Nov
30°
22°
Dec
30°
22°
* Approximate average temperatures by month based on tropical latitude zone

✨ AI-Enhanced Insights

Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base (IATA: GWE, ICAO: FVTL) is a military airbase serving the Zimbabwe Air Force near Gweru in Zimbabwe's Midlands Province. Formerly known as Thornhill Air Base, it was renamed after Josiah Tungamirai, a former Air Force of Zimbabwe commander. It is not a regular commercial airport, so civilian passenger services and public access are limited.

💡 Local Tip
Frequent visitors know that photography and drone use are tightly controlled on military airbases; ask permission before taking any images, even from outside the perimeter.
🚖 Getting There

Civilian travelers should not expect public airport transfer services; access is usually arranged in advance with the base or a sponsoring organization. Gweru is connected by road to Harare and Bulawayo, so most visitors reach the area by car, bus, or hired taxi and then continue to the base if permitted. Confirm gate procedures, identification requirements, and pickup arrangements before you travel.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base a civilian airport?
A: No. It is primarily a Zimbabwe Air Force base, and civilian access is normally restricted to authorized visitors.

Q: Can I book commercial flights to GWE?
A: Scheduled commercial passenger flights are not normally available at GWE; travelers to Gweru usually arrive by road or use other airports in Zimbabwe.

Q: What are the airport codes for this base?
A: The IATA code is GWE and the ICAO code is FVTL.

Q: Where is the base located?
A: It is near Gweru, in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe, at approximately -19.437, 29.862.
AI-generated content · Generated Sep 30, 2026 · deepseek-v4.1-flash

🗺 Location Map

🌏 Nearby Airports (Top 5)

IATANameCity / CountryDistance (km)Distance (mi)Link
MVZ Masvingo International Airport Masvingo, Zimbabwe 125.0 km 77.7 mi View →
BUQ Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport Bulawayo, Zimbabwe 144.8 km 90.0 mi View →
HRE Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport Harare, Zimbabwe 211.7 km 131.5 mi View →
BFO Buffalo Range Airport Chiredzi, Zimbabwe 250.2 km 155.5 mi View →
UTA Mutare Airport Mutare, Zimbabwe 294.4 km 182.9 mi View →

🔧 Quick Tools

🔟 Distance Calculator
From GWE
📍 Nearest Airport
Near this location
🕒 Timezone Lookup
Africa/Harare
🌎 Map with Airport
View on map
← Back to World Airport Database