| Mahikeng Airport | |
| Nativename: | Mmabatho Airport |
| Iata: | MBD |
| Icao: | FAMM |
| Type: | Public |
| Operator: | Government |
| City-Served: | Mahikeng, South Africa |
| Location: | Mmabatho |
| Elevation-F: | 4,181 |
| Elevation-M: | 1,274 |
| Coordinates: | -25.8075°N 25.5444°W |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa North West |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Pushpin Label: | FAMM |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of airport in North West province |
| Metric-Rwy: | y |
| R1-Number: | 04/22 |
| R1-Length-M: | 4,499 |
| R1-Length-F: | 14,760 |
| R1-Surface: | Asphalt |
| Footnotes: | Sources: South African AIP,[1] DAFIF[2] |
Mahikeng Airport or Mmabatho Airport[3] is an airport serving Mahikeng and Mmabatho, the current and former capital cities of the North West province in South Africa. The airport is widely known as Mafikeng Airport after Mahikeng's former name. The airport is managed by the North West Province Department of Transport and Roads. The airport is a former air force base of the Boputhatswana Defence Force and was previously classified as an international airport.[4] As of 2014, discussions and construction was in progress in order for the airport to regain its status as an international airport.[5] [6]
The airport is home to a flying club called the Mafikeng Flying Club. The club was formed in 1971.[7] The air base was taken over and used as a base by members of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging during the Bophuthatswana coup d'état of 1994.
The airport's international license was suspended by the South African Civil Aviation Authority on 16 April 2001 with immediate effect due to issues with security, fire and airport management.[8]
The airport is used by private aircraft operators as passenger flights stopped in 2009 due to the airport failing to comply with various regulations. Scheduled commercial flights by South African Express resumed in 2015 and were suspended in June 2018.[9]
The airport resides at an elevation of 4181feet above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 04/22 with an asphalt surface measuring 4499mx45mm (14,760feetx148feetm) as well as asphalt taxiways.
As of 2014, the airport is undergoing an expansion that includes re-marking runways and taxiways as well as installing a new instrument landing system that should allow Mahikeng airport to regain its international status. The cost of the expansion project was R15 million with a further R30 million being spent in order to ensure the project is completed within 2014.[10] The expansion is intended to make Mahikeng airport a major cargo hub in the North West province that can be used to export various agricultural products produced within the province. Mahikeng airport has all the necessary facilities for customs control. The airport does not have international certification, however these facilities can be made operational again if needed.
Since South African Express terminated their flights to Johannesburg–O. R. Tambo, the airport no longer supports scheduled routes.