Airports in Southern Africa
Hi, in spotting terms, what are them ost interesting airports in Southern Africa? Spotting means: frequency of lfights, type of aircrafts - but also safety of spotting. In South Africa, I would choose Johannesburg and Lanseria, but what about the neighbouring countries: Windhoek for Namibia; anything for Mozambique or Zimbabwe? And Botswana - only Garborone? Thanks, Peter

Well, you said it. Only the Jo'burg region comes to my mind, if you do not wish to spend hours waiting for few aircraft. Cape Town is good, but aircrafts does not differ much from Jo'burg besides the fewer international airlines. Don't know if Harare is safe for spotting, same goes Gaborone and Maputo. The problem is that there is not much traffic, compared to European, Asian or American standards. Cheers, Felix

I wouldn't go near HRE to spot - it's not a case of maybe being arrested, its a case of when... Sadly free speech in Zim is a thing of the past so somebody standing at the end of the runway with a camera photographing state owned assets is going to go down like a homesick mole. Traffic at HRE is also quiet these days. A couple of SA flights from JNB, KQ flights from NBO and of course the UM fluffies and MA60s. Long-haul activity is limited to the B762s of UM flying to LGW, DXB, and PEK (via SIN) and a BA B772 from LHR that lands in the morning and leaves an hour or so after it arrives. GBE should be fine with respect to security, but you'll wait HOURS in between traffic movements. Can't comment on WDH or MPM, but I'd imagine Namibia is a safer bet than Mozmabique..

thanks for the replies! I thought that HRE would be quiet - and I remembered that I read somewhere that most of UM´s fleet is grounded anyway due to fuel problems. I think, I would go to Victoria Falls instead - not much to see there but at least some tourist activities around ... Peter