WxDecoder

FVBU/BUQ METAR & TAF Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport

Bulawayo, Bulawayo Metropolitan ProvinceElevation 4,359 ftLarge airport
CURRENT STATUS
VFRMore than 1 hour old
Ceiling and visibility OK.
FLIGHT CATEGORY
VFR
CAVOK
WIND
150@5
steady
VISIBILITY
10 SM
16.1 km
CEILING
None
no BKN/OVC layer
DENSITY ALT
7,055 ft
+2,696 ft vs field
CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 1400Z (4:00 PM local) · More than 1 hour old

FVJN is currently VFR. Winds are from the southeast at 5 knots. Ceiling and visibility are OK (CAVOK). The main issue is metar is 145 minutes old.

WIND
150° at 5 kt
Steady.
VISIBILITY
10 statute miles
16.1 km, good.
CEILING & SKY
CAVOK
Vis 10 km+, no cloud below 5,000 ft.
TEMP / DEWPOINT
31°C / 8°C
88°F / 46°F. 23°C spread.
ALTIMETER
30.15 inHg
1021 hPa, above standard.
WEATHER & HAZARDS
No significant hazards
No precipitation or obscuration reported.

Codes in this report: CAVOK

Hover or tap any group for a plain-English explanation.

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 1600Z (6:00 PM local) · valid to 0000Z (2:00 AM local)

FVJN forecast starts VFR at 18Z. Conditions are roughly steady over the period.

VFR
VFR
1800Z8:00 PM0000Z2:00 AM0600Z8:00 AM1200Z2:00 PM1800Z8:00 PM0000Z2:00 AM

Codes in this report: CAVOK BECMG

Tap any group to decode it.

SUGGESTED RISK · TRAINING USE

Suggested risk level: Low

›METAR is stale (145 minutes old).

A suggested risk level for training and situational awareness only, not a go/no-go authority. Verify with official sources and apply your personal minimums.

FORECAST & PILOT NOTES · SUPPLEMENTAL

Pilot weather notes

Current aviation conditions show flight category VFR, wind from 150° at 5 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling CAVOK. This report is older than usual, so treat it with caution. No extended National Weather Service forecast is available for this location. Key risks: high density altitude.

PILOT WEATHER NOTES
High density altitudeMETAR
Density altitude about 7,055 ft (field elevation 4,359 ft). Expect reduced climb performance and a longer takeoff roll.

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RUNWAYS & WIND
2 runways · crosswind ranking
ON-FIELD METAR
NESW02201331 150°150°5 kt150°150° 5150°
READING THE BARB · SWIPE FOR MORE →
Calm
5 kt
10 kt
15 kt
20 kt
25 kt
30 kt
35 kt
40 kt
45 kt
50 kt
65 kt
75 kt
100 kt
105 kt
Half feather = 5 kt, full = 10 kt, filled pennant = 50 kt; add them up. The staff points the direction the wind blows from.
WIND USED
150° at 5 kt
Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.
RECOMMENDED
RWY 134 kt headwind · 3 kt crosswind
RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end
13
HEAD
4 kt
CROSS
3 kt R
BEST
20
HEAD
4 kt
CROSS
3 kt L
OK
02
HEAD
4 kt tail
CROSS
3 kt R
OK
31
HEAD
4 kt tail
CROSS
3 kt L
OK
Components are estimates from the current METAR wind and runway heading. Verify with the Chart Supplement and NOTAMs.
RUNWAYS

Runway detail

02/20
Dimensions
4,419 x 98 ft
Surface
ASP
13/31
Dimensions
8,491 x 148 ft
Surface
ASP
Lighting
Lighted
FIELD CONDITIONS

Performance & density altitude

Density altitude
7,055 ft
Pressure altitude
4,129 ft
Field elevation
4,359 ft MSL
Temperature
31°C (88°F)
Dewpoint
8°C (46°F)
Altimeter
30.15 inHg

Density altitude estimates how the aircraft performs versus standard atmosphere. Higher density altitude reduces climb performance and increases takeoff distance.

DAYLIGHT & NIGHT

Sun & logging windows

Sunset
1611Z 6:11 PM
Sunrise
0327Z 5:27 AM
Loggable night
1633Z (6:33 PM local) → 0304Z (5:04 AM local)
end of evening to start of morning civil twilight
Position lights required
1611Z (6:11 PM local) → 0327Z (5:27 AM local)
sunset to sunrise (91.209)
Night passenger currency
1711Z (7:11 PM local) → 0227Z (4:27 AM local)
1 hr after sunset to 1 hr before sunrise (61.57(b))

FAA definitions, shown in Zulu with airport-local time. Verify for your operation.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Facility & services

Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport is in Bulawayo, Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. Field elevation 4,359 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT
UseScheduled service
TypeLarge airport
Airline serviceYes
CHARTS & AIRSPACE
ICAO / IATAFVJN / BUQ
RegionBulawayo Metropolitan Province
CountryZimbabwe
Coordinates-20.0163, 28.6229
SERVICES & LIGHTING
Control towerTowered
FREQUENCIES

Communications

119.7
NKOMO APP
APP
118.3
NKOMO TWR
TWR

Not all tower/ground/approach frequencies are in our datasets. Verify with the FAA Chart Supplement.

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

Traffic patterns

Aircraft activity data is not available for this airport yet.

NEARBY AIRPORTS

Weather reference stations

Current flight category at nearby reporting stations.

FBPM Phillip Gaonwe Matante International Airport
94 NM SW
VFR
FVWN Hwange National Park Airport
123 NM NW
VFR
OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES
↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov
↗Official airport website
↗Wikipedia
↗FVBU on OurAirports
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Does FVBU have a METAR?
Yes. FVBU has a current METAR observation, decoded into plain English on this page.
Does FVBU have a TAF?
Yes, a TAF is issued for FVBU; the decoded forecast timeline is shown above.
What is the field elevation at FVBU?
FVBU sits at 4,359 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.
Is this an official preflight weather briefing for FVBU?
No. wxdecoder.com is for education and situational awareness only. It is not an official weather briefing or a substitute for official sources, NOTAM review, and pilot judgment.
This app is for aviation weather education, training, and situational awareness only. It is not a substitute for an official weather briefing, approved flight-planning software, flight service, dispatch procedures, current FAA regulations, or pilot judgment. Always verify weather with official sources before flight.