King Mswati III International Airport

FDSK / SHO

Mpaka, SZ

Last Updated
Mar 4, 06:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 48 min ago
06:00Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
22°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 19°C
3 kt
230°
10+ km
Visibility
7,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1018 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR FDSK 040600Z 23003KT 9999 -DZ FEW020 BKN070 22/19 Q1018 TEMPO 8000

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 1,092 ft
FEW 2,000 ft AGL
BKN 7,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
3,092 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
7,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
8,092 ft AMSL
QNH
1018 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
982 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (1,092 ft)
Pressure Alt
950 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 2,052 ft
ISA Deviation: +9.2°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF FDSK 040500Z 0406/0412 25005KT 9999 SCT020 BKN035 TX28/0412Z TN22/0406Z TEMPO 0406/0408 8000 DZ SCT015 BKN025 BECMG 0410/0412 06007KT
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
06:48Z BASE
+0h
VFR 250° 5 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
Ceiling: 3,500 ft
10:00Z BECMG
+4h
VFR 60° 7 kt

24-Hour Weather Evolution

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Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
DSK
02
20 ✈️

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 02/20
Active: 20
11,811 ft 197 ft ASP
2.6 kt 1.5 kt
30° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - FDSK

2,383 observations | Sep 2025 - Mar 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
79.6%
MVFR
17.9%
IFR
2.3%
LIFR
0.3%

King Mswati III International Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 79.6% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 2.6% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 7.9 knots. Temperatures typically range between 14°C and 38°C with an average of 23.9°C. The best months for VFR flying are February, October, November.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 7.9 kt
Maximum Recorded: 24 kt
Calm Winds: 0.9%
Direction Distribution:
N
19.4%
NE
23.5%
E
9.5%
SE
7%
S
28.1%
SW
8.3%
W
1.7%
NW
1.5%

Temperature Range

Average: 23.9°C
Range: 14°C to 38°C
14°C 38°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 2.6%

Best Months for VFR

February October November

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 02/20
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.1 kt

Statistics computed from 2,383 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

King Mswati III International Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: FDSK
IATA Code: SHO
Type: large airport
Status: active
Elevation: 1,092 ft MSL

Location

City: Mpaka
Country: SZ
Latitude: -26.358611°
Longitude: 31.716944°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT-2

Runway Information

Runway 02/20
Length: 11,811 ft
Width: 197 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About King Mswati III International Airport

Overview

King Mswati III International Airport serves as a significant aviation gateway located in Mpaka, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Situated at an elevation of 1092 feet above mean sea level, this large airport provides critical air transportation infrastructure for the region. Its substantial runway length of 11,811 feet enables operations for a wide range of aircraft types.

Flying Conditions

The airport's elevation at 1092 feet MSL suggests potential moderate terrain interactions that could influence local weather patterns and aircraft performance. Pilots should anticipate potential wind variations typical of southern African regional topography. The airport's geographic coordinates at -26.358611, 31.716944 indicate a location with potentially complex meteorological conditions.

Notable Features

The airport features a single asphalt runway (02/20) with significant length, allowing for versatile operational capabilities. Its geographic position suggests potential interaction with surrounding terrain, which may create localized wind shear or turbulence conditions. The substantial runway length of 11,811 feet provides ample space for most commercial and cargo aircraft operations.

Approach Considerations

Runway 02/20 orientation suggests potential crosswind scenarios that pilots must carefully evaluate during approach and landing. The airport's elevation and geographic context recommend thorough pre-flight planning regarding performance calculations and potential atmospheric variations. Standard instrument approach procedures should be meticulously reviewed considering the airport's specific geographic and elevation characteristics.

Data Sources & Accuracy: Airport information sourced from OurAirports.com, a collaborative database of worldwide airport data. Weather data from official aviation weather services including NOAA Aviation Weather Center and international METAR/TAF providers. Information is updated regularly but pilots should always verify current conditions and NOTAMs through official channels before flight operations.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.