Luangu Airport
Location: Luangu or Louangou, Kongo Central
Status: Abandoned
ICAO Code: None
IATA Code: None
Coordinates: -4.914451°, 13.432453°
Luangu Airport has been located! Scroll down to view the most recent findings.
Initial Research
Very little information was initially available regarding Luangu Airport and its surrounding area. The airfield was thought to be located between two small villages along National Road 12, Sundi-Mawawa and Kimbala-Zolele.
The only known reference to Luangu Airport appeared in the 2015 MAF Airports Directory. Unlike many other airfields, it was not featured on old maps or aeronautical charts, making its purpose and origins unclear.
The 2015 MAF list typically provides two types of coordinate data. The vast majority of airfields features generic extrapolated coordinates, likely taken from old maps or charts. But a few airfields also have highly precise coordinates, likely because those actually saw MAF service at some point.
Surprisingly, Luangu Airport fell into the second category, with the MAF list pinpointing it at S 04 54.85, E 013 35.94.
However, a review of satellite imagery at these coordinates revealed that no airfield, nor any runway remains, could be observed. Instead, the given coordinates pointed directly onto a dirt road.
While some roads in the DRC have historically been used as airstrips, this seemed unlikely because:
- The road is slightly curved, making it unsuitable for aircraft.
- The runway heading (18/36) listed in the MAF directory did not match the actual road alignment (approximately 13/31).
With no visible evidence of an airfield at the listed location, Luangu Airport’s true position remained unclear.
Discovery of the Correct Location
In 2025, Luangu Airport was finally located — 18 kilometers west of the coordinates provided in the MAF list.
The airfield is located near Luangu Centre de Santé, a small health center situated directly next to the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo.
The shared name “Luangu” immediately stood out, as did the fact that this location shared the exact same latitude as the incorrect MAF coordinates. Through further testing, it was discovered that replacing 35 minutes (E 013 35.94)** with 25 minutes (E 013 25.94) led to a site just southwest of Luangu Centre de Santé, where the remains of a runway could clearly be seen.
This confirmed that Luangu Airport’s true location had been obscured due to a simple typo in the recorded coordinates — a 3 instead of a 2. With the corrected coordinates, the airfield was easily identified.
Luangu itself is a small village directly adjacent to the DRC-Congo border. Some sources also refer to it as Louangou.
Historical Background
No specific information could be found regarding the establishment of Luangu Airport. Notably, even at its correct location, Luangu Airport does not appear on any known maps or aeronautical charts, reinforcing the lack of official documentation regarding its existence. Additionally, unlike the misidentified dirt road at the incorrect location, the actual airfield aligns with the runway heading given in the MAF list (18/36), confirming its authenticity.
However, its makeshift appearance, combined with evidence of past MAF service, strongly suggests that it was connected to missionary activities — likely linked to the Centre de Santé, which remains active today.
Current Status (as of 2025)
The earliest available high-resolution satellite imagery from 2014 already shows the runway in a barely visible, abandoned state. It appears that there has been no aviation activity at Luangu Airport for many years.
Despite this, the airfield remains undeveloped, with no buildings or other infrastructure encroaching on its site. With basic vegetation clearing and minimal maintenance, Luangu Airport could potentially be restored for operational use.
