Beledweyne Airport

Ugaas Khalif International Airport

Garoonka Diyaaradaha ee Ugaas Khaliif
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesBeledweyne, Somalia
Elevation AMSL559 ft / 170 m
Coordinates4°46′00″N 45°14′20″E / 4.76667°N 45.23889°E / 4.76667; 45.23889
Map
HCMN is located in Somalia
HCMN
HCMN
Location of airport in Somalia
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
04/22 2,200 7,218 Gravel/sand
Sources: Logistics Cluster[1] GCM[2]

Ugaas Khaliif International Airport[3] (IATA: BLW, ICAO: HCMN) is an airport serving Beledweyne (also spelled Belet Uen or Beletweyn, Somali: Beletweeyne), the capital city of the Hiran region in Somalia.[1][2] The airport is in the countryside 2 kilometres (1 mi) northeast of the city.

Facilities

The airport elevation is 559 feet (170 m) above mean sea level.[1][2] Its only 2,200 by 20 metres (7,218 ft × 66 ft) runway designated 04/22 has a crushed rock and packed sand surface.[1]

As of February 2015, the Djibouti Defense Forces had refurbished the airstrip.[4] The Beledweyne municipality launched a project to further develop the airport in May of that year.[5]

Demographics/population

The broader Beledweyne district has total population of 2 million residents, with the Hawadle subclan of Hawiye well represented making up 75% of the city's population.

The airport was named after the well known Ugas Khalif who was the Ugas of Xawaadle clan, which is considered to be the major and dominant clan of the Hiiraan region, predominantly Baledwayne.

Climate

Beledweyne has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). Between March and April, the average daily maximum temperature in the city is 36.7 °C (98 °F). In January and February, the average daily minimum temperature is 21.8 °C (71 °F).

Climate data for Beledweyne, Somalia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 41.5
(106.7) 		42.5
(108.5) 		43.0
(109.4) 		43.0
(109.4) 		41.3
(106.3) 		39.0
(102.2) 		39.0
(102.2) 		39.0
(102.2) 		40.2
(104.4) 		45.0
(113.0) 		40.0
(104.0) 		42.0
(107.6) 		45.0
(113.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 34.5
(94.1) 		35.4
(95.7) 		36.7
(98.1) 		36.9
(98.4) 		34.9
(94.8) 		34.0
(93.2) 		33.0
(91.4) 		33.8
(92.8) 		35.3
(95.5) 		34.4
(93.9) 		34.8
(94.6) 		34.5
(94.1) 		34.8
(94.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 28.2
(82.8) 		28.7
(83.7) 		30.0
(86.0) 		30.4
(86.7) 		29.2
(84.6) 		28.4
(83.1) 		27.8
(82.0) 		27.7
(81.9) 		29.0
(84.2) 		28.7
(83.7) 		28.5
(83.3) 		28.5
(83.3) 		28.7
(83.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22.0
(71.6) 		22.0
(71.6) 		23.4
(74.1) 		23.9
(75.0) 		23.4
(74.1) 		22.8
(73.0) 		22.6
(72.7) 		21.6
(70.9) 		22.7
(72.9) 		22.6
(72.7) 		22.3
(72.1) 		22.3
(72.1) 		22.6
(72.7)
Record low °C (°F) 16.0
(60.8) 		16.5
(61.7) 		17.0
(62.6) 		16.0
(60.8) 		18.0
(64.4) 		17.0
(62.6) 		17.0
(62.6) 		16.3
(61.3) 		17.2
(63.0) 		17.0
(62.6) 		15.0
(59.0) 		15.0
(59.0) 		15.0
(59.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 0
(0) 		1
(0.0) 		5
(0.2) 		48
(1.9) 		59
(2.3) 		6
(0.2) 		3
(0.1) 		3
(0.1) 		8
(0.3) 		51
(2.0) 		16
(0.6) 		5
(0.2) 		204
(8.0)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 0 0 0 5 5 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 20
Average relative humidity (%) 58 57 57 60 64 61 65 64 59 64 63 62 61
Mean monthly sunshine hours 288.3 276.9 288.3 243.0 272.8 249.0 201.5 232.5 246.0 223.2 243.0 269.7 3,034.2
Mean daily sunshine hours 9.3 9.8 9.3 8.1 8.8 8.3 6.5 7.5 8.2 7.2 8.1 8.7 8.3
Percent possible sunshine 80 79 65 53 54 61 54 62 62 57 60 69 63
Source 1: Deutscher Wetterdienst[6]
Source 2: Food and Agriculture Organization: Somalia Water and Land Management (percent sunshine)[7]

Accidents and incidents

  • 14 July 2020: A Bluebird Aviation Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 (5Y-VVU) was flying on a humanitarian flight from Djibouti to Beletwein, when a donkey crossed the runway as the aircraft was landing in the airport, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway. The plane then caught on fire after the crash. All 3 crew members onboard survived the crash.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "BELETWEYN". Operation Somalia: Airfield Specifications. Logistics Cluster. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Airport information for Belet Uen, Somalia at Great Circle Mapper.
  3. ^ "Beledweyne airport open for commercial use: Duqow Ahmed Fiidow airport in Beledweyne has re-opened and is now ready for civilian use, UN-funded Radio Bar-Kulan reported Wednesday (June 20th)". Sabahi Online. June 21, 2012.
  4. ^ "Chief of the Djibouti Defence Forces Major General Zakaria Sheikh arrives Beledweyn, Hiran". Goobjoog. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Haji Duqow Ahmed Airport Resumes Operation". Goobjoog. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Klimatafel von Beled Weyne (Belet Uen) / Somalia" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  7. ^ "Long term mean monthly sunshine fraction in Somalia". Food and Agriculture Organization. Archived from the original on 2016-10-05. Retrieved 4 November 2016.