Inside the cockpit during a calibration flight at Long Thanh Airport.

On October 26th, the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) conducted the second phase of technical calibration flights for the aviation surveillance systems at Long Thanh International Airport, including primary/secondary radar and the broadcast-dependent automatic surveillance system (ADS-B).

A calibration aircraft in the airspace over Long Thanh airport. Photo: Hoang Anh

The flight commenced at 4:20 AM, ensuring absolute safety and fully meeting all technical requirements. This was a follow-up calibration to phase 1, marking a significant step in the process of completing and comprehensively evaluating the capabilities of the air traffic control monitoring systems at the Long Thanh airport project.

This flight exercise utilized a Beechcraft B300 aircraft to perform 30 test flights, including 3 horizontal radar coverage tests at altitudes of 5,000-10,000 ft, 4 approach and landing procedures at both ends of runway 05R/23L to assess ADS-B surveillance, and 23 vertical coverage tests at a 228° radial direction from an altitude of 1,000 ft to flight level FL300.

Experts, along with technical staff and air traffic controllers, perform calibration. Photo: AX

The calibration flight was conducted by Air Traffic Management Engineering Company Limited (ATTECH) in coordination with the Southern Air Traffic Management Company, the Long Thanh Project Management Board, and other relevant units. This flight also included the participation of experts from the Aviation Navigation Academy of the Czech Republic, along with a team of experienced Vietnamese technicians and controllers.

Throughout the process, air traffic controllers worked closely together, maintaining safe separation and continuous operation. Aviation meteorologists at Tan Son Nhat also regularly updated weather conditions, providing optimal support for flight crews and radar stations.

Pilots conduct calibration flights at Long Thanh airport. Photo: AX

Initial assessments indicate that the radar and ADS-B systems at Long Thanh Airport are operating stably, with signals meeting the technical standards of ICAO and the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority. The data collected will be processed, evaluated, and handed over to the Long Thanh air traffic control tower for radar display calibration and integration into the national monitoring network.

A representative from VATM stated that this calibration is a significant technical milestone, contributing to accelerating the completion of technical infrastructure, preparing for the overall acceptance phase and putting Long Thanh Airport into operation in 2026.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/clip-ben-trong-buong-lai-chuyen-bay-hieu-chuan-tai-san-bay-long-thanh-2456473.html