Completed calibration flight, Long Thanh airport nears inauguration date

On October 30, information from the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) said that all flight inspection and calibration activities at Long Thanh International Airport were fully completed by the units, ensuring technical standards according to regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Completing calibration flight, Long Thanh airport is ready for commercial operation phase. (Photo: Luong Y)

Previously, under the direction of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Construction , the first phase of the Long Thanh airport project was set to be basically completed by December 19, meeting the conditions for inauguration. To meet this milestone, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam coordinated with VATM, Air Traffic Management Engineering Company Limited (ATTECH) and Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) to carry out all mandatory inspection and calibration flights according to ICAO standards.

Specifically, from September 26 to October 29, the Flight Calibration Center conducted the entire inspection process using DGPS equipment and King Air B350 aircraft. Dozens of flights were conducted in the Long Thanh sky to evaluate the accuracy, safety and reliability of the navigation, monitoring and flight control systems.

In particular, the peak period from October 26 to 29 focused on synchronously testing the PSR/SSR radar system, modern ADS-B surveillance technology and operational capacity at both ends of runway 1 (05R/23L). Test flight scenarios were continuously simulated under dense operating conditions, equivalent to a special international airport.

Experts from the Czech Republic Air Navigation Academy highly appreciated the process and results of the calibration flight in Long Thanh. According to the records, the technical parameters of radar and ADS-B all met or exceeded ICAO and European standards, showing that Vietnam's technical capacity and coordination ability have approached the international exploitation level.

During the implementation process, many units such as the Southern Air Traffic Management Company, the Air Traffic Flow Management Center, the Aviation Information Center, the Aviation Meteorological Center, the Long Thanh Project Management Board and the 370th Air Division closely coordinated to ensure absolute security and safety in the Ho Chi Minh FIR - one of the airspaces with the highest flight density in the region.

Aviation industry leaders and international experts assessed that the completion of the calibration flight is not only a technical achievement but also a historic step forward, demonstrating Vietnam's determination and capacity in mastering modern aviation technology.

This is an important premise to bring Long Thanh airport closer to the inauguration date and commercial operation in 2026.

Luong Y

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/hoan-tat-bay-hieu-chuan-san-bay-long-thanh-tien-gan-ngay-khanh-thanh-ar984189.html