Planning the first official flight to Long Thanh Airport.

According to the plan, the test flight to Long Thanh Airport will take place on December 15, 2025. Photo: Pham Tung

Technical flight on December 15th

According to the plan, the first official flight to Long Thanh Airport will take place on December 19, 2025. Prior to that, a technical flight to Long Thanh Airport will be conducted on December 15, 2025.

To conduct the first technical and official flights to Long Thanh Airport, the Ministry of Construction has reported to the Prime Minister the scenario and plan for implementing these flights.

Air traffic controllers working at the Long Thanh Airport air traffic control tower. Photo: Pham Tung.

According to the plan, on December 15, 2025, a Code E aircraft (expected to be a Boeing 787, currently Vietnam's largest aircraft) will fly from Tan Son Nhat Airport (Ho Chi Minh City), land at Long Thanh Airport, and then return to Tan Son Nhat Airport. The technical flight will only carry the flight crew and technical staff; it will not carry passengers or cargo. Vietnam Airlines , the national airline of Vietnam, will conduct this technical flight.

According to the Ministry of Construction, regarding the organization of calibration flights, VATM and ACV have conducted calibration flights, specifically: on August 2, 2025, calibration flights for PBN flight procedures were organized and completed; on October 6, 26, and 29, 2025, calibration flights were conducted for ACV's equipment including the ILS system and signal lights, and for VATM's equipment including the DVOR/DME system, radar, and ADS-B. The results met the operational requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Regarding preparations for the technical flight to Long Thanh Airport, the Ministry of Construction requests the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) to clean up the area, plant grass, and ensure there are no obstacles in the runway area for the airport facilities as per regulations. Sufficient fire trucks and ground equipment should be deployed; and sufficient qualified personnel should be assigned to operate the airport (with the required licenses/professional certificates). Simultaneously, coordination with relevant agencies of the Ministry of Public Security and the People's Committee of Dong Nai province is required to ensure order, security, safety, fire prevention, and rescue operations.

The Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) is urgently completing the acceptance testing of facilities and equipment ensuring air traffic operations in accordance with regulations; and finalizing the dossiers to be submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam for licensing of air traffic equipment, aviation personnel, and air traffic service providers in accordance with regulations.

For Vietnam Airlines, the airline proactively coordinated with ACV to review and assess the operating conditions of the runway and airfield system as required. At the same time, it prepared the necessary aircraft, flight crews, and technical personnel.

For the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, the licensing of equipment ensuring flight operations, aviation personnel, and facilities providing flight operations support services must be completed in accordance with regulations before December 15, 2025.

With the first official flight to Long Thanh Airport scheduled for December 19, 2025, the planned route will be Noi Bai Airport - Long Thanh Airport - Noi Bai Airport.

Many tasks have been completed.

In the report submitted to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Construction also reported on the work completed to prepare for the first technical flight and the first official flight to Long Thanh Airport.

Accordingly, regarding construction and infrastructure assurance, ACV has completed the construction of runway number 1 and the taxiways and aircraft parking areas in front of the passenger terminal, including synchronized equipment such as signal lights, signs, and signal markings. At the same time, it has conducted load capacity measurements of the runway system, ensuring it meets the operating conditions for the largest aircraft as designed.

The entire lighting system for runway number 1 at Long Thanh Airport was successfully put into operation on the evening of December 11, 2025. Photo: Pham Tung

In addition, ACV has completed the connecting road between T1 and T2 terminals and finished the construction of the main access road within the airport before December 15, 2025. Plans for aircraft operation, ground handling services, and personnel allocation have also been developed.

Regarding the work of ensuring flight operations, airspace, and flight procedures, VATM has basically completed the construction of the air traffic control tower; completed the installation of equipment systems such as the primary and secondary radar systems PSR/SSR; the navigation system DVOR/DME; and the air traffic control tower equipment system including ADS-B.

VATM has completed the development of flight procedures and optimal operational plans for the Tan Son Nhat - Long Thanh area. Simultaneously, it plans to deploy personnel from other airports who possess the necessary qualifications and licenses, and to develop training programs, curricula, and organize on-site training courses and simulations to ensure personnel meet required standards and regulations.

In a notice regarding the conclusions of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee at the 22nd meeting of the State Steering Committee for National Key Projects and Transport Sector Projects, issued by the Government Office, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested relevant units to focus resources on the Long Thanh Airport Project.

According to ACV, to prepare for the first test flight and official flight landing at Long Thanh Airport, contractors working on Component 3 – essential airport infrastructure – are currently focusing their efforts and mobilizing maximum manpower and machinery for construction. Currently, contractors are deploying over 15,000 personnel and 3,000 pieces of machinery working day and night on the project site, prioritizing key items such as runway 1; taxiways and aircraft parking areas; and passenger terminal equipment installation. Thus, compared to the beginning of November 2025, the workforce serving Component 3 has increased by more than 1,000 people.

Pham Tung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202512/len-kich-ban-chuyen-bay-chinh-thuc-dau-tien-den-san-bay-long-thanh-fe32038/