The aircraft made its first approach to the Long Thanh airport runway.

A Beech King Air 350ER aircraft flies low over runway 1 at Long Thanh airport to check its systems - Photo: AB

At 6:10 AM, the Beech King Air 350ER approached runway 1 at Long Thanh Airport. After flying low to the runway to check the lighting system, the aircraft accelerated and ascended again.

The Beech King Air 350ER is a popular choice for calibration operations in many countries due to its maneuverability, high stability, and ability to meet stringent technical requirements.

During this flight, Air Traffic Management Engineering Company Limited (ATTECH), a member unit of the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM), conducted calibration of a series of critical systems at Long Thanh Airport.

Specifically, this includes two ILS/DME precision landing support systems, a VOR/DME navigation system, an airport lighting system, radar and ADS-B surveillance systems; and flight procedures associated with these devices.

Calibration flights will be conducted day and night, under various conditions, to comprehensively assess the accuracy and stability of aviation equipment systems.

The evaluation flight will last nearly a month, from now until October 24th - Photo: AB

The organization and execution of calibration flights are directly managed by ATTECH. The team includes experienced experts from ATTECH and experts from the Czech Academy of Air Navigation.

The participation of international experts not only ensures objectivity but also enhances the credibility and reliability of the entire evaluation process.

According to VATM, flight testing, calibration, and flight procedure evaluation are mandatory and crucial steps in the process of bringing Long Thanh Airport into operation.

The flights are conducted to test, evaluate, and ensure the accuracy and integrity of flight operations equipment systems according to standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and to assess the suitability of new flight procedures.

Calibration aircraft passing through air traffic control tower area - Photo: AB

To ensure the flight was absolutely safe and effective, the relevant parties held a coordination meeting beforehand. The meeting was attended by many units of VATM, the Long Thanh Airport Project Management Board (ACV), and the 370th Air Force Division.

At this meeting, the parties agreed on procedures and coordination methods to ensure that all calibration flights are conducted safely, accurately, and on schedule.

Calibration flights are a mandatory technical step to inspect, evaluate, and perfect aviation equipment systems, ensuring absolute safety before Long Thanh Airport officially begins operations. According to the plan, the calibration flights will last from September 26th to October 24th.

When completed, phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport will have a capacity to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo per year, helping to alleviate congestion at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Upon completion of all phases, Long Thanh Airport will reach a capacity of up to 100 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo per year, simultaneously becoming an international air transit hub for the region.

According to the Prime Minister 's directive, Long Thanh Airport must be substantially completed by the end of 2025 and put into commercial operation in the first half of 2026.