On August 1, Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) coordinated with relevant units to organize flights to inspect and evaluate flight methods to assess the ability to operate safely at Long Thanh airport.
According to VATM, the flight aims to assess the feasibility of flight (flyability), factors related to the design method, and at the same time check the impact of signal interference on the accuracy and intensity of the guidance system used in flight methods.
The inspection was carried out according to the list of flight methods approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.
The assessment content includes the accuracy and integrity of the flight database (obstacles, terrain, approach routes, etc.) along with terrain factors and obstacles that can affect flight operations.
The flight was conducted by a Beechcraft King Air 350ER specialized aircraft, a type of aircraft used to check, authenticate and evaluate the accuracy of the take-off/landing light system, ILS accuracy approach system, approach lights, runway lights, as well as some other information and monitoring equipment.
According to the plan, flight time will start from July 31 with a total expected duration of about 12.47 hours, flexibly adjusted according to weather conditions. As of the morning of August 1, the first two flights have been going smoothly.
Each flight will take off from Tan Son Nhat airport, take a flight to Long Thanh airport, check in the airspace of Long Thanh airport and then return to Tan Son Nhat to land.
Currently, Long Thanh airport phase 1 has a total of 68 flight methods, including 27 departure methods (SID), 33 arrival methods (STAR) and 8 approach and landing methods (IAP).
All data from the inspection flights will be collected and analyzed to serve the assessment of accuracy and stability before being officially put into operation.
It is known that it is expected that in the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2025, Long Thanh airport will have its first standard flight when all aviation equipment has been installed, the related infrastructure system is ready, and the relevant authorities approve.
On July 31, at the online conference to review the work in the first 6 months of 2025 of the Steering Committee and review the peak emulation period "500 days and nights of emulation to complete 3,000km of expressway", Mr. Nguyen Tien Viet - Deputy General Director of Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) said: On December 19, on the occasion of the simultaneous inauguration of many major infrastructure projects across the country, Long Thanh airport will welcome the first flight from Hanoi to Long Thanh International Airport. The plane will roll into the completed terminal through the cable-stayed pipeline system, completing the inauguration procedures for the first phase of the project.
