Aircraft conducts 1st calibration flight at Long Thanh Airport in southern Vietnam

At 6:10 am, the aircraft performed a low approach over runway No. 1 to inspect the lighting system before climbing again. 

The Beech King Air 350ER, known for its agility and high stability, is commonly used worldwide for calibration due to its ability to meet strict technical requirements.

The campaign is being led by the Air Traffic Technical Company, a subsidiary of the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM), and covers the calibration of critical systems including two instrument landing system/distance measuring equipment (ILS/DME) units, one VHF omnidirectional range/distance measuring equipment (VOR/DME) system, an airfield lighting system, radar, ADS-B surveillance systems, and associated flight procedures.

Flights will be conducted day and night under various conditions to comprehensively evaluate the accuracy and reliability of these systems.

Experienced Vietnamese specialists are joined by experts from the Czech Air Navigation Institute to ensure objectivity and enhance the credibility of the assessment process.

VATM emphasized that calibration and flight procedure evaluations are mandatory steps ahead of any airport's opening. 

These checks ensure the accuracy and integrity of all aviation systems in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.

To ensure safety and coordination, VATM held a meeting with the Long Thanh Airport project management board, Air Division 370, and other relevant units. 

The parties agreed on detailed coordination procedures to support safe and efficient calibration.

The campaign runs from September 26 to October 24. 

Once phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport is complete, the facility will have capacity for 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo per year, helping to ease congestion at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon full completion, Long Thanh is expected to handle up to 100 million passengers and five million tonnes of cargo annually, making it a key international transit hub in the region.

According to a directive from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, construction must be substantially completed by the end of 2025, with commercial operations beginning in the first half of 2026.