Reduce the minimum separation from 05 NM to 03NM at the terminal airspace of Tan Son Nhat airport

9:03 AM - 15/12/2018

Having been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) in order to increase the capacity and to reduce the congestion in the terminal airspace of Tan Son Nhat Airport, from 06 December 2018, the Viet Nam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) has applied to reduce the minimum separation from 5 nautical miles to 3 nautical miles (5NM to 3NM) in Tan Son Nhat terminal airspace.

The 5NM (9260m) minimum separation, using a surveillance system between two aircrafts in the terminal airspace of the airport, was applied since the civil aviation surveillance systems has been employed. Currently, the VATM has invested advanced monitoring systems with a variety of high precision, such as the radar mode S system, ADS-B ... to increase the monitoring capability. With these new surveillance systems in use, VATM has conducted assessments and decided to apply the new 03NM (5.500m) minimum separation in accordance with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Aviation Safety Agency Europe (EASA).

The adjustment and application of new separation standards in accordance with the capacity of the system is an important solution to optimize the capacity of the airspace, enhance the flexibility in the organization and coordination in air traffic operation. This solution also contributes to reduce the delay of flight and holding of aircraft at the terminal airspace especially at the airport of high traffic density as well as to flexible use of the optimal flight level, bringing practical benefits to operators and other stakeholders. In addition, the introduction of new separation values also provides other environmental benefits, reducing the amount of gas emitted by the aircraft.

Director General Doan Huu Gia at the transition time of minimum separation from 5NM to 03NM

The Tan Son Nhat terminal airspace has the highest density of traffic operation in the country. On average, there are more than 600 take-off and landing flights per day, in peak days the number is more than 800.The application of the new minimum separation will increase capacity of the Tan Son Nhat airspace.

Under the plan approved by the CAAV, in 2019 VATM will continue to adjust the value of the separation in the terminal airspace of Noi Bai and Da Nang airports. At the same time,the VATM will study and evaluate the possibility of introducing new separation value in ATS enroute in the country.

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