Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) is planning to build a new air traffic control center worth VND1.4 trillion in HCMC as the existing one at Tan Son Nhat International Airport is getting outdated.

A view of the HCMC air traffic control center. Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) is planning to build a new air traffic control center worth VND1.4 trillion in HCMC

In a proposal sent to the Ministry of Transport, VATM said the operational HCMC air traffic control center was put into operation in 2006, so its technology has now become too old and its infrastructure has deteriorated, whereas air traffic control always needs latest technologies to ensure maximum safety.

According to VATM, air traffic in Hanoi and HCMC flight information regions (FIR HAN and FIR HCM) has grown far stronger than forecast. Though forecasts put the number of flights in the two regions at 480,000 by 2015, the actual number recorded in 2015 was 640,000, 33% higher than forecast and even above the 2020 estimate of 631,000.

The number of flights reached 800,000 late last year.

VATM said that with the current growth rate, air traffic controllers would have to manage around one million flights by 2020 and 1.8 million by 2030, almost double previous forecasts.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new air traffic control center at a cost of an estimated VND1.4 trillion which would be sourced from VATM’s development investment capital fund and commercial loans.

The Hanoi air traffic control center was put into service in January 2015 and considered the country’s most modern at the time. This center, invested with VND750 billion, has helped enhance the air traffic control capacity and the quality of the air traffic control tower at Noi Bai International Airport, and coordinates with the rescue center in flight management, meteorology and aviation information.

 SGT