Tan Son Nhat International Airport on October 10 started using the area navigation RNAV 1 specification at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in an attempt to reduce air traffic congestion and improve capacity.
Passengers wait at Tan Son Nhat Airport
The new method is developed under the co-operation of the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) and NAVBLUE (Airbus) Company which started in December 2016.
According to VATM, with the application of RNAV 1, aircraft do not have to circle over the airport, thus slashing fuel consumption and improving economic efficiency.Under the old method of navigation, aeroplanes can land at the airport during off-peak hours but the captain must contact air traffic control officials to demand a time slot during peak hours. Many aircraft have to circle over the airport and communication between captains and officials sometimes is disrupted, which pose risks.
The new method of navigation enables aircraft to operate on any desired flight paths within the coverage of the station-referenced navigation.
Airlines will benefit from this new method of navigation as it helps aeroplanes land on schedule and cut flight delays.
The adoption of RNAV 1 comes at a time when Tan Son Nhat Airport is dealing with severe air traffic congestion with an average of 700 takeoffs and landings a day and the number surged to over 900 on certain days during the Tet Holiday this year.
