VATM: Innovation for development

Following the technology innovation program in the process of industrialization and modernization of the country, the VATM has invested in hundreds of projects with total capital of thousands of billions of dong in order to upgrade infrastructure and equipment for air traffic management. One of major projects which were put into operation is the Hanoi Air Traffic Control Center (ATCC Hanoi) in Gia Lam Airport area, which takes advantage in terms of big scale and advanced performance with new technology for air traffic management.

The ATCC Hanoi project holds a consequent operation chain complex as it is the first ATC center in Vietnam fully equipped for five services (including technical services, air traffic control services, aeronautical information services, search and rescue, meteorological services and military coordination) in order to provide new surveillance means for civil air traffic and aviation operation control, covering traffic at a low flight level within the Hanoi FIR and additional responsibility area as assigned. The ATCC Hanoi, together with the Ho Chi Minh Air Traffic Control Center, will form complete ATC infrastructure for Vietnam with modern, innovative and advanced technology. The facility contributes to the effectiveness of air traffic management via effective Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM), applying AMAN/DMAN (Arrival Management/Departure Management) technology, hence increasing the system performance by 150 percent.

The ATCC Hanoi has been invested under the concept of taking a shortcut. For this reason, the system has standard interfaces for CNS (Communication – Navigation – Surveillance) services to be integrated to the system in order to make it complied with the Aviation System Block Upgrade (ASBU) framework in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s standards.

In July 2014, the VATM became a full member of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) – a global organization, representing Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs) around the world. The VATM has also coordinated with other members in participating in the aviation safety program. The corporation has also joined technical activities as part of ASEAN’s efforts to establish an ASEAN Single Aviation Market. Meanwhile, the VATM has actively tied with countries via Mekong sub region conferences and meetings, as well as sharing resources, on the way to enhance the harmonization of air traffic management services.

Innovating human resources training

Together with investments in advanced ATC facilities, the VATM is well aware of the importance of effective management and utilization of human resources in operating state-of-art systems, in which air traffic controllers play an important role.

With the goal of training air traffic controllers to meet the ICAO’s requirements, the VATM launched a program to persify investments in basic training of air traffic controllers, which was approved by the Ministry of Transport, in order to meet the corporation’s development need. As the coordinator and supervisor of the program, the corporation has signed a framework agreement for training with the Training Center of the Airways New Zealand. The VATM will manage the progress and quality of training and employ trainees after they successfully complete their courses. In July 2015, the corporation started to choose candidates for the Airways in New Zealand’s training of 36 air traffic controllers of.

The program to persify investments in basic training of air traffic controllers is expected to meet the need for air traffic controllers who are currently insufficient, while opening a new direction for human resources training to meet the corporation’s development need in coming years.

Following this strategic direction, the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation has implemented its commitment to safety, regularity and efficiency of air traffic services in Vietnam and the Asia Pacific region.

Nguyen Thi Hoa