VANSCORP: New Progress in Integrating Period

Despite suffering negative impacts of global economic crisis, Vietnam Air Navigation Services Corporation (VANSCORP), an element of the Vietnamese aviation industry, still ensures the highest quality of air navigation services. On the occasion VANSCORP was awarded the Eagle Awards by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), we have an exclusive talk with Mr Nguyen Xuan Hien, Chairman & Director General of the Corporation.

Looking back on the development and integration history of VANSCORP since its inception in 1993 under the name of Vietnam Air Traffic Management (VATM) until 2008 as restructuring to a corporation with name “Vietnam Air Navigation Services Corporation”, your corporation actually flew to a new plane. Could you tell what the core issues for the great development are?

After 15 years of operation, from 1993 to 2008, VANSCORP (formerly Vietnam Air Traffic Management (VATM)) always excellently completes all economic and political tasks, assigned by Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV), in which the core activity is to direct and manage absolutely safe flight for airplanes on the Vietnamese airspace.

VANSCORP has adopted many effective measures to promote its internal strengths, expand business operations and supply air traffic management services; thus, revenues, profits and tax payments to the State Budget have increased year after year. In any aspect, ensure of security and safety for flights is, at all time, the most important task.

During its history, VANSCORP has made gigantic, steadfast and comprehensive progresses. This is reflected in the deep awareness of reliability, economic efficiency and customer-based orientation. Apart from strengthening close cooperation with our client airlines, we also play an active role in initiatory activities in the region.

Over the past 15 years, the Corporation controlled nearly 2.6 million flights, including more than 2,000 VIP flights. The Corporation made revenue of more than VND13,000 billion and contributed VND6,800 billion to the State Budget.

Besides, VANSCORP has been cooperating closely with related units in the aviation industry and those under the Ministry of Defence to oversee and manage flights in the territorial airspace of Viet Nam. Significantly, the Corporation has effectively controlled thousands of special flights for military transport, relief transport to people in flooded areas and other purposes. This helps the country to strengthen social order and security.

In air traffic management and international airborne transportation integration, VANSCORP has successfully implemented new methods to manage air traffics in its Flight Information Regions (FIRs) such as applying automatic flight plan processing, using e-strips, applying required navigation performance (RNP), operating parallel ATS routes system on the East Sea (South China Sea) and participating in Controller Pilot Data Link ommunications/Automatic Dependent Surveillance (CPDLC/ADS) in HCM/FIR, which are highly appreciated by the ICAO Asia Pacific Regional Office.

At present, VANSCORP is capable of coordinating with air traffic management authorities of neighbouring countries in exploiting regional airspaces, and its system is completely compatible with technical requirements recommended by the ICAO.

VANSCORP is also a pioneering unit of the Vietnamese aviation industry in investing; renovating technologies; applying scientific advancements and improving techniques to strengthen the quality of air traffic management. To date, VANSCORP has upgraded and built twoArea Control Centres (ACCs), 20 Air Traffic Control Towers (TWRs), 09 Primary and Secondary Radar Stations, 11 VOR/DME Stations and 08 VHF Stations. With its infrastructure construction investment projects, VANSCORP has renovated all technological lines toward synchronisation and automation direction. The Corporation has applied many new scientific advances to improve its service quality such as automatic data processing, digital technology, satellite communication, fibre-optic cables system and others. The most important is the programme to basically change flight management and control from simple and conventional way (listen – speak) to a modern one (listen – speak – control). This achievement satisfies the growth of the domestic and international aviation industries and meets requirements of procedures of the new communication navigation surveillance/air traffic management system (CNS/ATM) introduced by ICAO.

One of major projects implemented in recent years is Hochiminh Area and Approach Control Centre (HCM/AACC). This project, rated one of most advanced air traffic management units in the region, was completed and put into official operation in June 2006. The automatic air traffic management system (ATM) at HCM/AACC can serve the aviation industry in 15-20 years. The system is capable of integrating radar data, Flight data and automatic dependent surveillance/controller pilot data link communications (ADS/CPDLC) to control fights in the Flight Information Regions (FIRs) of Viet Nam.

In addition to modernising equipment for air traffic management, VANSCORP actively encourages its employees to partake in professional training courses that will enable them to master modern sciences and technologies. To date, VANSCORP has trained its staff in all fields like air traffic control, science -technology and business. With 11,601 staffs trained at home and 1,081 staffs trained abroad, VANSCORP can serve all air traffic control activities.

Could you introduce the process of organizational restructuring in Vietnam Air Navigation Services Corporation (VANSCORP) (formerly Vietnam Air Traffic Management -VATM ?

The goal was to meet new development and integration requirements, and to solve shortcomings of the operating form of VATM in line with the State policies on enterprise reform. In accordance with the Law on Enterprise 2005 and the amended Law on Civil Aviation 2006 put in place, VATM built an operating transformation plan which was submitted to and approved by the Prime Minister. On June 19, 2008, we obtained the official decision on establishment of VANSCORP, an affiliate of the Ministry of Transport, from the upgrading of VATM – a subordinate of CAAV. During the transformation process, the Board of Directors and leaders of VANSCORP always underscored the decision on formation of the Corporation as a milestone, marking the breakthrough growth of VATM after 15 years of construction and development. Thus, during the transformation process, the Corporation is able to gather all its resources and unify thoughts and actions of its staffs: Upholding the tradition of ‘Labour Hero’ in the Renovation Process; completing business tasks; controlling absolutely safe flight;, contributing more to the State Budget; improving living conditions of its staffs and bringing the corporation to a higher level.

At present, VANSCORP mainly supplies air traffic management service, which covers air traffic services (ATS) (flight control service, flight information service, air traffic consulting service and alarming service); aeronautical communication, navigation and surveillance services (CNS); aeronautical information services (AIS); aeronautical meteorology (MET); and search and rescue services (SARs), for domestic and foreign airlines to/from Vietnamese airports and via the FIRs designated by ICAO to Vietnam.

VANSCORP will also diversify its business lines to promote its other strengths and serve the industrialization and modernization of the country.

Please tell me about VANSCORP’s achievements after more than one year of operating transformation?

Over the past year, the collaboration, direction and management in air traffic control have been strictly guaranteed by all member units of VANSCORP. The corporation closely oversaw flights on authorized airspace, granted flight permits and specially ensured the absolute safety for VIP flights. In 2008, air traffic units of VANSCORP organised and instructed all activities concerning ATC, AIS, aeronautical communication, MET, and SAR. VANSCORP effectively applied ADS/CPDLC in HCM/FIR; trained controllers to operate ADS/CPDLC; signed agreements with surrounding ACC before applying reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) in the third phase in HCM FIR. They also completed the construction of calibration flights and calibration of auxiliary approach equipment; built flight procedures using DVOR/DME navigation stations in Phu Quoc, Phu Cat, Con Son, Vinh Phuc, Lien Khuong, Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai airports; instructed and coordinated with concerned units to map out SAR activities; regularly examined safety of flight activities. In this, they drew extensively upon experience from air traffic safety audits in three areas in the north, centre and the south.

In the past one year, the technical force at VANSCORP installed seven public utility works and conducted nine other projects. With intensive investment of brainpower, VANSCORP was able to improve traditional products to replace many imports. In 2007, the corporation inaugurated a center for providing technical services for DVOR/ DME navigation equipment in Viet Nam. This is a joint project with the US-based SELEX SI. Apart from providing technical products and services for DVOR/DME navigation equipment to save up costs, VANSCORP becomes ready to supply technical products and services to other countries. Additionally, the technical workforce at VANSCORP has manufactured 17 signalling lamp products for airport , 15 of which have been certified by CAAV. 14 of those 17 products were installed in Cam Ranh and Pleiku airports. The cost for the domestically-made equipment was only 70 per cent of imported item costs. Hundreds of airport signs have been manufactured and installed at airports across the country.

VANSCORP carried out 54 infrastructure construction investment projects and transferred 32 projects, all of which meet highest quality and technical requirements. Typical projects include air traffic towers, and Air/Ground navigation stations in Phu Cat, Lien Khuong, Vinh, Dong Hoi, Phu Quoc, Pleiku and Cam Ranh airports.

In addition to advancing its operations, VANSCORP also provides spiritual and material life of all staffs by ensuring progressively increasing incomes, safe working environments regular medical checks and insurance coverage. The Corporation also organised hundreds of excursions for its staffs to explore the landscapes and historical sites in the country. Home visits and financial support to families who sacrificed to the national liberation are provided.

Since the time of organisational transformation, VANSCORP has spared no effort to become a strong brand name in the aviation industry and meets all air traffic objectives of Discipline – Quality – Cooperation – Safety – Efficiency.

VANSCORP was one of only four winners of 2009 Eagle Awards granted by IATA. Please tell us more information about the meaning of this award?

The Eagle Awards honour air navigation service providers (ANSP) and airports for their outstanding performance and significant contributions to the regional and international aviation industries. The award is granted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

To be eligible for consideration, organizations must be air navigation service providers or airports handling a minimum of 5 million passengers annually. Award winners are selected by an impartial and independent Panel of experienced individuals from across the aviation industry. The Eagle Award winners are announced at the IATA Annual General Meeting each year.

2009 Eagle Awards were to four organisations: Vietnam Air Navigation Services Corporation (VANSCORP), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Geneva International Airport (GVA), and Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB).

All four winners demonstrated going beyond the strict and challenging criteria of the Eagle Awards, to achieve for high service standards and cost efficiency. They have also responded effectively and innovatively to the needs of their airline customers at a time of unprecedented financial turmoil. They put the customer first and delivered value for money. The ‘Most Improved ANSP’ went to VANSCORP.

The Flight Control capability of VANSCORP has been optimized when operating Area and Approach Control Centre (HCM/AACC); this is a decisive criteria for IATA to grant the Eagle Awards 2009 to VANSCORP.

At present, more than 300 domestic and international airlines are using VANSCORP’s services on 15 domestic routes and 25 international routes. The strategic objective of VANSCORP is to ensure Safety-Regularity-Efficiency for ATC services.

Posted by VBN on Dec 7 2009. Filed under Enterprises. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry