According to VATM, Cam Ranh International Airport not only serves civil aviation with some 100-150 flights per day but also military aviation activities, such as training or cargo transport, using many types of aircraft including helicopters. Thus, the establishment of the centre will help to improve the coordination of flight operations at the airport.
The centre is responsible for providing an air traffic control service (area control service, approaching control service, air traffic counselling, and alarm service), flight information service, and meteorological service.
In addition, it will work to improve the quality of air services, enhance the proficiency of civil flight operations and the coordination in organising military training flights, and increase the capacity to receive more aircraft.
This is the fourth Area and Approaching Control Centre in Vietnam, following those in Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat and Da Nang International Airports.
The VATM also operates two air traffic control centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and aerodrome control towers in all domestic airports.
Cam Rank airport was constructed by the US army for military purpose during the war. In 2004, it was turned into a civil airport, and five years later it was upgraded to an international airport.
The airport has witnessed hectic activities, with the number of arrivals increasing substantially in recent years. Statistics from the airport revealed that in 2011 the number of passengers reached 1 million, and the figure increased nearly five-fold to almost 4.9 million in 2016 and was estimated at 6 million in 2017.
Earlier this year, the airport put a new terminal into use for international services to ease the serious overloading of Terminal 1. It is the first airport terminal in Vietnam built with four-star international standards.
