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SBBE - Val de Cans

General Information

Information
Aerodrome name Belém - Val de Cans - Júlio Cezar Ribeiro
Type of Operation International, Public and Military
Transition altitude 5000 ft10
Elevation 56 ft (17 m)
Largest aircraft Wide-bodies (code 4E)1
Airspace Belém CTR, class D, GND/2700 ft10
Accepts A380?

Useful Information

Select one of the tools in the tabs above (Charts, Weather or Traffic) to access the aerodrome information.

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Traffic

Runways

Preferential runway system

SBBE has two crossing runways: 07/25 (2800 × 45 m), for jets, and 03/21 (1830 × 45 m), for turboprops and piston aircraft3. Neither has a parallel taxiway: the TWY only reach the areas near thresholds 07 and 03, and the rest of 07/25 has three turn pads for backtracking.

  • Preferential: 07 and 03

    07 for jets, with ILS CAT I. 03 for turboprops and pistons. The TWY lead from the aprons straight to these thresholds.

  • Alternative: 25 and 21

    Departures need a backtrack. 25 has RNP and VOR; 21 has no instrument approach.

Preferential system

With a tailwind component of up to 7 kt and a dry runway, the runways in use are 07 and/or 033.

With 07/03 in use, a request for 25/21 may be denied because of traffic or at ATC's discretion3.

Runway data

Runway Dimensions TORA LDA Approach Remarks
07 2800 × 45 m 2800 m 2800 m ILS CAT I ALSF-1 and PAPI. Jets
25 2800 × 45 m 2800 m 2800 m Non-precision PAPI. Jets
03 1830 × 45 m 1830 m 1830 m Non-precision PAPI. Turboprops and pistons
21 1830 × 45 m 1830 m 1830 m Visual PAPI. Turboprops and pistons
  • The AD accepts aircraft up to code 4E1.
  • 180° turns only on the turn pads, unless authorized by ATC, and never pivoting on the aircraft's axis2.

HS1: runway crossing

Runways 07/25 and 03/21 cross ~1370 m from threshold 07 and ~1250 m from threshold 03. Coordinate movements on both runways when they are in use at the same time (ADC chart).

ATC Units

Code Abbr. Callsign Frequency Remarks
SBBE_ATIS ABE Belém Information 127.600 D-ATIS
SBBE_GND GBE Belém Ground 121.900 DCL (code SBBE)
SBBE_TWR TBE Belém Tower 118.700

DCL

SBBE has DCL (departure clearance via datalink)4. On the network, the station code is SBBE. There is no Clearance Delivery (DEL) position: Ground issues the clearances.
Station code SBBE
Who operates it SBBE_GND. Without GND, the position covering clearance top-down (TWR, APP or ACC)
Controller tool TopSky DCL window, with your personal Hoppie ACARS code
Pilot tool Aircraft ACARS or a Hoppie-compatible client, sending the clearance request to SBBE

How it works:

  1. The pilot sends the request (RCD) to SBBE, with the parking stand and ATIS letter.
  2. The controller checks the flight plan and replies with the clearance: limit, runway, SID, transponder code, ATIS letter and next frequency.
  3. The pilot accepts (WILCO/ACCEPT). The clearance is then issued and there is no voice readback.
  4. With the clearance accepted, the pilot calls Ground for start-up or pushback.

Controller setup

  • Log in to the TopSky DCL with the code SBBE before opening the position.
  • Announce it in the controller information: DCL AVBL LOGON SBBE.
  • A faulty request (invalid plan, wrong SID, no ATIS) goes back as REVERT TO VOICE: the pilot calls Ground on frequency.
  • If the pilot does not accept within a reasonable time, consider the clearance not delivered and call them by voice.

Areas of responsibility

Map of SBBE with both runway strips in yellow, under Tower, and the rest in blue, under Ground
Yellow strips: Tower. Rest: Ground. The dashed line runs through the holding points. White circles: apron numbers.
Position Responsible for
GND All aprons (1 to 6 and TAG) and the TWY up to the holding point
TWR Runways 07/25 and 03/21 and the TWY inside the holding points
  • SBBE has no Apron position (APRON): Ground handles all aprons.
  • Departures: Ground hands off to Tower before the holding point. Pilots reach the holding point ready for departure; if not, they tell Ground8.
  • Arrivals: after vacating the runway, Tower hands off to Ground.
  • A runway 07 landing that vacates at the intersection continues along runway 03/21 to TWY A: the aircraft stays with Tower until it leaves 03/21.

Ground flow

General rule

  • The apron 3 taxiway links C and D (to 07) with A (to 03/21). The apron 4 taxiway links the terminal with B (threshold 03).
  • E, G, J and K link the north-side aprons (Air Force base and hangars) to 07/25; F leads to apron 6.
  • H and L link apron 5 to 03/21; M and N link the TAG (general aviation terminal) near threshold 21.
  • Jets may not manoeuvre with their tail towards the terminal: stands are left with pushback5.

Ground flow on runways 07 and 03: jets depart 07 from C; turboprops depart 03 from B; runway 07 landings vacate at the intersection and follow 03/21 to A; runway 03 landings vacate via A or H
Green: departures. Dashed orange: full-length departure from 07, via D. Blue: landings.

  • Departures (07), jets: apron 3 taxiway and C (TORA 2475 m). Those who need the full length continue via D to the threshold and say so when requesting their clearance7.
  • Departures (03), turboprops and pistons: apron 4 taxiway and B.
  • Landings (07): vacate at the intersection with 03/21 (~1365 m) and follow 03/21 to A, or backtrack at the 1st turn pad (~1805 m) and return to C9.
  • Landings (03): vacate via A for aprons 3 and 4, or via H for apron 5.

Example: AZU4321, taxi to holding point runway 07 via C.

Ground flow on runways 25 and 21: departures enter via C or A and backtrack to the threshold; landings vacate via C or A
Green: departures, with the backtrack drawn beside the runway. Blue: landings.

  • Departures (25): C, then backtrack along 07/25 (about 2500 m) to threshold 25, turning on the turn pad at the end of the runway.
  • Departures (21): A, then backtrack along 03/21 to threshold 21, crossing 07/25. From the TAG, via N.
  • Landings (25): vacate via C for aprons 3 and 4, or via G/K for the north-side aprons.
  • Landings (21): vacate via A for aprons 3 and 4, or via H for apron 5.

Example: GLO1234, taxi to holding point runway 25 via C. Enter and backtrack runway 25.

Runway exits

Pilots must vacate the runway completely before stopping, with the minimum runway occupancy time (MROT)7.

Runway Exits
07 Intersection with 03/21 (~1365 m), 1st turn pad (~1805 m), 2nd turn pad (~2470 m) or 3rd turn pad, at the end (~2750 m). The turn pads require a backtrack
25 K or G (~2000 m, north side), C (~2540 m) or D/E (end)
03 A (~470 m), H (~740 m), intersection with 07/25 (~1250 m) or M/N (end)
21 Intersection with 07/25 (~580 m), H (~1090 m), A (~1360 m) or B (end)

Approximate distance from the threshold to the exit. Runway 07: AIP; the others measured on the diagram.

Taxi restrictions

Restriction Where
In IMC Code 3 and 4 aircraft may not operate on runway 03/217
In IMC No traffic on TWY D during landings and takeoffs of code 3 and 4 aircraft on 07/252
Width of 15 m or less TWY H (15 m), L (14 m), M and N (11 m): small general aviation only6

Takeoff points

Overview of SBBE with numbered aprons and the takeoff points marked with the available TORA
Takeoff points (purple) with the available TORA. Circled numbers: aprons.
Runway Point TORA Used by
07 C 2475 m Jets, unless instructed otherwise7
07 D (threshold) 2800 m Those who need the full length
03 B (threshold) 1830 m Turboprops and pistons
25 Threshold (backtrack from C) 2800 m Jets
21 Threshold (backtrack from A, or via N) 1830 m Turboprops and pistons
  • Unless instructed otherwise, pilots state whether they can depart 07 from C7.
  • Pilots reach the holding point ready for departure; if not, they tell Ground8.
  • Immediate line-up when cleared, and the takeoff roll starts within 10 seconds of the takeoff clearance8.
  • After takeoff, call APP immediately with only BELÉM CONTROL, [CALLSIGN], no additional information8.
  • Turboprops and piston aircraft expect vectors or a direct to a waypoint right after takeoff8.

HIRO

HIRO (high-intensity runway operations) cuts runway occupancy time to shorten the spacing on final, between departures and between landings and departures9.
Activation Broadcast on the ATIS; only in visual conditions with a dry runway
Approach speed Only aircraft able to keep 170 to 140 kt IAS between the IF and the FAF
Landing on 07 Vacate the runway completely before stopping, at the intersection (1365 m) or the 1st turn pad (1805 m), backtracking if needed. Code A, B and C aircraft that cannot do so tell APP or Tower
Takeoff Request through DCL; jets depart 07 from C
Measurement Distance
Threshold 07 to the intersection 1365 m
Threshold 07 to the 1st / 2nd / 3rd turn pad 1805 / 2470 / 2750 m
TWY C to the intersection 1090 m
TWY C to the 1st / 2nd / 3rd turn pad 1530 / 2195 / 2475 m

Aprons and airlines

Reference for simulation. Stands follow the PDC charts; airlines follow the airport's airline list on Wikipedia. The split between stands is a simplification, not the airport's official allocation. VAs use the stands of the real airline they represent.

Apron4Passenger terminalDomestic and internationalStands 01 to 07
Azul
AZU
Azul Conecta
ACN
GOL
GLO
LATAM
TAM
TAP
TAP
Air France
AFR
Avianca
AVA
Surinam
SLM
Apron3Cargo terminalFreighters and overflowStands 08 to 11

Freighters and any airline, depending on availability and wingspan.

Apron5General aviationApron 5 via H and L · TAG via M and N

General and business aviation and air taxi.

Apron1·2·6North side1: military (Belém Air Force Base) · 2 and 6: hangarsStands 1 to 3 (1) and 1 to 7 (2)
FAB

Logos from GRU Airport. Trademarks belong to their respective airlines.

Other procedures

  • Observe the VAC for joining and leaving the traffic pattern11.
  • Landings and takeoffs at SWEQ and SNYP: two-way contact with Belém APP on 119.050 or 119.500 is mandatory11.

Diagrams drawn by VATSIM Brasil over OpenStreetMap geometry (ODbL), checked against the SBBE ADC and PDC charts. Not for real-world navigation. Normative source: AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE, AMDT 2610A1.

  1. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.20, item 1. ↩↩

  2. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.20, item 6. ↩↩

  3. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.20, item 10. Declared distances: AD 2.13. ↩↩↩

  4. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.18. ↩

  5. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.20, item 2. ↩

  6. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.8 and ADC chart. ↩

  7. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.20, item 11. ↩↩↩↩↩

  8. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.20, item 12. ↩↩↩↩↩

  9. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.20, item 13. ↩↩

  10. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.17 and IAC charts. ↩↩

  11. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBBE 2.22. ↩↩