SBCF - Confins

General Information

	Information
Aerodrome name	Belo Horizonte - Confins - Tancredo Neves
Type of Operation	International and Public
Transition altitude	8000 ft⁹
Elevation	2721 ft (829 m)
Largest aircraft	Wide-bodies (code 4E)¹
Airspace	Confins CTR, class D, GND/5500 ft⁹
Accepts A380?

Useful Information

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Traffic

Runways

Preferential runway system

SBCF has one runway, 16/34 (3600 × 45 m, asphalt). TWY A runs along the runway on the east side, between it and the aprons, end to end.

Preferential: 16

Landings and takeoffs. ILS CAT I.
Alternative: 34

Used when the wind rules out 16. ILS CAT I.

Preferential system

With a tailwind component of up to 7 kt and a dry runway, the runway in use is 16³.

With 16 in use and a tailwind, pilots who request 34 should expect a delay in landing or takeoff³.

Runway data

Runway	Dimensions	TORA	LDA	Approach	Remarks
16	3600 × 45 m	3600 m	3600 m	ILS CAT I	300 m CWY
34	3600 × 45 m	3600 m	3600 m	ILS CAT I	1400 m CWY

The AD accepts aircraft up to code 4E¹.
180° turns for code C, D and E aircraft only at the thresholds².
On approach to 34, do not confuse it with Lagoa Santa aerodrome (SBLS), to the right of the track¹¹.

ATC Units

Code	Abbr.	Callsign	Frequency	Remarks
SBCF_ATIS	`ACF`	Confins Information	127.850	D-ATIS
SBCF_DEL	`DCF`	Confins Clearance	121.000	`DCL` (code `SBCF`)
SBCF_GND	`GCF`	Confins Ground	121.900
SBCF_TWR	`TCF`	Confins Tower	118.200

DCL

SBCF has DCL (departure clearance via datalink)⁴. On the network, the station code is SBCF. Equipped aircraft must request their clearance through DCL⁸.


Station code	`SBCF`
Who operates it	SBCF_DEL. Without DEL, the position covering clearance top-down (GND, 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 `SBCF`

How it works:

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

Controller setup

Log in to the TopSky DCL with the code SBCF before opening the position.
Announce it in the controller information: DCL AVBL LOGON SBCF.
A faulty request (invalid plan, wrong SID, no ATIS) goes back as REVERT TO VOICE: the pilot calls Clearance 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 SBCF with the runway strip in yellow, under Tower, and the rest in blue, under Ground — Yellow strip: Tower. Rest: Ground. The dashed line runs through the holding points. White circles: apron numbers.

Position	Responsible for
GND	Aprons 1 to 4, TWY A and the links up to the holding point
TWR	Runway 16/34 and the TWY inside the holding points

SBCF 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.

Ground flow

General rule

TWY A runs along the runway on the east side and reaches both thresholds: via B at 16 and via P (or N) at 34.
C2 links apron 2 with A; F2 links apron 1. C1 and F1 are the rapid exits.
R, S and T run along aprons 1 and 2, in front of the terminals; E cuts between the remote stands.
J, L and M link apron 3 (cargo) with A. Q between aprons 3 and 4 is closed⁶.
Wingspan of 17 m or more, piston or jet: stands are left with pushback⁵.

Runway 16Runway 34

Ground flow on runway 16: departures via C2 and A to B; code A/B from C1; landings vacate via F1 and follow F2 to apron 1 — Green: departures. Dashed orange: intersection departure (code A/B). Blue: landings.

Departures (16): A northbound to B (threshold 16).
Code A/B: departs from C1 (TORA 2720 m)⁸.
Landings (16): vacate via F1 (~1765 m) and follow F2 to apron 1⁷.

Example: GLO1234, taxi to holding point runway 16 via A, B.

Ground flow on runway 34: departures via F2 and A to P; code A/B from H; landings vacate via C1 and follow C2 to apron 2 — Green: departures. Dashed orange: intersection departure (code A/B). Blue: landings.

Departures (34): A southbound to P (threshold 34).
Code A/B: departs from H (TORA 2987 m)⁸.
Landings (34): vacate via C1 (~2700 m) and follow C2 to apron 2⁷.

Example: AZU4321, taxi to holding point runway 34 via A, P.

Runway exits

Pilots must vacate the runway completely before stopping, via the listed exit, or tell APP or Tower if they cannot use it⁷.

Runway	Exits
16	F1 (1765 m), H (~2950 m) or N/P (end)
34	H (~650 m, light aircraft), C1 (2700 m) or B (end)

Approximate distance from the threshold to the exit. F1 and C1: AIP; the others measured on the diagram.

Taxi restrictions

Restriction	Where
TWY Q closed	Between aprons 3 and 4⁶
180° turns	Code C, D and E only at the thresholds²
Pushback required	Wingspan of 17 m or more, piston or jet, at any stand⁵
Self-manoeuvring out of the stand	Stands 216 to 225: wingspan up to 14.99 m and the C208, turning 180° to the left; 15 to 17 m (216 to 224 only), with the adjacent stand free⁵

Takeoff points

Runway	Point	TORA	Used by
16	B (threshold)	3600 m	Code C or larger
16	C1	2720 m	Code A and B⁸
34	P (threshold)	3600 m	Code C or larger
34	H	2987 m	Code A and B⁸

Code A and B depart from the intersection. Those who cannot say so when requesting their clearance. Code C or larger may request the intersection or be instructed by Tower⁸.
Pilots reach the holding point ready for departure; immediate line-up and takeoff roll within 10 seconds of the clearance⁸.
Tower does not give the takeoff time; the next unit's frequency comes with the takeoff clearance⁸.
Only when instructed by Tower, call APP right after takeoff with only BELO HORIZONTE CONTROL, [CALLSIGN]⁸.
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 departures⁷.


Activation	Broadcast on the ATIS; only in visual conditions with a dry runway
Approach speed	170 to 150 kt at 5 NM from the threshold; slow down for final only after the 5th mile. ATC-assigned speeds are mandatory
Landing	Vacate the runway completely before stopping: F1 on 16, C1 on 34. If unable, tell APP or Tower
Takeoff	Request through DCL; code A and B from C1 (16) or H (34)

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.

Apron1Terminal 1DomesticStands 107 to 114 and remote 206 to 214

Apron2Terminal 2Domestic and internationalStands 115 to 136 and remote 215 to 231

Apron3Cargo terminal (TECA)Via J, L and MStands 52 to 62

Freighters.

Apron4Maintenance hangarVia the end of A, next to threshold 34

Small general aviation uses remote stands 216 to 225 on apron 2⁵.

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

Other procedures

Observe the VAC for joining and leaving the traffic pattern¹⁰.
Aeroplanes and helicopters operate simultaneously in sector ECHO, on the runway 16 departure path and the runway 34 approach¹⁰.

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