SBGR - Guarulhos

General Information

Useful Information

Runways

Preferred runways

The two runways are parallel and only 375 m apart, centreline to centreline. That is why there are no independent operations: normally one runway is for landing and the other for takeoff¹.

Runway data

ATC Units

DCL

SBGR has DCL (departure clearance via datalink). On the network, the station code is SBGR.

How it works:

1. The pilot sends the request (RCD) to SBGR, with the stand and the ATIS letter.
2. The controller checks the flight plan and replies with the clearance: limit, runway, SID, squawk, ATIS letter and next frequency.
3. The pilot accepts (WILCO/ACCEPT). The clearance is then delivered and no voice readback is needed.
4. Once the clearance is accepted, the pilot calls Ground directly for start-up or pushback.

Areas of responsibility

The split follows the runway holding points. Everything between the holding points north of 10L/28R and south of 10R/28L belongs to Tower.

Handoff points (colored circles on the map):

1. Arrival on 10R/28L bound for the north aprons: the aircraft stays on Tower frequency, holds and crosses 10L/28R with Tower clearance and only calls Ground after crossing and vacating 10L/28R⁴.
2. Departure: Ground hands the aircraft to Tower before the holding point of the departure runway. To ease frequency load, Ground may instruct the pilot to monitor Tower, without an initial call⁵.
3. Arrival bound for aprons 12 and 13: the aircraft vacates 10R/28L to the south (T or U) and calls Ground after vacating.

Ground flow

Configuration 10 (landing 10R, takeoff 10L)Configuration 28 (landing 28L, takeoff 28R)

• Departures (10L): taxi via A westbound to G (full length) or H (intersection).
• Arrivals (10R): CAT C, D and E vacate via BB, CC or O (end of the runway), hold short of 10L and cross via L, N or O onto A. CAT A and B vacate via T or U, to the south.
• Aprons 12 and 13: via S to G, crossing 10R with Tower clearance, to the 10L holding point on G.
• Alternative: B westbound to H or G.

Example: TAM3456, taxi to holding point runway 10L via A, G.

• Departures (28R): taxi via A eastbound to Q (full length), P or O (intersections).
• Arrivals (28L): CAT C, D and E vacate via G, hold short of 10L and cross via G onto A. CAT A and B vacate via T or U, to the south.
• Aprons 12 and 13: via S to G, crossing 10R and 10L with Tower clearance, then via A.
• Alternative: B eastbound to P or Q.

Example: GLO1234, taxi to holding point runway 28R via A, Q.

Runway exits

To ensure minimum runway occupancy time (MROT), pilots must vacate via the taxiways below or tell Tower on first contact if they cannot⁶.

Distance from the threshold to the exit taxiway.

Taxi restrictions

By aircraft size⁷:

On TWY V, and on TWY A between G and apron 1, the maximum wingspan is 65 m.

Other restrictions:

• Low visibility (RVR < 400 m): progressive taxi on the standard taxi routes, with short instructions from Ground⁸.

Takeoff points

Aircraft of category D or smaller must be ready to take off from the intersections below⁹. In practice, Tower uses the intersection to fit departures between arrivals.

• Pilots say when requesting clearance if they cannot take off from the intersection³.
• Pilots reach the holding point ready for departure; if not, they tell Ground.
• Line up immediately when cleared, and start the takeoff roll within 10 seconds of the takeoff clearance.
• Tower does not give landing and takeoff times¹⁰.

Segregated operations

In segregated operations, 10R/28L takes the landings and 10L/28R the takeoffs at the same time. Because the runways are only 375 m apart, a go-around from one and a takeoff from the other may conflict. That is why separation between them is visual, kept by the pilot of the aircraft going around¹¹.

Conditions¹¹:

Outside these conditions there are no segregated operations: Tower separates landings and takeoffs on the two runways without relying on visual separation.

The pilot-in-command must¹¹:

1. Tell Tower if visual references are lost on final. Without a report, ATC assumes the pilot has visual references below 1000 ft and will apply visual separation in case of a go-around.
2. In a go-around, maintain visual separation from the aircraft taking off from the adjacent runway.
3. Keep the other aircraft in sight until it is no longer essential traffic.
4. Observe wake turbulence separation when told to maintain visual separation, and ask for extra spacing if needed.
5. Add HEAVY or SUPER right after the callsign on initial contact, when applicable.

Go-around phraseology¹¹:

PTATC, tráfego, B757 decolando da pista 10L, mantenha separação visual, atento à esteira de turbulência.

PTATC, tráfego, B757 arremetendo da pista 28L, mantenha separação visual, atento à esteira de turbulência.

PTATC, traffic, B757 departing runway 10L, maintain visual separation, caution wake turbulence.

PTATC, traffic, B757 going around runway 28L, maintain visual separation, caution wake turbulence.

Dependent parallel departures

When there are more departures than arrivals, Tower may launch from both runways (10R/10L or 28L/28R)¹²:

• Minima: visibility ≥ 5000 m and ceiling ≥ 1000 ft.
• Departure paths diverge by at least 15° up to 2 NM from the end of the runway.
• Operation announced on the ATIS.
• Pilots say at clearance if they cannot operate on 10R/28L and, for code C or D, when requesting taxi if they cannot take off from H (10L), G (10R) or P (28R). On first contact with São Paulo Control they state the departure runway.

RRSM

RRSM (Reduced Runway Separation Minima) is the reduced minimum separation between aircraft on the same runway. With RRSM, Tower may clear a landing or takeoff before the preceding aircraft has vacated the runway, provided there is reasonable assurance that the distance below will exist. SBGR was the first aerodrome in Brazil to use it¹³.

Conditions (all of them)¹³:

• From sunrise to sunset.
• Visibility ≥ 5 km and ceiling ≥ 1000 ft.
• Tailwind up to 3 kt.
• Dry runway: no rain, snow or ice reported in the METAR.
• Wake turbulence minima applied as usual.
• RRSM announced on the ATIS.

Minimum distance: 2400 m from the threshold, which corresponds to:

Tower gives traffic information with the clearance:

TAM3456, autorizado pouso pista 10R, vento 090 graus 11 nós, B747 à frente liberando a pista.
TAM3456, autorizado pouso pista 28L, vento 230 graus 6 nós, MD11 à frente decolando.
GLO1234, autorizado decolagem pista 28R, vento 230 graus 6 nós, MD11 à frente decolando.

TAM3456, runway 10R cleared to land, wind 090 degrees 11 knots, B747 ahead vacating the runway.
TAM3456, runway 28L cleared to land, wind 230 degrees 6 knots, MD11 departing ahead.
GLO1234, runway 28R cleared for takeoff, wind 230 degrees 6 knots, MD11 departing ahead.

Aprons and airlines

A reference for simulation. Terminals follow the GRU Airport airline directory; the split between aprons is a simplification, not the airport's official allocation. VAs use the aprons of the real airline they represent.

Apron1Terminal 1DomesticStands 101 to 105

Apron2·3Terminal 2Domestic and internationalStands 207 to 212 · 301 to 312

Apron4Terminal 2Domestic and internationalStands 401 to 411

Apron1·2Cargo terminalFreightersStands 106 to 115 · 201 to 206

Total

Apron5·6Terminal 3InternationalStands 501 to 511 · 601 to 612

Apron7RemoteOvernight, charters and wide-body overflowStands 701 to 715

Any airline, subject to availability.

Apron9Remote, next to the hangarsOvernight and maintenanceStands 901 to 911

and overflow from the other aprons.

Apron10Sideral ApronSideral Linhas Aéreas · next to TWY Q

Apron12General aviationBusiness, air taxi and helicoptersStands 1 to 12 · H1 to H3

General aviation and air taxi.

Apron13BASPMilitary · São Paulo Air Force Base

FAB

• General aviation parks only on apron 12¹⁴.
• Military aircraft bound for BASP (apron 13) stay with Ground, like any other traffic.

Logos from GRU Airport, Travelpayouts (Cargolux and Atlas Air), Wikipedia (Sideral) and Voe Samba. Trademarks belong to their respective airlines.

Other procedures

Approaches and landings

• HIRO (high-intensity runway operations) H24: pilots adjust landing and takeoff for minimum runway occupancy¹⁵.
• Approach speeds: 180 kt at 10 NM and 160 kt at 5 NM from the threshold. ATC-assigned speeds are mandatory; pilots unable to comply must say so¹⁶.
• Minimum surveillance separation on final: 3 NM¹³.
• Vacate the runway completely before stopping.
• Pilots do not report gear down, except in an emergency.

Communications

• To avoid frequency congestion, ATC may instruct pilots to monitor the next frequency. In that case there is no initial call⁵.

Aerodrome regulations

• Fixed-wing VFR prohibited, except Brazilian military or non-RNAV aircraft when conventional procedures are unavailable¹⁸.
• Training flights (circuits, touch-and-go) at Tower's discretion, depending on traffic.

Diagrams drawn by VATSIM Brasil on OpenStreetMap geometry (ODbL), checked against the SBGR ADC chart (AIRAC 2605). Not for real-world navigation. Normative source: AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBGR, AMDT 2610A1.