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SBSP - Congonhas

General Information

Information
Aerodrome name São Paulo - Congonhas - Deputado Freitas Nobre
Type of Operation Domestic, Public and Military
Transition altitude 8000 ft7
Elevation 2634 ft (803 m)
Largest aircraft Code 4C (A320, B737)2
Airspace São Paulo CTR, class D, GND/3600 ft7
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

Main and auxiliary runway

SBSP has two parallel runways about 220 m apart: 17R/35L, the main runway, to the west next to the terminal, and 17L/35R, the auxiliary runway, to the east next to the general aviation hangars. All thresholds are displaced.

  • Main: 17R / 35L

    Code 4C (A320, B737). ILS CAT I at both thresholds and EMAS at both ends. Scheduled flights.

  • Auxiliary: 17L / 35R

    Code 2B; code 3C only in VMC. RNP and VOR. Turboprops, piston aircraft and general aviation.

Who uses each runway

  • On 17R/35L, landings and takeoffs are prohibited for wingspans below 14.5 m (except in IMC CAT I and aeromedical flights) and for turboprop or piston aircraft (except RBAC 121 and aeromedical flights)1.
  • Only aircraft able to use both runways may operate at SBSP, except scheduled domestic passenger flights and flights carrying patients and organs2.
  • A scheduled passenger flight that cannot operate on the auxiliary runway tells Tower on first contact3.
  • On 17L/35R, code 3 aircraft only in VMC2.

The AIP sets no preferential runway: the configuration (17 or 35) follows the wind and applies to both runways.

Runway data

Runway Dimensions TORA LDA Approach Remarks
17R 1883 × 45 m 1760 m 1660 m ILS CAT I Displaced threshold (103 m). EMAS
35L 1883 × 45 m 1760 m 1660 m ILS CAT I Displaced threshold (27 m). EMAS
17L 1495 × 45 m 1345 m 1195 m Non-precision RNP and VOR. Displaced threshold (60 m)
35R 1495 × 45 m 1345 m 1195 m Non-precision RNP and VOR. Displaced threshold (60 m)

ATC Units

Code Abbr. Callsign Frequency Remarks
SBSP_ATIS ASP São Paulo Information 127.650 D-ATIS
SBSP_DEL DSP São Paulo Clearance 120.600 DCL (code SBSP)
SBSP_GND GSP São Paulo Ground 121.900
SBSP_TWR TSP São Paulo Tower 127.150 118.050 is the spare
SBSP_H_TWR HSP Helicopter Control 118.350 Helicopter control area
  • Ground sets the start-up and taxi sequence according to the TMA and AD flow8.
  • Tower does not give the takeoff time. The aircraft stays on Tower's frequency until crossing the opposite threshold3.
  • At high-density times, landings and takeoffs use the minimum runway occupancy time possible8.

DCL

SBSP has DCL (departure clearance via datalink)3. On the network, the station code is SBSP.
Station code SBSP
Who operates it SBSP_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 SBSP

How it works:

  1. The pilot sends the request (RCD) to SBSP, 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 SBSP before opening the position.
  • Announce it in the controller information: DCL AVBL LOGON SBSP.
  • 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 SBSP 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 Aprons 1, 2 and 3 and the TWY up to the holding point
TWR Both runways and the TWY inside the holding points, including A, B, C and D between the runways
Helicopter Control VFR helicopters in the helicopter control area
  • SBSP has no Apron position (APRON): Ground handles all aprons.
  • The only links between the runways are A, B, C and D, all inside the strips: aircraft crossing from one side to the other stay with Tower.
  • Arrivals: after vacating the runway, Tower hands off to Ground.

Ground flow

General rule

  • West side (main runway): M and N run in front of apron 3. E and F lead to threshold 17R; H links the middle of the apron with the runway; L continues south to I, J and K (threshold 35L).
  • East side (auxiliary runway): S runs in front of aprons 1 and 2; O and P reach 17L, Q the middle and R 35R.
  • A, B, C and D link the two runways.
  • The main apron is left with pushback2.

Ground flow on runways 17: 17R departures via N, M and E; 17R landings vacate via I and return along L and H; general aviation on 17L via S and O
Green: departures on the main runway. Dashed orange: auxiliary runway. Blue: landings.

  • Departures (17R): N or M northbound and E to the threshold.
  • Landings (17R): vacate via I (rapid exit) or J/K at the end, and return along L and H to apron 3. Aircraft needing less runway vacate via H.
  • Auxiliary runway (17L): from aprons 1 and 2 via S and O.

Example: GLO1234, taxi to holding point runway 17R via N and E.

Ground flow on runways 35: 35L departures via N, H, L and K; 35L landings vacate via F and return along M; general aviation on 35R via S and R
Green: departures on the main runway. Dashed orange: auxiliary runway. Blue: landings.

  • Departures (35L): N, H, L and K (or J) to the threshold.
  • Landings (35L): vacate via F or, at the end, via E, and return along M. Aircraft stopping early vacate via H.
  • Auxiliary runway (35R): from aprons 1 and 2 via S and R.

Example: AZU4321, taxi to holding point runway 35L via N, H, L and K.

Runway exits

Runway Exits
17R H (~1010 m), I (~1260 m, rapid exit) or J/K (end)
35L H (~660 m), F (~1600 m) or E/A (end)
17L P (~320 m), Q/C (~900 m) or R/D (end)
35R Q/C (~400 m), P (~1060 m), O/B (~1250 m) or A (end)

Approximate distance from the threshold to the exit, measured on the diagram.

Hotspots

Hotspot Where Watch out
HS1 Threshold 17R, on E Risk of runway incursion
HS2 F, next to E Jet blast from aircraft on E
HS3 Where H, L, M, N, W and X meet Risk of ground collision

Taxi restrictions

Restriction Where
Maximum wingspan 24 m TWY O and S4
TWY O in IMC No taxiing of code letter B during landings and takeoffs of code 1 or 2 on 17L/35R; O may not be used during code 3 operations on 17L/35R4
Maximum speed 15 kt TWY N, due to its closeness to M and the apron 3 safety line4

Takeoff points

Overview of SBSP with numbered aprons, hotspots and the takeoff points marked with the available TORA
Takeoff points (purple) with the available TORA. Red circles: hotspots. Circled numbers: aprons.
Runway Point TORA Used by
17R E (threshold) 1760 m Jets
35L K (threshold) 1760 m Jets
17L O (threshold) 1345 m Turboprops, pistons and general aviation
35R R (threshold) 1345 m Turboprops, pistons and general aviation
  • The SBSP AIP publishes no intersection departures.

Helicopters

  • Helicopters land and take off only on the runways; never on TWY, aprons or hangars6. The section of 17L/35R at the intersection with B can be used for helicopter landings and departures5.
  • On the runway 17 final and the runway 35 departure path, composite separation may be applied between IFR aeroplanes and VFR helicopters in the helicopter control area: minimum 2.5 NM × 500 ft8.

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.

Apron3Passenger terminalDomesticStands 01 to 29
Azul
AZU
GOL
GLO
LATAM
TAM
Apron3Authorities PavilionNext to FStands P01 to P03

Authorities. P01 is for boarding and disembarking only (up to 2 h).

Apron1·2General aviationEast side, via S

General and business aviation and air taxi, next to the hangars.

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

Other procedures

  • VFR flight plans of aeroplanes to or from SBSP are not accepted, except military aircraft or when navigation aids are unavailable8.
  • APP may vector for a visual approach with visibility of 5 km or more and ceiling of 1000 ft or more; the plan stays IFR until the pilot reports the runway in sight8.
  • The aerodrome cannot be used as an alternate2.
  • Observe the VAC for joining and leaving the traffic pattern9.

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

  1. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBSP 2.12. Declared distances: AD 2.13. ↩

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

  3. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBSP 2.18. ↩↩↩

  4. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBSP 2.20, item 6 and ADC chart. ↩↩↩

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

  6. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBSP 2.20, item 8. ↩

  7. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBSP 2.17 and IAC charts. ↩↩

  8. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBSP 2.22. ↩↩↩↩↩

  9. AIP Brasil, AD 2 SBSP 2.23. ↩