Port Vila, Vanuatu
All charts for Port Vila (NVVV) are included in the Vanuatu AIP.
Recommended add-on scenery for Port Vila is listed here.
Port Vila (icao: NVVV; iata: VLI) is the primary airport for the island nation of Vanuatu. Located in the nation's capital, on the island of Éfaté, it is a key piece of transport infrastructure, with air travel often proving the only means of swift travel between Vanuatu's 83 islands.
It has one runway - 11/29. Due to high ground to the west of the airport, the approach to runway 11 is offset by roughly 26° and requires a hand-flown turn to final 0.75nm from the runway threshold.
Pilots - especially of aircraft larger than an A320/B737 - should review and/or practice the manoeuvre beforehand, or request the (straight-in) runway 29 approach from ATC.
There are no runway-end taxiways and the terminal is located roughly halfway along the runway, so all departures and long-running arrivals will require a back-track.
Note: terminal space is limited in the default FS scenery. Pilots should ensure they have FS set to ignore damage from contact with other aircraft as the confined space increases the chances of other pilots connecting to the network in your location. Pilots wishing to spectate after their arrival should request taxi to parking on the grass area to the east or west of the passenger apron.
Arrivals
NVVV does not have an ILS approach. Most airliners will fly the RNAV or GPS approaches, but the airport also offers a variety of VOR/LOC/DME-, VOR-, and NDB-based procedures. Pilots should indicate their preference as to approach to controllers, and expect vectors to the appropriate initial approach fix after ELSAX. As mentioned above, runway 29 is a straight-in approach and can be used in preference to runway 11 by request.
Because of the likelihood of backtracks on the runway for arrivals and departures, pilots should anticipate being asked to join a hold at ELSAX or at the holding point depicted on the relevant approach chart.
Departures
Flights departing Port Vila for New Zealand can expect to be assigned one of the following departures depending on the active runway.
- Port Vila Runway 11: the "VOR Departure" or "SOUTH Departure"
- Port Vila Runway 29: the "29 SOUTH" (29SOUTH) Departure