Vietnam is about to have a multi-million dollar airport

Vietnam Airlines is facing a shortage of pilots.

Vietnamese pilots receive first domestic civil flight training

The joint venture of two investors, AESC and New Zealand Aviation School, has just proposed to invest 223 billion VND (equivalent to 10 million USD) to build New Zealand Aviation School - Eagle Flight Training Vietnam. Mr. Tran Hai Dang, Director of AESC, said that the project will complete the construction of training areas and other areas within 18 months after the date of being granted the Investment Registration Certificate. The installation of equipment will be ready for use 6 months later so that it can officially come into operation after 30 months from the date of being granted the Investment Certificate.

According to Mr. Dang, Vietnam is currently lacking human resources for flight training and flight testing from basic to advanced levels in general aviation activities. Vietnamese pilot trainees must study flight training abroad at large costs of 120,000 - 150,000 USD.

In addition, the Vietnamese aviation industry is also facing a huge shortage of pilots. According to the fleet development plan of airlines, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, by 2020, the country will need about 2,680 commercial pilots. This also means that about 1,320 people need to be added (including compensation for mechanical reductions such as health, retirement, etc.). Each year, the three airlines Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific need about 200-250 people. For the aircraft repair and maintenance staff, it is expected that each year, initial training will be needed to supplement the aircraft technical force, including aircraft engineers and aircraft technicians, about 150-200 people.

“The requirements for health, intelligence, and qualifications for a pilot are very strict, and the training time is long, so the number of pilots practicing in Vietnam is very small,” said Mr. Dang, affirming that the establishment of a flight training school in Vietnam with the goal of training 300 students/year and training quality according to New Zealand standards will help solve the shortage of pilots in Vietnam, train pilots with the best qualifications and skills, proficient in both theory and flight practice, and help reduce pilot training costs...

Planning update in Chu Lai

Speaking to Giao Thong Newspaper, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam Lai Xuan Thanh said that Vietnam currently has 4 facilities licensed to conduct civil aviation pilot training activities: Flight Training Center under Vietnam Aviation Corporation, Bay Viet Training Center under Bay Viet Joint Stock Company, Vietnam Helicopter Corporation and Pilot Training Center in Cam Ranh City, Khanh Hoa. However, these facilities currently only conduct flight theory training, and do not have domestic civil flight training activities.

Believing that the establishment of an airport in Chu Lai is necessary, Mr. Thanh said that the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has reviewed, researched, evaluated and included it in the planning for the development of the aviation transport sector. The Authority has also updated the planning for the pilot training center at Chu Lai Airport, and added the planning for the pilot training center at Dong Hoi and Phu Bai Airports, which are ports with sufficient land for development, good clearance conditions suitable for civil flight training activities and limited military flight activities.

“We have worked with relevant units to get opinions on adjusting the detailed planning of some construction items at Chu Lai Airport. On that basis, the Department is coordinating with the ADCC Aviation Construction Design and Consulting Company to urgently complete the planning documents,” said Mr. Thanh.

According to Mr. Thanh, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has proposed to abandon the planning of the Basic Pilot Training Center at Cam Ranh International Airport. “The existing infrastructure of the Basic Pilot Training Center at Cam Ranh is not guaranteed. In particular, the flight density at Cam Ranh International Airport is increasingly complicated with many units including: Civil Aviation, military training, coast guard, air force, navy... Therefore, it is not suitable to add basic pilot training flights at Cam Ranh,” Mr. Thanh explained.