Rent a cockpit in Thailand to test a direct flight

Vietnam Airlines and VietJet both had to rent simulated cockpits in Thailand to test the direct flight route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City because this equipment has not been invested in domestically.

In compliance with the direction of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam on the implementation of a test flight of the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City direct route using the airspace of Laos and Cambodia from August 29 to September 3, both Vietnam Airlines and VietJet are actively implementing related tasks. The test flight was conducted on a simulated cockpit model (Simulator - SIM) of the Boeing 777, Airbus 320 and Airbus 321 aircraft.

A320-321 cockpit simulator at Vietnam Airlines flight training center in Ho Chi Minh City

Currently, in Vietnam, there is only a simulated cockpit for the Airbus A320/A321 aircraft line invested by Vietnam Airlines in June 2012 to train pilots, so we have to go to the Flight Training Center in Thailand to rent a SIM to test the flight for the remaining two aircraft lines. Thailand is the place that provides flight training services for many airlines in the region, including VietJet.

To conduct test flights in Thailand, airlines must schedule because Thailand's training schedule is already tight. A SIM can only operate for a maximum of 20 hours/day, and must wait for a slot (flight) as for an actual flight at the airport.

VietJet said that according to the finalized plan, the airline will conduct a test flight in Thailand on the evening of September 1.

Inside the aircraft cockpit simulator. Illustration photo

Before sending the crew on the test flight, Vietnam Airlines and VietJet coordinated with the Flight Operations Management Department of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to create a plan (including the flight route and flight method), calculated using the flight planning system (Jet Planner). The specific parameters of the flight route are starting from the Navigation Station (DVOR) Noi Bai - direct flight - navigation station Tan Son Nhat. The flight method is the current departure point, destination point and approach point (SID, STAR, IAP) or equivalent.

During the test, the aircraft will fly at its optimal flight level (the most fuel-efficient flight level). However, the section over Lao airspace is selected in the range from FL240 to FL280 (lower than the optimal flight level of the Boeing 777).

After the test flight, airlines complete the flight planning documents and SIM flight results reports, conduct analysis and evaluation of the costs and benefits of the direct flight route and compare it with the current flight route, and complete the evaluation report.

A320-321 cockpit simulator at Vietnam Airlines flight training center in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Vietnam.net