Vietnam and the US moved a step closer to direct flight access by the end of the year with the signing of a memorandum of collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) and the Boeing Co. of the US for the installation of an advanced aviation system.
The signing ceremony, on January 26, was attended by the US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius, and Vietnam's Vice Minister of Transport, Nguyen Ngoc Dong.
Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius (left, behind) and
Vice Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong at the flight link ceremony
Vietnamese carriers need category 1 approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the direct flights to go ahead. Boeing will help Vietnam reach the international safety standard by upgrading the CAAV and updating procedures to train inspectors and flight supervisors.
Ralph Boyce, president of Boeing Southeast Asia, said the memorandum is a step towards long-term development of Vietnam's aviation industry.
Boyce said the supervising system and safety standards would be completed by the end of 2015, which will allow direct flights between Vietnam and US.
A Vietnam Airlines plane
In 2003, Vietnam signed an aviation agreement with the US, but it has so far been unable to achieve FAA's standards.
Lai Xuan Thanh, head of the CAAV, said Vietnam's requirements are in accordance with the minimums required by the International Civil Aviation Organization. But tighter FBI measures have made it necessary for Vietnam to upgrade safety standards to include administrative procedures and the number of supervisors.
"This is an important market," Thanh said. "Carriers must strictly follow a country's protocols if they want to make direct flight to that country. To that end, the CAAV will start new plans after achieve the required safety standards," he said.