Fifty Years On – Vietnam Aviation Taking Off

On 13 January 2006, Vietnam held a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of commercial aviation operations in the country. The Vice Minister of Transport and Communications, Nguyen Tien Sam, who also heads the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), officiated at the event in the nation’s capital Hanoi.

Initially commencing with a fleet of several Soviet Union-made planes in 1956, the Vietnamese aviation industry has now developed to include a fleet of 47 highcapacity modern jet aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, including B777, B767, A320 as well as Fokker and ATR72 aircraft, operated by the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, and Pacific Airlines. Both airlines are holding options for the delivery of further aircraft in response to increasing passenger and cargo traffic. The nation also has a fastdeveloping general aviation sector, equipped with modern helicopters serving the tourist industry.