It’s been a busy 12 months for VietJet, from buying a new fleet of aircraft to going public. To keep that momentum going, in 2017, Vietnam’s budget airline is set to open an aviation technology center in Saigon.
According to the American Journal of Transportation, the project is scheduled to break ground next month and go into operation in December, providing VietJet pilots with training of an international standard.
The first phase of the project will include a full flight simulation center in cooperation with Airbus, whose aircrafts account for a significant portion of VietJets’ upgraded fleet.
The 5.54-hectare VietJet Aviation Center will be based at the center of Saigon’s Hi-Tech Park and comes at a cost of US$170 million, according to VnExpress. Such a resource is important for the country's aviation industry, as government officials say Vietnamese airlines are facing a pilot shortage, the online newspaper wrote.
In addition, VietJet also recently received full membership in the International Air Transportation Association (IATA), which “actively seeks to support and increase the benefits for all airline members through international recognition, orientation for the industry priorities, encouragement for promotion and innovation in the industry, cost management and cooperation campaigns for communication, training and other services,” reports the American Journal of Transportation.
In addition to massive orders with Airbus on the sidelines of former American president Barack Obama’s visit to Vietnam last year, Boeing secured a deal with the carrier to supply 100 aircraft for $US11.3 billion.
