Aircraft Engineering Company (VAECO), a unit directly under Vietnam Airlines, was officially granted EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) the EASA Part 147 certificate, opening a major turning point in aviation technical human resource training in Vietnam.
This is the highest European standard for aircraft maintenance training organizations, requiring strict compliance with safety and technical regulations.
Achieving this certificate means that VAECO is eligible to organize training (basic and by aircraft type), and is also allowed to organize exams and issue certificates to aircraft maintenance engineers according to international standards.
Notably, the EASA Part 147 certificate helps significantly reduce the cost of training domestic aircraft engineers. Previously, each engineer had to study abroad with a cost of about 4–4.5 billion VND/person/course. Now, when training is carried out domestically according to European standards, the cost is only about 400–500 million VND, equivalent to 10% compared to before, a reduction of up to 90%.
In Asia, the number of organizations with EASA Part 145 (aircraft maintenance) certificates is up to hundreds of units, but the number of organizations that also own EASA Part 147 certificates is very limited.
In Southeast Asia, there are currently only 4 organizations that simultaneously achieved these two certificates, while Asia as a whole has 22 units. VAECO is also the first organization to be approved for the EASA Part 147 certificate after the COVID-19 pandemic (since 2020).
Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Mr. Uong Viet Dung, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, emphasized that the sustainable development of the aviation industry does not only come from technology or business strategy, but the core is safety, in which people play a key role. Building a training center that meets European standards after 3-4 years shows the rapid and sustainable development of the industry.
He also believes that international certifications are not only of professional significance but need to be transformed into economic value. Specifically, such as attracting customers, expanding services and improving competitiveness in the field of aircraft maintenance - which is very competitive in the international market.
Chairman of Vietnam Airlines Dang Ngoc Hoa said that VAECO's achievement of EASA Part 147 certificate is an international recognition of the enterprise's efforts.
In the context that aviation is not only transportation but also economic infrastructure associated with tourism and trade, mastering technology and training is of particular importance.
According to Mr. Hoa, previously dependence on training abroad caused large costs and passivity in human resources. Now, when proactively trained domestically, businesses not only reduce costs but also improve quality control capabilities, thereby ensuring safety for each flight - a factor that is put first.
In addition, meeting international training standards also opens up opportunities to participate more deeply in the global market, providing training and maintenance services for airlines in the region. However, this also requires continued standardization of human resources, long-term investment in technology, facilities and training programs.
Mr. Tran Quoc Hoai - General Director of VAECO - committed to synchronously implementing solutions to promote the effectiveness of the certificates just achieved, focusing on building a high-quality technical team, perfecting the maintenance capacity of Vietnam Airlines' fleet, and moving towards providing services to the region and the world.
VAECO's achievement of EASA Part 147 certification not only helps reduce training costs but also contributes to enhancing the position of Vietnam's aviation industry on the international map, creating a foundation for developing the aviation industry into a key economic sector in the coming time.
