Pilots working in the cockpit (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) – The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) confirmed on June 28 that it has licensed a total of 27 Pakistani pilots to work in Vietnam, but only 12 are currently flying for local airlines.
Of the 27 licensed, Vietnam Airlines has employed six, Vietjet Air 17 and Jetstar Pacific four.
However, 15 Pakistani pilots have either completed the labour contract or returned to their home country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pakistani pilots working for Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific
The remaining 12 pilots are working for both Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific, with the former employing 11, the CAAV revealed.
It also confirmed at present, there are no Pakistani pilots working for the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines, and the newly-established Bamboo Airways.
Vietnam Airlines confirmed on June 28 it has not employed any Pakistani pilots or foreign pilots whose licenses were granted by Pakistan.
The other two members of the Vietnam Airlines Group, Jetstar Pacific and Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), also confirmed they have not employed Pakistani pilots to conduct flights in the recent years.
The move came after the Ministry of Transport requested all Vietnamese airlines to review and ground all Pakistani pilots following alleged ‘fake’ license scandal in Pakistan.
According to Pakistani media, Pakistani aviation authorities suspected as many as 262 out of the 860 Pakistani pilots had used ‘fake’ licenses. These pilots were alleged to hire others to take exams for them in order to get the license, an accusation that followed a probe into last month’s crash that killed 97 people in Karachi.
Pilot licensing process in Vietnam strict
The agency explained that it has licensed these pilots to work in Vietnam in accordance with Vietnamese regulations and international practice specified in Annex 1 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
None of the pilots are involved in a flight incident or flight safety threat while flying for Vietnamese airlines, the CAAV noted.
It said it is working closely with Pakistani authorities to review the entire records of these Pakistani pilots.
The administration is waiting for the review results from the Pakistani aviation authorities to determine if the pilots have used fake licenses, CAAV Director Dinh Viet Thang said, adding that the suspension will be removed if Vietnamese aviation authorities' review proves their licenses and qualifications are legal.
According to the CAAV, 1,223 foreign pilots are working in Vietnam, with Vietnam Airlines employing 309, Jetstar Pacific 145, Vietjet Air 622, and Bamboo Airways 147.
The pilot licensing and certification procedures for foreign pilots are in compliance with the Vietnam Aviation Safety Regulations.
Specifically, when receiving a dossier on licensing for a foreign pilot, the CAAV will carefully check information related to age, health conditions, qualifications, and total flight hours. The agency will also contact the pilot’s original licensing authority to ensure that the requested license is issued by an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) member. Then, a theory test will be organised, and those passing the test will take part in a practical test in a simulation cockpit. Completing all these steps, the foreign pilots will be licensed in Vietnam.
Vietnam Airlines Group always gives top priority to safety and the pilots always play a decisive role in ensuring absolute safety for all flights, Vietnam Airlines said.
Vietnam Airlines invested and put into operation its Flight Training Center (FTC) 1998 and the Viet Flight Training School in 2009.
The national flag carrier is also a pioneer airline in Vietnam investing in the construction of a flight cockpit simulator complex to train, test and maintain the pilot’s capability to ensure 100 percent of Vietnamese and foreign pilots meet flight safety standards./.
