The Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company (VALC) received its third ATR72-500 aircraft from the manufacturer Avion de Transport Regional (ATR), based in the French city of Toulouse on September 14.

The aircraft, painted with the colours and logo of Vietnam Airlines, will be transferred to the air carrier under a previously signed 12-year leasing contract between the two sides.
The aircraft is scheduled to travel via the Ukraine, Russia, China and land at Noi Bai airport at 1:40PM on September 19, 2010.

VALC General Director Tran Long said that this is the third out of five ATR72-500 ordered, costing over 100 million USD.

The VALC received two ATR72-500 airplanes in April and June this year, and the fourth one is expected to arrive by October 10, 2010, coinciding with the capital’s millennial birthday.

After receiving the five airplanes, in December 2010, VALC’s project will help the Vietnamese national carriers’ fleet to serve the country’s industrialisation and modernisation.

VALC was jointly established by the Vietnam’s Bank for Investment and Development along with a number of State groups and corporations.

With a chartered capital of 200 million USD during the 2007-2014 period and one billion USD in the 2015-2025 period, in addition to buying and leasing aircraft, VALC is also operates air taxis, airports and runs training programmes./.