Vingroup enters aviation sector with pilot training school

Under an agreement signed between Vingroup and the Canadian group's U.K.-based CAE Oxford Aviation Academy, the two will also set up the VinAviation High-tech Human Resources Training School and Vinpearl Air Flight Training Center.

The former is expected to produce 400 pilots and mechanics annually with CAAV (Vietnamese safety certification), FAA (U.S. certification) or EASA (EU certification) credentials.

The latter will be used to conduct proficiency checks and aircraft type rating renewals, upgrades or conversions for pilots and engineers. It will also train instructors who perform these checks, flight dispatchers and flight attendants.

Aviation business managers and aircraft engineers will be trained at VinUni, Vingroup’s university approved by the government last year and expected to start functioning in 2020.

Nguyen Viet Quang, vice chairman and general director of Vingroup, said there was a shortage of pilots and aircraft mechanics not only in Vietnam but all over the world.

Salaries are very high in this industry, ranging from VND100 million ($4,300) or more a month for first officers and VND200 million ($8,600) for captains and instructors, he said. "Vingroup aims to help solve the domestic pilot shortage as well as export pilots to the world."

Admissions to the pilot school are expected to open in August this year.

A day earlier, Vingroup had announced it has successfully registered a name change to one of its existing companies to Vinpearl Air Aviation JSC with the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment. 

The company, with a charter capital of VND1.3 trillion ($55.98 million), was earlier known as VinAsia Trading and Service Development JSC and was in the real estate business.

Vinpearl Air has three founding shareholders, VinAsia Tourism Development JSC with a 45 percent stake, Hoang Quoc Thuy (30 percent) and Pham Khac Phuong (25 percent).

Vietnam has five operational carriers: Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar, VASCO, and Bamboo Airways. Three others, namely Thien Minh Aviation, Vietstar Airlines and Vietravel Airlines, have applied for licenses.

Vingroup is a major player in real estate, retail, automobile and motorcycle production, smart electronics, agriculture, education, and healthcare.