Vietnamese Navy pilots train in Canada

Vietnamese Navy personnel and Canadian instructors 

(Photo courtesy Viking)

In 2013, an initial group of 26 students from the Vietnam People’s Navy completed the first phase of a multi‐year flight and maintenance training program in British Columbia.

On Sept. 22 an additional 10 trainees joined the ranks as certified Twin Otter Series 400 pilots, completing a 20‐month intensive flight training program at Pacific Sky Aviation.
 
The program, offered by Pacific Sky in support of a six‐aircraft deal between the Vietnam Navy and Pacific Sky’s sister company, Viking Air Limited of Sidney, BC, is timed to coincide with production and delivery of the sixth Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft.

More details from Viking’s news release:

As five of the six Series 400 Twin Otters on order from Viking have already been delivered to Vietnam, and the sixth aircraft is scheduled to arrive in‐country in early October, the timing of the graduation if the additional pilots is ideal.

All the Vietnam Twin Otter pilots completed the specialized training program developed in cooperation with the Vietnam Navy, which included: 

• 6 months of Aviation English Language training
• Transport Canada Private Pilot and Commercial Licenses
• 6,000 total hours of flight training
• Float and Night Ratings on C172, C182 and DHC‐2 Beaver aircraft
• Over 1,000 total flight hours of Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft training, including 650 hours and 2,100 take‐offs and landings on the coastal waters and lakes of British Columbia.

The graduating students will return to Vietnam where they will be supported in additional on‐the‐job training by a Pacific Sky Twin Otter pilot and a Viking Field Service representative. This team will assist the Vietnam Navy in the further development of Twin Otter capabilities to meet the critical missions performed by the Vietnam Navy.

- Source:  http://ottawacitizen.com