Standards for aircraft and engines for Vietnamese dignitary’s flight

Standards for aircraft and engines for Vietnamese dignitary’s flight (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. What is Vietnamese dignitary’s flight?

According to Clause 3, Article 2 of Decree 96/2021/ND-CP, Vietnamese dignitary’s flight on private/commercial plane means a flight operated by a Vietnamese airline or a body of the Ministry of National Defense to carry one of the dignitaries specified in Article 4 of Decree 96/2021/ND-CP within or beyond Vietnam’s airspace.

2. Standards for aircraft and engines for Vietnamese dignitary’s flight

2.1. Standards for aircraft conducting Vietnamese dignitary’s flight

Specifically, in Article 5 of Circular 25/2022/TT-BGTVT stipulating the standards for aircraft operating Vietnamese dignitary’s flight as follows:

- Being registered as a Vietnamese citizen and operated by a Vietnamese airline that meets the requirements of Article 4 of Circular 25/2022/TT-BGTVT.

- Belonging to the type of aircraft with two or more engines.

- At the time of making a special flight to Vietnam, the following requirements must be fully satisfied:

+ For the aircraft's critical systems, such as the propulsion system, power supply system, fire alarm and extinguishing system, hydraulics, and aircraft control, no repeated failures (same damage within 3 days of exploitation

Or 07 consecutive flights on the same system or device)

Either the failure has not been fully rectified or the failure is allowed to be deferred according to the minimum equipment list (MEL) documentation or failure notices, except for failure notices that, in the opinion of the manufacturer, are false or do not require remedial action;

+ For other systems of the aircraft, in the case of application of failure delay according to the operation and maintenance documents, it is required to ensure the necessary redundancy for the aircraft to continue to fly if there is further damage to these systems during the flight of the special aircraft;

+ Having full emergency and safety equipment in ready-to-operate state.

- For equipment with a life on the fuselage, the remaining life of the equipment is not less than 1000 take-offs and landings or 10% of the total life (according to the time, according to the flight time or the number of takeoffs and landings specified by the manufacturer) whichever comes later.

- There are at least 02 resting seats or convenient seats for the resting needs of special aircraft passengers when the flight lasts for 04 hours or more.

- Being configured to meet the requirements of diplomatic etiquette when required.

- Getting a written decision by the head of the airline operating the Vietnam's special aircraft to allow the airline's aircraft to fly Vietnam's special aircraft.

2.2. Standards for engines of aircraft conducting Vietnamese dignitary’s flight

The standards for the engines of aircraft flying Vietnam's special aircraft are specified in Article 6 of Circular 25/2022/TT-BGTVT, specifically as follows:

- For critical systems of aircraft engines including engine control, alarm and fire suppression systems, display of engine operating parameters without repeated failures (Similar failure within 03 days of operation or 07 consecutive flights on the same system or equipment)

Either the failure has not been fully rectified or the failure is allowed to be deferred according to the minimum equipment list (MEL) documentation or failure notices, except for those that, in the opinion of the manufacturer, are false or do not require remedial action.

- For other aircraft engine systems, it is required to ensure the necessary redundancy so that the aircraft can continue to perform the flight if any damage occurs to these systems during the performance of a special flight to Vietnam if a failure delay is applied according to the operation and maintenance documentation.

- For equipment with a lifetime on an aircraft engine, the device's remaining life must be at least 1000 takeoffs and landings or 10% of the total life (according to the time, flight time, or number of takeoffs and landings specified by the manufacturer), whichever comes first.

- The engine to be used for the aircraft of the airline operating Vietnam's special aircraft must be decided in writing by the head of the airline operating Vietnam's special aircraft. 

Thanh Rin

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