Can you give those of us too young to know a bit of background, what was the contract for? Why the aussie purser/vietnamese cc? What was the ratio of Aussie to local pilots? And anything else you think is worth us younguns knowing!
Sure if you are seriously interested.
I was there personally from the start of the contract in 1992 through 1993, however I am not sure exactly how long it went on after that.
Vietnam Airlines were looking to expand dramatically, at the time they only had Russian made aircraft and only operated domestically and to a few very close Countries.
They wet leased a B767-200ER (VH-RMA) from AWAS, and the Pilots, Pursers, Engineers and Station Manager come as part of the wet lease along with things like insurances etc.
Once we were there we operated to all sorts of places for Vietnam Airlines, mainly several overnights a week in Taipei, where all the scheduled maintenance was done, also Moscow and back to Sydney and Melbourne.
The Cabin Crew, except for the Pursers were local Vietnamese, and we had some of the local Mechanics and some of their Pilots with us too. While I was there the Vietnamese were only First Officers on board our aircraft, even the famous Mr Trung.
It was made more difficult, but also interesting, because of the American Embargo, the aircraft was not initially allowed to display the Vietnamese name or flag, was not supposed to ever overnight in Vietnam, but we often did, and it was impossible to get any technical support from ANY American Company, but us Aussies found ways around all of that.
