The First Female Entrepreneur to Earn Her Private Pilot’s License.

Eight Years in the Making: Pursuing a Dream of Flight

Why did you decide to become a pilot at an age when most people would consider it a young person’s pursuit?

CEO Ho Thanh Huong: After graduating from university, I joined Vietnam Airlines, and since then, my life has been intertwined with airplanes. I have almost 20 years of experience in the field of commercial aircraft leasing with the national carrier, followed by the Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company, and Bamboo Airways. In the last eight years, I’ve also ventured into managing business jets and charter flights.

So, conquering the skies in private aircraft has been my long-cherished dream, and I finally had the time and opportunity to make it happen.

I assume that becoming a pilot has stringent requirements, especially when it comes to age and health, regardless of gender. Is that correct?

CEO Ho Thanh Huong: In my opinion, age and gender are not barriers to conquering the skies, especially when it comes to piloting privately registered aircraft. However, good health is non-negotiable.

After obtaining my license, maintaining my physical well-being became even more crucial. Regular health check-ups are mandatory in aviation, and a valid medical certificate must accompany my pilot license whenever I’m at the airfield.

Besides health, a good command of the English language is essential. All learning materials, operational documents, and communications are in English. Pilots must be proficient in English to interact with air traffic control and undergo specialized training to obtain the ICAO English proficiency certificate (similar to how students aiming to study abroad take TOEFL or IELTS; pilots train and test for ICAO). Once airborne, we don’t use the alphabet as most people know it; we use the aviation phonetic alphabet—Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and so on.

Final preparations before takeoff

Did you encounter any challenges during your training? Were there any instances where your instructor had to intervene urgently?

CEO Ho Thanh Huong: Absolutely. There were numerous challenges, but I was determined to overcome them all. The theoretical aspects of piloting aren’t incredibly difficult, but condensing the learning into a short period demands one’s ability to handle pressure.

I trained at Bay Viet Flight Training School, where the instructors believe in creating a pressurized environment to forge excellent pilots. Practical flight training was equally demanding, especially mastering landings. Being female, my physical strength is naturally less than my male counterparts, and I struggled with landings to the point of tears. My instructor had to intervene during botched landing attempts to prevent veering off the runway and ending up in the grass.

CEO Ho Thanh Huong inspecting the engine propeller and oil levels before flight

What aspects of your training left the most lasting impression on you?

CEO Ho Thanh Huong: Despite my extensive work and business experience in aviation, there were numerous aspects of pilot training that left a profound impression on me.

Firstly, the training aircraft themselves—I doubt there’s another flight school in the world that uses brand-new planes for ab initio training. The schools I researched abroad all used older aircraft. This was a significant factor in my decision to train in Vietnam.

The curriculum covered both theory and practical aspects comprehensively, ensuring that graduates are fully capable of safely operating an aircraft. I was taught all emergency landing procedures for various scenarios: deteriorating weather conditions, equipment malfunctions, and even complete engine failure. I had to demonstrate proficiency in handling these situations before the Civil Aviation Authority would allow me to take the license exam.

Initially, it seemed daunting, but as I progressed, I understood why it’s necessary. Piloting an airplane is unlike driving a car; once you’re airborne, there’s no pulling over to call for help. You must be able to handle any situation and bring the plane down safely.

The most memorable lesson was Stall Recovery. In this exercise, the instructor guides you through maneuvers that cause the plane to lose lift, and then you must recover to level flight. During this maneuver, the plane’s nose dips, and you find yourself staring at the ground from thousands of feet up. If you don’t execute the recovery correctly, the plane will enter a free fall.

Never Giving Up on Her Dreams

Not every woman would dare to step out of the security of a government job and venture into the private sector, eventually becoming an entrepreneur. Do you consider yourself a successful woman?

CEO Ho Thanh Huong: I don’t have a fixed definition of “success.” To me, success can be broken down into individual goals that I set for myself, whether in my career or personal pursuits, at any given point in time.

Take this flying endeavor, for instance. I set a goal to obtain my pilot license before my birthday as a gift to myself. So, I enrolled in March, and here I am, several months ahead of my deadline, with my license in hand. That’s success to me!

Do you approach your work with the same enthusiasm as your hobby? How would you describe yourself? Are there any regrets or unfulfilled dreams that you continue to pursue?

CEO Ho Thanh Huong: I’m a determined woman; when I set a goal, I don’t give up. So, yes, I give my all to both my work and my passions.

However, work demands only my time and dedication. Pursuing my pilot’s license required a financial investment as well, though not an extravagant one. The hourly cost of flight training ranges from $250 to $350, depending on the aircraft type.

Now that I’ve earned my wings, I’m planning how to continue flying occasionally. Unfortunately, flying clubs aren’t prevalent in Vietnam yet, so I’ll have to travel to other countries with established flying clubs to indulge in my passion and connect with fellow aviators.

So, when you ask if I have any regrets, the answer is none. But I do have a short-term dream: for Vietnam to establish a flying club soon, similar to those in other countries, so entrepreneurs like me and young aviation enthusiasts can have a shared platform, much like golf, equestrian, or football clubs.

I wish you the best in achieving your dreams!