The two-seat airplane, VAM-1, was developed by a group of technicians from the Vietnam Mechanics Association, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.

“I’m really thrilled and happy to fly a plane that we studied, designed, and assembled,” pilot Pham Duy Long, also one of the creators, told the newspaper.

VAM-1 became the second Vietnamese made airplane to pass test flights although it has been in the news since September 2003 and passed the taxi test in March 2004.

Though developed later, the Vietnam Air Defense-Air Force’s light seaplane VNS-41 overtook VAM-1 to carry out test flights in December 2004.

VAM-1 can fly at 130km per hour at 3,000m altitude and has a range of some 400km.

The 6.4m long plane weighs 150kg, and has a wingspan of 9.7m and loading capacity of 400kg.

It is equipped with a 60-horse power engine.

Source: Tuoi Tre – Compiled by The Vinh.