Wings flying on the A80 training ground

On July 30, we arrived at Kep Airport (Bac Ninh) - the station of Air Force Regiment 927 (Division 371, Air Defense - Air Force). Currently, 3 types of military jet aircraft including: SU-30MK2, Yak-130 and L-39NG have been gathered to prepare for the mission of participating in the parade and marching activities on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2 (A80).

These days at Kep airport, the working atmosphere is really urgent, while the technical staff and mechanics are busy "taking care of the iron birds", many pilots are also actively preparing for daily practice flights.

Yak-130 twin-engine jet trainer aircraft at Kep airport ( Bac Ninh ). The Yak-130s of Regiment 940 have just flown from Phu Cat airport (Gia Lai) to Kep airport to practice for the demonstration flight in mission A80.

Meeting us while preparing to board the morning flight, Lieutenant Colonel Ha Dang Luong, Deputy Political Commissar of Regiment 940, Air Force Officer School, said that he and his teammates had just moved from Phu Cat airport (Phu Cat commune, Gia Lai province). For Lieutenant Colonel Luong, participating in the demonstration flight on the occasion of the A80 anniversary is both a historical mission and an honor for himself and his teammates.

"Participating in training and performing in a major event like A80 is not only a particularly important political mission but also an opportunity for us to demonstrate the mettle, level and fighting strength of the Vietnam People's Air Force in peacetime," said Senior Colonel Luong.

Lieutenant Colonel Ha Dang Luong, Deputy Political Commissar of Regiment 940 (left) and Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Van Tam, flight instructor, Squadron 1, Regiment 940 (right) next to the Yak-130 before the flight.

In the A80 mission, the number of Yak-130 aircraft participating will be 6 (double that of the previous A50 mission). The pilots shared with us that to fly a larger formation in the weather conditions and special airspace of Hanoi, it requires very close coordination between forces both in the air and on the ground. In addition, to complete the A80 flight mission, each pilot and each technical team must strictly follow the procedure, not allowing any errors, even the smallest ones.

However, Lieutenant Colonel Luong affirmed that this is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity for all officers and soldiers of Regiment 940 to demonstrate their bravery, qualifications and readiness to carry out the next missions. Lieutenant Colonel Luong also believes that with the experience accumulated from the previous A50 mission as well as the determination of the entire unit, he and his teammates will complete this mission.

Lieutenant Colonel Ha Dang Luong checks the Yak-130 aircraft's inspection machine before taking a morning practice flight with his teammates.

Pilots, commanders, and technical staff quickly consulted to review the flight plan before the morning practice flight on July 30.

Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Van Tam, flight instructor, Squadron 1, Regiment 940, who performed this mission, said that he and his teammates always tried to maintain the best mentality as well as fully implement the unit's regime and regulations to ensure the best physical condition as well as maintain the highest concentration on mission A80.

“I always keep in mind that for a soldier, participating in the A80 mission is both an honor and a responsibility to the army in particular and the Fatherland in general,” Senior Lieutenant Tam shared before boarding the plane to carry out the mission.

According to the plan, in mission A80, there will be 9 flight groups with 30 aircraft including helicopters, C295, C212i, Yak-130, L-39NG, Su-30MK2 performing the welcome flight. These aircraft will use 3 airports for takeoff and landing including Hoa Lac, Gia Lam (Hanoi) and Kep (Bac Ninh).

According to Major Tran Van Ban, Head of Logistics of Regiment 940, military aircraft, especially jet aircraft, are complex machines that require maintenance to be strictly followed according to regulations. Pre-flight inspections must also be carried out very carefully to ensure absolute safety for pilots and aircraft.

Eight Yak-130 aircraft of Regiment 940 were present at Kep airport at the end of July 2025. Of these, six will continuously practice for the A80 mission, while the remaining two will act as backup aircraft.

Each Yak-130 has a crew of two. This is a modern supersonic training aircraft made by Russia that can perform many simulated flight operations similar to 4th and 5th generation fighters.

Carrying out the A80 mission, the Yak-130s will fly in groups twice as large as the previous A50 mission. In the photo, a group of Yak-130s are practicing at Kep airport.

Participating in the flight mission training for A80 at Kep airport, in addition to Yak-130, there are two other types of jet aircraft, Su 30MK2 and L-39NG.

In the photo, a Su-30 MK2 of the Vietnam People's Air Force prepares to take off. Equipped with two extremely powerful AL-31 jet engines, despite its large weight, the Su-30MK2 can still perform many complex flight maneuvers.

Su-30MK2 squadron practices flight demonstration.

Demonstration flights require each aircraft to maintain the correct speed range at low altitude, so pilots will need to operate precisely throughout the journey to ensure safety and create beautiful performances. In the photo is a group of L-39NG aircraft practicing.

After each training flight, the aircraft will land back at the hangar for inspection and maintenance in preparation for the next training session. This A80 flight mission is considered to be the largest and most complex ever. In the photo, a Su-30 MK2 lands at Kep airport after a training flight on July 30.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/doi-song/nhung-canh-bay-tren-thao-truong-a80-i776561/