Anyone flown in Vietnam

Michael Barr · May 9, 2016

I'm going to Vietnam soon and plan on taking my drone. Anyone ever flown there? Anything I need to be wary of etc?

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flyboy73 · May 9, 2016

Yes, I have. 1971. Watch out for the anti-aircraft fire and SAMs. They'll get you!

GaryJD · May 9, 2016

Ground fire if flying low.

Donbiedron · May 12, 2016

Hey Michael.
I am actually in Hanoi right now with my P3S and took some amazing videos and pics of Halong Bay and Sapa and surrounding villages. Tomorrow we are going to Ninh Binh (Tam Coc) so that might also be interesting.
You need to know that there is a permit required here to fly a drone! But the strangest thing is that no one knows how to get one...
I went to a Police Station with our hotel receptionist as a translator, took my drone with me but they were not even aware that a permit exists, so I don't know what to tell You.
Look up "Vietnam drone permit" on google and You are going to find articles that people were actually deported or detained for flying without a permit.

Donbiedron · May 12, 2016

Before my arrival I actually emailed the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense (one article mentioned it) AND Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority but never got anything back.
Just try to fly outside of the city and within line of sight by my opinion.
People are very interested and actually want to see the videos and pics once they see You fly it.

Michael Barr · May 17, 2016

Thanks so much for your reply donbledorn. Let me know how you get on. Hope you make it back without being deported lol.

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Clipper707 · Sep 10, 2016

flyboy73 said:
Yes, I have. 1971. Watch out for the anti-aircraft fire and SAMs. They'll get you!

Just got back from two weeks in Vietnam. The book I chose to read on my long flights is titled "Hunter Killers" about the F105 pilots who flew Wild Weasel SAM suppression missions over Vietnam. Great book.

I got 2 flights in over Hanoi's Long Bien Bridge. The city center is a No Fly Zone (NFZ) and my P3 knew it. I was only in Hanoi one day.

I took a long train ride to Hue where I flew over the Forbidden Purple City and ancient Citadel, the Perfume River, and ancient temples and tombs. I took a day-trip and flew over the old US Marine Combat Base at Khe Sanh. Probably the first drone to ever fly there.

Semper Fidelis, Marines.

Also flew over Hoi An, and Da Nang was great. Flew the Linh Ung Pagoda and massive Lady Buddha statue overlooking the city.

In Da Nang, I brought my backpack to the Marble Mountains and climbed up through the caves to a tiny perch on the outside of the mountain and launched from there. Swirling currents, trees and no satellites until I cleared the mountain. Hairiest launch and recovery I've ever done.

Flying over downtown Saigon, I met a local P4 guy. Excellent footage there, too.

Overall, I think Vietnam is the most permissive area in SE Asia. I flew their equivalents of National Parks and the Statue of Liberty with permission from local administrators and security guards.

Vietnam is definitely drone-worthy and drone-friendly.

flyboy73 · Sep 10, 2016

Clipper707 said:
I took a long train ride to Hue where I flew over the Forbidden Purple City and ancient Citadel, the Perfume River, and ancient temples and tombs. I took a day-trip and flew over the old US Marine Combat Base at Khe Sanh. Probably the first drone to ever fly there.

You are bringing back lots of old memories. It was a very exciting time in my life. I wasn't flying a Phantom (drone) at the time, but a Navy A-7E. Lots of fun and a good deal faster than a drone.

Clipper707 · Sep 10, 2016

flyboy73 said:
You are bringing back lots of old memories. It was a very exciting time in my life. I wasn't flying a Phantom (drone) at the time, but a Navy A-7E. Lots of fun and a good deal faster than a drone.

I'm guessing Saigon didn't look like this in 71.

My P3P is named Crusader. I bought her soon after reading "Blue Moon over Cuba," a book about the Navy/Marine RF-8 Crusaders that flew photo recon missions for the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The RF-8s were related to your A7-E Corsair.

GaryJD · Sep 10, 2016

Your story brought back a lot of memories. My AO was about a mile or south of Hue. Everyday I flew that highway all the way to the north border. There were lots of landing zones in that area.
All that was 45 years ago. But I remember, thank you for your story.

flyboy73 · Sep 10, 2016

Clipper707 said:
The RF-8s were related to your A7-E Corsair.

Yes, the F-8 Crusader was known as the last of the gunfighters, as the F-4 Phantom replacement did not have internal guns. The A-7E looked like the little brother of the F-8, shorter, stubbier, slower (though 500mph is still not bad) and it was also built by LTV. It was a great airplane. I bet there are more than a few old VN era pilots around here.

flyboy73 · Sep 10, 2016

Clipper707 said:
I'm guessing Saigon didn't look like this in 71.

And you are right, Saigon did not look like that in 1971.

Clipper707 · Sep 11, 2016

I've always been an aviation buff, as you can you tell by my screen name. I spent 13 weeks at Parris Island in 84. At the time, F4s were still operating out of MCAS Beaufort and I remember getting "redirected" by my DI for watching a pair that came smoking in low over the rifle range. EYES FRONT, RECRUIT! THIS ISN'T AN AIRSHOW!

I know the A7 well, but don't recall ever seeing one in flight and don't think we had any in the Marine Corps. I've seen plenty of A6 Intruders, AV8B Harriers and F/A18C Hornets and had extensive training in calling in air, naval and artillery strikes.

Always loved the A7, but the WW2/Korean era F4U was my favorite Corsair.

flyboy73 · Sep 11, 2016

Thank you for your service to our country, Clipper 707.

The A-7 Corsair II was used by the Navy extensively, and the Air Force as well. But I do not believe there were any Marine Squadrons flying them. It was an extremely capable fighter-bomber with air-to-air capability with Sidewinder missles and a 20mm Gatling gun. It's primary use was light attack and was an exceptionally accurate dive bomber. The A-7E model had a state-of-the-art computer for weapons delivery, updated with ranging radar, and inertial guidance updated by doppler radar. It was a very stable platform, easy to fly, miserly with fuel, and much more forgiving than its older F-8 brother in coming back aboard the ship. The introduction of laser guided smart bombs ultimately spelled the end for the Corsair II. It was an honor and privilege to fly that beautiful machine.

As it happens, my dad flew the original F4U Corsair in WW II.