In the autumn of 1993, in Paris, a technology company founded by a Vietnamese-born inventor outperformed several renowned European engineering firms to secure a contract to install a structural monitoring system for the Eiffel Tower, one of France’s most iconic landmarks. Behind that achievement was Bernard Ho Dac Tan, an inventor of Vietnamese-French heritage.
The French-Vietnamese inventor who secured the structural monitoring contract for the Eiffel Tower in 1993 has launched a multi-billion Vietnamese dong educational fund to back young engineering talent in Southeast Asia.
Bernard Ho Dac Tan is currently chairman and founder of the OSMOS Technology Group and president of the French Federation of Inventors and Innovators (SYNNOV). His determination and passion for science and technology roots back to his father, Ho Dac Cung, an automotive mechanic who built and flew an aircraft in Saigon during the 1930s.
A colonial-era Vietnamese mechanic built a home-brew aircraft and made history
In the 1930s, inside an automobile repair workshop operated by Auto-Accessoires in Saigon, mechanic Ho Dac Cung quietly pursued what many considered an impossible dream. Armed with the skills of a craftsman and an insatiable curiosity, he assembled a Pou du Ciel, a lightweight aircraft commonly referred to by newspapers of the era as the “Flying Flea.”
Researcher Tran Huu Phuc Tien, who assisted Bernard Ho Dac Tan in recovering archival materials related to his father, said: “He was only a mechanical specialist working in a car garage, with limited scientific resources and virtually no financial backing, yet he remained determined to build and successfully test an aircraft. That was extraordinary not only for that era but even by today’s standards. Under colonial rule, aviation was considered a pastime for the wealthy and was closely tied to military interests, but Mr. Cung still found ways to overcome those barriers. His patriotism and creative spirit became the driving force that lifted his dream into the sky.”
To pursue what seemed like an unreachable ambition, Ho Dac Cung devoted enormous amounts of time, effort, and personal savings from family assets. Even then, the funds were insufficient to purchase the materials and equipment needed to build the aircraft. In those circumstances, he wrote a letter to Emperor Bao Dai requesting financial support of 300 Indochinese piastres to buy an engine. The request was approved, and together with an additional 17 piastres donated by friends and colleagues, the funding gave him the means to continue pursuing his dream of flight.
On Oct. 26, 1935, the aircraft assembled by Ho Dac Cung officially took off from Tan Son Nhut airfield. In January 1937, he earned a second-class private pilot license, an extraordinary achievement for a Vietnamese mechanic living under colonial rule. When the “Flying Flea” lifted off the ground, it carried more than plywood, canvas, steel cables, and a motorcycle engine. It also carried the weight of national pride, proving that Vietnamese intellect and determination could rise even under oppression.
French-Vietnamese inventor returns home to fund local tech talent
Time may have erased the grease stains from the old machine shop, but Ho Dac Cung’s spirit of innovation never faded. His dream of conquering the skies was powerfully passed on to his son, Bernard Ho Dac Tan.
That legacy was most clearly demonstrated in 1993, when Bernard Ho Dac Tan won the contract to install a structural monitoring system for the Eiffel Tower. The fiber-optic system he developed functions as a network of sensors, continuously recording structural changes and helping preserve the tower’s stability and safety for more than three decades.
Through relentless innovation and technical expertise, Bernard Ho Dac Tan has secured 35 patents, reinforcing the position of Vietnamese talent on the global stage. He has also become a frequent speaker at engineering schools and innovation forums across France, notably at the École des Mines de Paris.
Despite living in Europe, he has always maintained a deep connection to his Vietnamese roots. For him, the highest achievement in science is not simply international recognition, but contributing meaningful value to his homeland. In recent years, he has regularly returned to Vietnam to extend his father’s legacy while inspiring younger generations pursuing careers in science and engineering.
He has visited institutions such as the Vietnam Aviation Academy and Van Lang University not only to award scholarships to students passionate about science and technology, but also to provide technical guidance and mentorship. Through these efforts, he has helped equip students with professional expertise, modern technological thinking, and the ability to compete in a global environment.
In March 2026, he established the Ho Dac Cung Scholarship Fund with the goal of promoting the values of learning, creativity, and perseverance embodied in the life of inventor Ho Dac Cung.
A month later, in April 2026, he returned to Vietnam to sign a memorandum of understanding with Tuoi Tre Newspaper to sponsor a scholarship program worth 1.1 billion Vietnamese dong for the 2026-2027 academic year. Beyond financial support, he also spent time meeting with students to share lessons accumulated through decades working in the technology and engineering sectors.
These efforts mark only the beginning of his long journey back to the S-shaped nation.
From the sound of hammers striking metal in a small Saigon machine shop to modern fiber-optic systems in Paris and today’s efforts to support young Vietnamese talent, the story of Ho Dac Cung and Bernard Ho Dac Tan reflects a lifelong devotion to their homeland. Their journey stands as a reminder to younger generations that when people dare to dream boldly and persist in pursuing those ambitions, Vietnamese values and intellect can shine anywhere in the world.
