Visiting Bangkok, looking for a flying opportunity

[Ultranomad]

Hello everyone! I am coming from Prague to Bangkok for a short business trip and am thinking of spending my free days flying. Unfortunately, it is too late to get my JAA license validated (only 2 weeks left), so I have to rely on the community knowledge of this forum. Does anyone know of...
...a JAA-registered single-engine plane within a reasonable distance from Bangkok that I could rent for a few hours?
...a place where I could fly an HS-reg as a PIC under supervision, if it's at all possible?

Cheers,
Anton

[crj705]

I don't know of any JAA registered aircraft that are in Thailand. As far as flying a HS register plane, the best place to fly near BKK is the Thai Flying Club in Chon Buri which is about 1 to 1.5 hours drive southeast of BKK.

I am sure that you can fly there but I am not sure if that would meet your needs for the re-validation.

[a340bangla]

check this web-site: THAI FLYING CLUB - General Aviation and Sport Flying in Thailand - AOPA THAILAND (http://www.thaiflyingclub.com/)

I have flown there several times with an instructor when I was still actively flying. As far as I know they operate only on weekends.

[Ultranomad]

a340bangla, I found it last week and wrote them a message. No response yet :(

[crj705]

I emailed them 3 times over a course of 3 months to try to set up some flying and get more information on doing my license conversion and I never got a response. I finally broke down and called the number for the manager and got a flight scheduled, later to be cancelled due to the red shirt's shenanigans at the ASEAN summit.

If you want to get in touch with them, don't hold your breath waiting for an email...Give them a call because they don't answer email.

[JulieFlyGal]

They should get that website professionally done. It's horrendous! No structure whatsoever. How on earth can you find any information from it? :rolleyes:

[FO Cokebottle]

Last heard, you can get a Thai validation on your "current license" through them to fly their aircraft. The cost (quite a few years ago) was 500baht.

Not sure of the processing time but do not expect to turn up on the day, unannounced, and fly. Of course you can take one up with an instructor with nil Thai validation.

Considering Hua Hin's policy and the current political situation, even if you did pay and wait to get a VFR Thai validation, they would most likely NOT let you take an aircraft solo - you'll have a minder.

Hope this helps

[crj705]

The Thai DCA now requires you to sit an air law and human factors exam prior to validation. I think they are only offered once or twice a month. There are also background checks that take weeks if not longer to complete. I don't imagine there are any restrictions on the solo flights for foreigners as long as you are a member of their club and have the validation. If there were, it would be news to me.

[Ultranomad]

Cokebottle, according to the club site, validation takes 3 to 4 weeks - they have everything nicely described.
Actually, the question of flying with an instructor has two aspects - flying as such, and whether the flight time can be lawfully logged as "under supervision" or as "under training" only.

[COCOCHANEL]

Anton....

Had been checking for closest places to build time with some friends....Here are two flying clubs right at the donmuang airport VTBD in Bangkok(old Bangkok International Airport)

BAC
Bangkok Aviation Center :: ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????? ???????????? ?????? (http://www.bangkokflying.com/th/default.aspx#)

Cessna 172 Glasscockpit also available, diamond 42, seneca

ROYAL SKY

RoyalGroup - One Stop Service For all You Need (http://www.royalsky.co.th/)

Cessna 172 skyhawk da40 PA turboprop

Regarding JAA validation you can email or call them and ask, as I am not updated on the process, been quite a while back since I last checked.

[crj705]

Coco,
Just curious... Did you speak with these 2 groups about renting aircraft? I am curious what their response was. DMK is much closer to my house and that would be perfect for me as the airfield in Chon Buri is a 2 hour drive each way.

[COCOCHANEL]

CRJ 705....I didn't communicate with them directly, as a thai pilot friend had checked it out for me.

Basically to fly dual with an instructor is not a problem subject to aircraft availability as both offer ppl, ir, cpl single and multi and are full fledged flight schools. Not too many student pilots these days, wonder why? ;) I heard aside from the thais there are 2-3 foreign students (indians) in BAC in most batches.

Regarding your non-thai license and medicals you will have to get it validated if you want to fly pic. I am not sure of the present procedure. To fly solo in Thailand you will have to get signed off by any of the clubs' chief instructor first.

Also for security reasons they have to send a minivan /bus to pickup the students or pilots at the airport gate, as they are located close to the runway, prior appointments must be made .

The downside is that being located in the ex-Bkk international which is now being used as a domestic airport with airlines like orient thai and nokair, and also used by the rtaf, is that their a/c's are way more expensive to rent than in Bang Phra. I am not sure about the present rates.

[Ultranomad]

To revive the old thread, I finally got around to writing down my impressions from the trip. To some it all up in one word: delightful. The full account is here (http://www.pprune.org/showthread.php?p=5354729), in the private flying forum.

[HiAltFlyer]

there are Ultra Lights available. $180 per hr