Air Museum At Chiangmai Airport Issues Invitation

[p1p]

The collection of over 30 old aeroplanes at 'Tango Squadron', Wing 41, Chiang Mai International Airport, is seeking volunteers of any nationality who can offer their services, however humble, to help turn this unique and growing collection into a fully working air museum.

For a limited period, life membership of the Royal Thai Air Classic Association, the 'parent' body of the collection, is available at only 1,000 baht per person, subject to 'good character' checks at Bangkok HQ.

Everyone interested is invited by Khun Weerachat Palee, assistant to the President of the Association, to fill in an application form (and in the cases of foreigners give signed copies of their passports) as soon as possible while the special offer lasts. Membership allows unlimited access to the collection during working hours, Monday to Friday, and gives invitations to occasional special weekend flying days.

For extra charges of 4,000-6,000b to cover running costs, members may also fly as passengers in a choice of the 5 or 6 twin-seat planes now in full flying order, most of WW2 vintage.

More information comes from Khun Weerachat (in Thai) on 081 028 4663 or David Hardcastle (in English) on 081 992 4819.

Khun Weerachat, in uniform, welcomes the latest 3 life membership card holders (from left): Dan Callahan (fuselage restoration & cleaning), Colin Penberthy and David Hardcastle (promotions & translations). The WW 2 Chinese fighter shown is the latest arrival in the collection and has just been fitted with a newly re-built radial engine.

[Dustoff]

Way cool, P1P - I didn't even know the museum extsted. Do you know how to get access to it? Is it through the guard gate at the end of the airport road? If so maybe I should take da wife along in case they don't understand the word museum at the gate.

I have heard that if I join the Chiang Mai Flying Club, the Thai Civil Air Authority will issue me a Thai Commercial License if I present my American Commercial helicopter license. Perhaps the museum would let me try my hand at the controls of one of their operational craft which would be a lot of fun.

Thanks for this post.

[p1p]

Way cool, P1P - I didn't even know the museum extsted. Do you know how to get access to it? Is it through the guard gate at the end of the airport road? If so maybe I should take da wife along in case they don't understand the word museum at the gate.

I have heard that if I join the Chiang Mai Flying Club, the Thai Civil Air Authority will issue me a Thai Commercial License if I present my American Commercial helicopter license. Perhaps the museum would let me try my hand at the controls of one of their operational craft which would be a lot of fun.

Thanks for this post.

If you enter the Wing 41 road from the north entrance, the museum is in a set of small hangars on the right hand side after a few hundred meters. The entrance is a couple of hundred meters past, a guarded gate into the airfield proper with a rutted track leading back to the museum.

I strongly suggest you contact David Hardcastle - 081 992 4819 or gmorning.david (at) gmail.com to arrange your first visit and application for membership. After you have joined, you only need to flash your membership card. (I collected mine last week!)

It is a truly worthwhile place to visit, and 1,000 for a lifetime's membership is not much to ask.

To jion, you only need a copy of your passport, two 1 inch photos and the aforementioned membership fee.

I'm afraid I do not know about the flying club, but I did overhear some other Farang pilots discussing taking some of the planes up.