Microlighting In Chiang Mai

[gymboxgirl]

Hi all,

been thinking of trying out microlighting, and noticed that a company offering it here in CM runs out of Doi Saket - CMSky Adventure.

It's not cheap... so if anyone who has done it can comment on the experience? safety record and the like... I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

[bunta71]

I have been out to their strip a few times checking them out. Always been there mid day so haven't flown or ridden in their machines. They do appear to be airworthy. Rogallo wing , weight shift control. All parts look to be aircraft quality and everything imported and assembled in their shop. Dustoff may have flown theirs as he is a fan of that style. I prefer 3-axis controls. There is a 3-axis B1-RD for sale there ...the guy wants some 800,000Baht. Safety record? Everyone seemed alive when I was there

[Dustoff]

~

I have indeed flown them here, in Pattaya, and on Phuket and Lanta Islands. My primary occupation before I retired was as a commercial helicopter pilot and I consider Microlights very safe indeed. My wife is also slowly learning to fly, we have sent her sister up and will soon be getting her 12-year old son up as well.

The folks near Suket are quite nice and very accomplished pilots who seem to be very safety and maintenance conscious which is something that I check very closely.

The best time to fly is in the morning hours when the air is still smooth. What we do is check the visibility quite early and give them a call - there is no sense going up if the visibility is trash. They will, at least the last I knew, even provide transportation back and forth to your home or hotel.

Their flight time is indeed a bit expensive but bargaining is acceptable in Thailand, especially if things are a bit slow right now and there is a good chance of that. If you wish to bargain, I would suggest driving yourself out there so you don't feel obligated to pay the published fee - accepting their free transportation usually makes people feel a bit obligated and indicates an acceptance of the posted prices.

I bargain as well, both because I do almost all of the flying and because I know that the cost of upkeep of a microlight is a fraction of even a small airplane, something that I have heard bothers the CM Flying Club guys who are trying to keep their prices as competitive as possible.

Good luck and have a great time! My dream, which may come true very soon, is to have my own either in the US Rocky Mountains or on floats in Thailand's islands...