You and your Thai Wife of 20 years.

[lukeskywalker]

Hello,

I am a certified private pilot and will be living in CM for about a year, and I am interested to find out if general aviation exists there.

If so, is it difficult to get my license converted over to a Thai license? Is it expensive?

Also, what about the per hour rates for C-152s and C-172s? In the States, it is about 2,500 baht an hour.

Thanks

[jumnien]

Look at lannaflyingclub.com and thaiflyingclub.com. You can get your license validated through the clubs fairly easily, but you must pass a written test to fly in Thailand as of this year. Renting a plane is a bit more expensive here.

[lukeskywalker]

I don't mind taking any tests, what pilot would or should? Do I need my actual paper license card from the FAA?

Why is flying here more expensive? From the prices I see on the websites you recommend, the prices look almost to be double what the prices are in the States. Why?

[tigerbeer]

Luke Skywalker, do u also have pilot license for spaceships?? like those of star wars...

[tlsdk]

I don't mind taking any tests, what pilot would or should? Do I need my actual paper license card from the FAA?

Why is flying here more expensive? From the prices I see on the websites you recommend, the prices look almost to be double what the prices are in the States. Why?

Because you are in Thailand

[Priceless]

I don't mind taking any tests, what pilot would or should? Do I need my actual paper license card from the FAA?

Why is flying here more expensive? From the prices I see on the websites you recommend, the prices look almost to be double what the prices are in the States. Why?

I don't know with certainty, but I would imagine that the import duty for aeroplanes can be something like that for cars, i.e. 200-300%

Until the recent dramatic changes in currency exchange rates, I was contemplating taking up flying again (after a loooong time), but no more

/ Priceless

Edited February 4, 2009 by Priceless

[SomchaiCNX]

I don't mind taking any tests, what pilot would or should? Do I need my actual paper license card from the FAA?

Why is flying here more expensive? From the prices I see on the websites you recommend, the prices look almost to be double what the prices are in the States. Why?

I don't know with certainty, but I would imagine that the import duty for aeroplanes can be something like that for cars, i.e. 200-300%

Until the recent dramatic changes in currency exchange rates, I was contemplating taking up flying again (after a loooong time), but no more

/ Priceless

It is about the same price as in Europe.

If my information is correct the import duty on an airplane is 0% + 7 % VAT, parts up to 30%?

avgas 100LL (blue) costs about 60 baht a litre x 3.7835 for an US gallon in Thailand. (correct me if I'm wrong)

So my question to you in the USA, why are your engine guys still using 50- year old technology for engines that need 5 up to "the sky is the limit" gallons of Av Gas an hr?

Don't answer I know what you are going to say.

The plane jumnien owns consumes about 12 to 15+ litres an hr of 20 baht a litre Mogas (95 if i'm correct?)

Maybe it is also the 100 private planes with less than 1000 pilots in Thailand against 350.000 planes with 800.000 private pilots in the states?

You lived in flying paradise and start to realise that only now that you have to leave it behind.

Try http://www.nokaviation.com/

[jumnien]

Thailand is a wonderful place to fly, but navigating the bureaucratic maze tends to make one weary; but, it can be done if one is willing to make the effort and comply with the everchanging goalposts.

[Drew Aitch]

I don't know with certainty, but I would imagine that the import duty for aeroplanes can be something like that for cars, i.e. 200-300%

A mate of mine brought his lightweight plane over from the USA a few years ago, and the only reason he did was because it was one of the few so called 'luxury' items where there is 0% import duty. That's all i know about that, but his plane is now in Thailand and he flies regularly. Not sure if small planes imported for commercial use have tax waived as they do/did for private use. This was some 4 years ago by the way.

Aitch

[Priceless]

I don't know with certainty, but I would imagine that the import duty for aeroplanes can be something like that for cars, i.e. 200-300%

A mate of mine brought his lightweight plane over from the USA a few years ago, and the only reason he did was because it was one of the few so called 'luxury' items where there is 0% import duty. That's all i know about that, but his plane is now in Thailand and he flies regularly. Not sure if small planes imported for commercial use have tax waived as they do/did for private use. This was some 4 years ago by the way.

Aitch

I stand (happily) corrected

/ Priceless

[T_Dog]

Loads of information on Thai aviation at the link below if you take the time to go through each post.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Aviation-Thailand-t165584.html