Microlighting Over Chiang Mai

[mallmagician]

Hi,

I was toying with the idea of taking a 30 minute pleasure flight over the hills of Chiang Mai with the Chiang Mai Sky Adventure company. It would be in a microlight.

I have only one reservation, my experience in Thailand is that "safety first" isn't often of the paramount importance!

So my question is this....

Anyone know of this company? Any horror stories? Any opinions etc? Any other companies you may know of?

And finally, I guess if I'm gonna take the plunge, as they are half hour flights, we could organise a little gathering of TV-ers who fancy seeing the city from up high!

Cheers

Phil

PS - Don't forget the P-up I am arranging on the 7th July!! from 7pm in the UN Irish! 1st Drinks are on me!

[lopburi3]

I guess if I'm gonna take the plunge

[mallmagician]

Maybe a poor choice of words!

Living is good, dying is not as good!

Phil

[Ulysses G.]

A guy called Blue built and "flew" Chiang Mai's first micro-light.

Unfortunately... he is no longer with us.

RIP Blue

Edited June 24, 2006 by Ulysses G.

[mallmagician]

A guy called Blue built and "flew" Chiang Mai's first micro-light.

Unfortunately... he is no longer with us.

RIP Blue

Is this because he flew away to a far off land? Or something more tragic

[jaiyenjohn]

I'm not sure if this is the same outfit, but I've heard its run by an ex-colonel in the Thai Air-Force, so I imagine he knows his way around aircraft.

I'd be interested in hearing people's experiences as well. I have need from time to time for aerial shots of the countrryside. I wonder if I could put a camera-man in there too.

Edited June 24, 2006 by jaiyenjohn

[Ulysses G.]

A guy called Blue built and "flew" Chiang Mai's first micro-light.

Unfortunately... he is no longer with us.

RIP Blue

Is this because he flew away to a far off land? Or something more tragic

I believe that he crashed and burned on the maiden flight of his micro-light.

Put me off of them ever sense.

[mallmagician]

You are definitely allowed a camera along with you, it says on a website I was looking at. My digital camera does good quality video too, so I will get some footage.

Maybe I should be the TV Guinea Pig? I can take pics and videos and recall my experience (hopefully!) on my website for all to see/ watch/ read!

Phil

[Maejo Man]

I believe that he crashed and burned on the maiden flight of his micro-light.

Put me off of them ever sense.

The fact that he was killed in the crash was quite true, however there is a lot more to the story which, unfortunatelty, cannot be posted here, as I believe there is an ongoing legal battle, even after all this time.

Having said that, I certainly don't comdemn all micro-light aircraft, just the one built by one rather

unscrupulous and cowardly Thai person

[mallmagician]

Hmmm, well, maybe I will venture to the skies, and repost on here if I survive to tell the tale! Can them things glide if the engine fails?

Phil

[Ulysses G.]

Having said that, I certainly don't comdemn all micro-light aircraft, just the one built by one rather

unscrupulous and cowardly Thai person

Never heard that part of the story.

Very interesting.

[Gonzo the Face]

The company you mentioned has made hundreds of flights over Chiang Mai. And of course they do give you the guarantee of getting you back to the ground....... just how far into it they do not say.

[calibanjr.]

Who collects on the "guarantee"?

[SamSipEt]

Hmmm, well, maybe I will venture to the skies, and repost on here if I survive to tell the tale! Can them things glide if the engine fails?

Phil

No not really the word plummet is probably more appropriate than glide

[Ulysses G.]

plummet is probably more appropriate...

[SamSipEt]

plummet is probably more appropriate...

plummet

verb

To undergo a sharp, rapid descent

[Ulysses G.]

I got it the first time, but didn't like it!

[Dustoff]

~

I would highly recommend microlighting CM! Or anywhere else for that matter.

My wife and I have both flown with the guys out by Doi Saket and with a couple who fly out of Pattaya and loved every minute of it. Not only is it a great/safe adventure, they will let you experience flying the aircraft. We have flown not only here and Pattaya but Lanta Island as well and have some wonderful pictures. I also put my wife's 20-year old sister up in the one here and she loved it even though she had never flown before in her life.

The microlights they are using here are basically a hang glider with an engine and the glide ratio is actually quite good. I have flown commercial helicopters for many decades and have my share of time in hang gliders and microlights and feel that their maintenance here is quite satisfactory or I wouldn't go near their aircraft. And speaking of gliding, I flew a microlight on the island of Maui for a while before I moved over here and when I caught an updraft on the face of the volcanoes I would simply turn off the engine and soar for a while. Believe it or not, per capita microlight and hang glider flying is safer than playing golf. Check it out...

If you are doing Chiangmai Sky Adventure near Doi Saket, ask for khun Prayote. There is also a guy flying out of Lamphun named Nimit who is the guy we flew with on Lanta Island - an excellent pilot - his number is 09-866-1517. Mention Ken and Tuy and Lux! Willalux is his cousin who is also a very accomplished pilot and she flies out of Pattaya...

The best time to fly is in the morning as the air is less turbulent than after the sun begins heating the ground. The best is to get up early in the mornings and when you have a very clear view of the mountains, get your buns out there before it changes. CSA also has cameras that attach to a wingtip that will take pics of both you and the scenery as you fly - for an extra charge of course but it's not like this is something you are going to do every day, eh?

I am working toward my dream to have my own microlight here on pontoons with which to really explore the thousands of islands of Thailand - wish me luck!

[mallmagician]

Dustoff, thanks for a great post. That has given me the confidence to take the pl..... errr..... to take flight to my phone and book the experience.

Thanks Again, I'll post some pics on my website when I'm done!

Phil

[Rinrada]

Definately on my list of "must do" if I am ever up there for more than a few days...so much to do and not enough time..etc

bit of info........wonder if they do Visa runs?

Chiang Mai Sky Adventure

143 M.6.T. Cherngdoi, Doisaket, Chiang Mai, Thailand,50220

Tel./Fax (66 53) 868460

Mob. 01-9936861

PRAYOTE CHAIMONKOL

Managing Director

01-9525300

[SamSipEt]

........wonder if they do Visa runs?

A couple of years ago the Chiang Mai Flying School used to have 2 and four seat planes for hire by the hour and would fly anywhere. A bit expensive for a pure visa run but could be fun with a couple of friends sharing the cost.

[Ajarn]

A guy called Blue built and "flew" Chiang Mai's first micro-light.

Unfortunately... he is no longer with us.

RIP Blue

He wasn't the first. A norwegian named Per has flown before him...

[Rinrada]

We had a guy in Phnom Penh in 92-93 who used to fly up and down the Mekong in a wee Micro lite but he had to give it up because the local Khmers kept shooting at him.

They had never seen one before and suppose it must have looked like "chop" and rice....

Fancy one of those parachutes with the engine at the back..but would they let you land in Anusan market?

[meadish_sweetball]

Fancy one of those parachutes with the engine at the back..but would they let you land in Anusan market?

Should not be a problem provided your chute sports the Beer Chang logotype and you crack a cold one open as you descend.

[Pond Life]

Im a professional aircraft engineer (with no previous experience of microlights) & I've closely inspected a couple of microlights built by Khun Prayote at Sky Adventure recently. I think that on the whole they are very well put together & I wouldnt hesitate to fly in one.