PHUKET FLYING CLUB - General Aviation in Thailand

Phuket Airpark Progress -- Aug 2009 EXCITING PROGRESS AT PHUKET AIRPARK -- The Thai DCA has now officially recognized the Phuket Flying Club. This means that people who own aircraft overseas can bring them to Thailand and register them in the name of Phuket Flying Club and then convert their licenses to Thai and fly their airplanes at Phuket Airpark. Now is your chance to own an aircraft in Thailand and to fly over the beautiful natural areas of Phuket and Pang Nga Bay. Please call Narisa or Suchard to discuss how you can bring your plane to Thailand and become a member of the Phuket Airpark community.

SAT 27 MAR 2010 -- FLYIN AT PHUKET AIRPARK -- DATE HAS CHANGED so that Phuket Flying Club President Captain Watana can be there. Khun Suchard will be hosting this flyin to promote the airpark and show the lots that will be available for sale. Khun Suchard now reports that the grass is growing on the runway and the club is looking fantastic. Phuket Airpark is the first airpark in Phuket and in Southern Thailand and it has been extremely popular for aviation enthusiasts. Come and join the fun in Phuket. Bring your tent or stay in the bungalows on the airfield. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Khun Suchard -- 0818104510.

PLOTS AVAILABLE

Phuket Airpark - Jan 2009 - Photo by Jim If you own an aircraft, you can bring your aircraft to Thailand and put it in the club name. You will be able to fly your airplane. The club is also interested to lease your aircraft from you (after it is in the club name) for use by club members. This is a great way to have an aircraft to fly and to cover the costs.

If you do not want to lease your plane to the club, you have the following options:

1. You can keep your plane at Phuket Airpark after paying a 500,000 Baht "Membership Fee" to Phuket Airpark. This is very much like a Golf Club Membership and is resalable to another aviator in the future if you wish.

2. You can buy a lot at Phuket Airpark for 6 million Baht and keep your plane at Phuket Airpark for free (no "membership fee"). The 1/2 rai lots come with electricity and water and incur a 3,000 Baht per month maintenance fee for the airport. You will be able to park your plane under your Thai home on the edge of the grass runway at Phuket Airpark. We have 44 Pilot-lots available.

3. You can buy a Condo (5 million Baht) along the Phuket Airpark lake.

4. In the future, you can buy a Ban Rim Nam (waterfront condo) on the Southeast side of the Airpark looking over the water.

It is important to remember that you can buy these condos or lots as time-share together with other partners and this lowers the cost substantially. You can also have 5 or more owners of a plane who then share all the costs of maintenance, "membership fee," insurance and make it very affordable.

As soon as Phuket Flying Club has found an aircraft owner who will lease his plane to the club, the club will accept members. The cost is 1,000 Baht (initiation) and 5,000 Baht (yearly membership). You are also welcome to be a Month Member for only 1,000 Baht for a month if you are here on a short visit. Phuket Flying Club members will receive a Membership Card and a reduced rate for renting the club aircraft.

Khun Suchard and Adrian water-bombing Superman at the January Flyin (photo by Khun Ammy)

PHUKET AIRPARK NEWS -- On 17th January 2009, Phuket Airpark celebrated its first birthday. There has been great progress made. The Runway is now 580 meters. 110 Rai of land has been purchased. The land has been graded and landscaped. The first Club aircraft has arrived -- a Zenair CH701 (owned by 5 club members). The Phuket Flying Club has its first President Captain Watana. The 17 Jan Airshow was a tremendous success for the local children and farmers and villagers around the airpark. The Governor, the Pooyai Baan, and Pee Cha-Eun (the village headman) attended and loved the airshow. Ten aircraft flew in from Chiangmai, Bangkok, Pattaya, Bangphra to attend the great event. Phuket Gazette sponsored the flyin and covered the activities. Adrian Held made the Plan View of Phuket Airpark

first ever non-tethered balloon flight in Phuket and landed right in the middle of the runway. The winners of the Flying Activities were: Water Bombing (Suchard/Adrian); Helium Balloon (Bob); Spot Landing (Col Amrung/Joe); Best Second (Peter). Captain Paul has inducted practically everyone into the Swiss Aerobatic Drinkers Club and don't even ask about the "Snuff Club." Thank you very much to Second Floor DCA for the flight clearances and to ATC Phuket for excellent services and to everyone for your exciting participation to make this a very successful event. Phuket Airpark's president Captain Watana and Khun Kitty met with the chief ATC and all concerned officials and adopted a procedure for flying into Phuket Airpark safely due to the close vicinity to Phuket International Airport. This information is detailed on the PHUKET AIRPARK WEBPAGE. If you want to fly in, you call Khun Suchard and get faxed an official invitation. This way the Phuket tower will know about you. You are then vectored by approach to the airpark and can land. The runway is now 500 meters (with 80 meter overrun). When you are ready to depart, you file your flight plan and call the tower on the runway for a take off clearance. The airpark is 8 DME from Phuket VOR, but if you fly outside of 10 DME and stay below 1,000' then you can fly around without needing to report position. PHUKET AIRPARK PLAN VIEW -- Pictured right is the current plan view of the airpark. To the North (left) side of the airstrip will be 1/2 rai plots of land for sale for house/hangars for 6 million Baht each (35 lots). On the South (right) side will be a Pilot Village with two story condo units available ready-built for 5 million Baht each (100). Purchase of land is on a freehold or leasehold basis and will have electricity, water and access to road and runway. The Pilot Village Townhouses will be a cobblestone street community with the possibility for shops or businesses on the first floor. Examples: Pizza shop, Hair saloon, Shoe shop, 7-eleven, and anything that your imagination can dream of. This will be a perfect place for part-time residents of Phuket who work in other parts of the world, but wish to keep their airplane on the field in the communal hangar and come and fly when they live in their Pilot Village Townhouse.

BED & BREAKFAST

The "Bush Pilots' Bar" is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Please come visit. We serve good healthy food and lots of what Paul calls "Pilots' fuel" (BEER). We also have fresh coconut, fruit, and all sorts of delicious foods. Our Bar Tender is Khun Ning, and you will always find lots of friendly pilots to chat to.

We also have the "Bamboo Bungalows" available for you to spend the night right on the airfield (300 Baht per night) and Clubhouse Rooms with toilet and shower (800 Baht per night). You can get a good healthy breakfast the next morning. Our Inn Keeper is Khun Gift, and she can't wait to show you around.

Please feel free to stop by to visit us. We will show you our very own "Master Plan" and explain where you can build your own Thai-style House with Hangar right on the airfield. Half-rai plots available now for 6 million Baht. In addition, we will have a "Pilot Village" Townhouse with cobble streets and little shops that you are welcome to buy "ready-built" for 5 million Baht. Visiting days are on Thursday from 2pm till sunset or just call us and stop by. You are most welcome. PHONE: 081-810-4510 (Suchard) or 087-111-6180 (Narisa).

PHUKET AIRPARK CONTACTS

Khun Suchard -
Captain Watana -
Khun Narisa -

CEO of Phuket Airpark
President of Phuket Flying Club
Phuket Airpark Properties

EMAIL PHUKET AIRPARK

The crowd at Phuket Airpark's first Flyin.

INFORMATION

PHONE NUMBERS
Flight Plan (Phuket): 076-327205.
Tower (Phuket): 076-327269.
Suchard: 081-8104510.
Office: 076-529543.
Office Fax: 076-529543.

FREQUENCIES
Phuket APP: 124.7
Phuket TWR: 118.1
Phuket Airpark: 122.3
Phuket VOR/DME "PUT": 116.9

REPORTING POINTS
"YN" (Koh Yao Noi) - N08*07.0' x E098*37.0' (VOR/DME "PUT" R-089 18NM) - Caution: Mountain at 1,020'.

AIRSTRIP
Location: N08*01.1' x E098*24.2'
Runway: 13/31
Length: 580 m
Elevation: 15'
Surface: Laterite/Grass
Slope: 1/2 degree to sea.
Pattern Altitude: 800'
Frequency: 122.3

KHUN SUCHARD

Phuket Airpark CEO Khun Suchard has purchased a significant amount of land for the Airpark, and approval was received from the DCA on 15 March 2008. The Grand Opening Party was on 17 January 2009. The clubhouse is ready with some guest rooms. The land is on the East coast in a lovely quiet area. There is a 500 meter airstrip with 80 meter extension, and we are planning to extend to 800 meters in the future. Then we will build some hangars, a few bungalows, plant some trees, put in a little restaurant. The Zenair aircraft has arrived at the field now with 5 partners. Members are welcome to join the club (5,000 Baht per year). Members will receive a photo ID membership card. We also will welcome people to base aircraft at the field (after becoming MEMBERS of the Airpark). This should encourage a young and active general aviation community around the island of Phuket and Krabi. Previously, there were no small airports and no general aviation activity in this area. Phuket Airpark will promote General Aviation in SOUTHERN Thailand. Phuket currently has only one commercial airport for commercial flights. Thailand is a very friendly country to visit. There are a large number of airports in the country, and the Department of Aviation maintains a high standard of aviation safety. If you would to join the Phuket Flying Club, then please SEND US AN EMAIL or call 081-810-4510 (Suchard).

Phuket's Historic First Balloon Flight (Photo by Khun Tom)

PHUKET FLYING CLUB
Captain Watana is the President of the Phuket Flying Club. The club will be based at Phuket Airpark and will allow members to join and fly at the airpark. The club has purchased a Cessna 182 which is on its way to Thailand now. Club Membership fees are 5,000 Baht per year. For more information, stop by Phuket Airpark and have a chat with us. Pictured on Right: Captain Adrian on the First ever Hot Air Balloon Flight in Phuket -- coming in for landing at Phuket Airpark on 17 Jan 2009

ZENAIR CH701

Phuket Flying Club member Red Graham with the club Zenair

HOW TO FLY IN

Warning: REMAIN CLEAR of Phuket International Airport Airspace !!!! // Phuket Approach 124.7 // You must have a WRITTEN INVITATION FROM PHUKET AIRPARK before landing, because this invitation is faxed to Phuket International Airport so they are aware of your arrival and can vector you to Phuket Airpark. Phuket Airpark Airport Information
Procedure (arrival):
1. You must have a transponder.
2. Call Suchard -- 081-8104510 // 087-4178399 -- and ask for an invitation to fly to Phuket Airpark.
3. Ask for an invitation to land at Phuket Airpark with your Registration / Type / Date / Time of arrival.
4. Suchard will fax you an invitation -- fax: 076-529543.
5. Suchard will fax this invitation to Phuket Tower so they are aware of your Registration and arrival time.
6. Contact Phuket Approach when able on 124.7
7. Ask for vectors to Phuket Airpark (you will be vectored via "YN" (Koh Yao Noi) -- Beware terrain is 1,020'
8. Phuket Airpark is 8DME on Radial 140 from Phuket VOR "PUT" -- 116.9

Procedure (departure):
1. Call Suchard -- 081-8104510 // 087-4178399 -- and advise him you want to leave Phuket Airpark.
2. File a Flight Plan one hour before departure -- FLIGHT PLAN PHONE: 076-327269.
3. On the runway, Call Phuket Tower and advise you are taking off -- TOWER PHONE: 076-327269.
4. Once airborne, Contact Approach on 124.7
5. Phuket Airpark is 8DME from Phuket VOR "PUT" -- 116.9
6. If you fly more than 10DME from Phuket VOR and stay below 1,000', you do not need to talk to Phuket Approach because of terrain reception difficulty.

Location: East side of Phuket Island

Activities: Phuket Flying Club / clubhouse / paragliding / fun club // August 2007 runway was finished. // President: Captain Watana Thinphanga. VP: Adrian Held. VP: Suchard

Contact Information: Khun Suchard -- 081-8104510 // 087-4178399 -- www.phuketflying.com -- Post Address: Phuket Airpark, 65/8 Moo 2, T. Paklok, A. Talang, Phuket. // Airport opened on 14 March 2008 with approval by DCA //

Other links: For additional information: DOA Aeronautical Information Service, Tung Mahamek, Bangkok 10120, Thailand -- tel: 02 256 0922 // 02 286 0922 // fax: 02 287 4060 // AFTN: VTBAYOYX.

Road Directions: From Phuket International Airport: Turn right (South) out of airport - Drive 1.4 Kilometers. Turn left (East) - Drive 4.04 Kilometers. Turn right (South) onto road 402 - Drive .68 Kilometers. Turn left (East) onto road 4027 - Drive 13.15 Kilometers. Turn left enter Phuket Airpark. From Central Festival Mall: Drive past central (on your left, North) on the pass road - Drive 7.55 kilometers. Turn left North West on road 402 - Drive 3.76 kilometers. Turn right (around circle) - On road 4027 - Drive 6.35 kilometers. Turn right enter Phuket Airpark.

Map of Airstrip: www.phuketflying.com

USEFUL LINKS

Procedure for validating your foreign pilot's license
How to import an aircraft into Thailand
DCA documents to Import aircraft into Thailand
Flight Clearance Application (Foreign Aircraft)
Thai Flying Club
Phuket Airpark Residence KHUN AMMY -- GENERAL AVIATION JOURNALIST -- Khun Ammy is Thailand's Special General Aviation Journalist. She is very active in covering all of the aviation activities and sharing them with the Thai public. She can be reached at ammy_bua@hotmail.com or tel: 086-7898630. Her latest article appears on -- www.transportnews.co.th