🇹🇭 Queen Suthida has completed her first solo flight of the Thai Royal Air Force’s JAS 39 C Gripen single-seat fighter jet. Earlier today, King Rama X made a private visit to Wing 7 in Phunphin District, Surat Thani Province, to observe the Queen’s first solo flight. Their Majesties first visited the Wing 7 operations building, where they received a briefing on the Queen’s flight plan. Afterward, the King & Queen proceeded to the hangar of the Gripen aircraft to observe Her Majesty conducting a pre-flight inspection of the JAS 39 C Gripen. Queen Suthida then taxied the Gripen fighter jet to Runway 22 to commence the flight. Upon completion of the flight, the Queen disembarked from the aircraft where the King presented a bouquet of flowers to offer congratulations & affixed the “Gripen Order Golden Patch” — a prestigious gold-embroidered emblem awarded to those who have flown the JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet — onto Her Majesty’s flight suit. Queen Suthida has exceptional aptitude for aviation has long been evident to both the Thai public & the international community, especially during State Visits. Her Majesty began flying on 13 May 2010, using the T-41D aircraft with Squadron 604, Wing 6. Her flight hours across various aircraft types are as follows: 🛩️ Cessna T-41: 315.33 hours 🛩️ CT-4E Airtrainer: 38.35 hours 🛩️ Pilatus PC-9: 105.59 hours 🛩️ Mooney M-20M: 98.40 hours 🛩️ Piper PA-34 Seneca: 137.50 hours The Queen has also flown the Royal Boeing 737, accumulating 27.09 hours on the Boeing 737-400 & 453.11 hours on the Boeing 737-800. Prior to performing a solo flight in the JAS 39 C Gripen, Her Majesty had logged 10.13 hours flying the two-seat JAS 39 D Gripen. Her total flight time across all aircraft types amounts to 1,188.48 hours.

👏 Many congratulations Your Majesty!