Pilot's dream?

[Desert Rat]

http://www.phuketairparkresidence.com/r ... lvilla.htm

[regi]

Am I right this is a American concept?
Anyway, 137,000 € for half a rai is quite steep. Especially because you don't own the land. You just get a 30 year lease. ( according to Thai law, foreigners can not own land , but they can own the house on the land )
OK if you are afluent enough to fork out 6 M baht, and start to pay for a nice house accordingly. (construction in Thailand is cheaper than in Western Europe, so for 6-10 M baht you should be housed in a nice villa with swimming pool and private hangar for your airplane)

I am not critical about it. I will not start here nagging about poor-rich. We would be surprised how many steady jobs this project would provide if it gets fully completed. Besides of low skilled jobs (guards, cooks, cleaning) , also some higher skilled for the aircraft maintenance dept. and health care for the elder peoples.
( I roughly estimate at least 100 people on the premises alone !)

And...in case of a sudden emergency at Phuket airport, they have always a strip to put down a bigger bird, even it is in the mud.

For interested people, please inform youself beforehand about the pro's and con's of a landlease in Thailand.
E.g. what happens if the company who owns the land gets bust? ( happened to a friend in Pattaya, resulting he had to pay another X million baht )

Maybe an idea for...Ostend

Oh, just one remark: the pictures show a mix of sportplanes and even ULM. I wouldn't like to be the poor guy with the ULM entering the clubhouse. Silent looks, smiles, turned away faces

[andorra-airport]

Oh, just one remark: the pictures show a mix of sportplanes and even ULM. I wouldn't like to be the poor guy with the ULM entering the clubhouse. Silent looks, smiles, turned away faces

Well, at least John Travolta does not have that problem:

[stratofreighter]

For comparison:

http://www.floridaairporthomes.com/

http://www.flyinhomes.com/

http://www.aviationhomes.com/

[jan_olieslagers]

Couple of similar places in France too. "Vendee Air Park" should turn up one, and there's another at Biscarrosse airfield, very close to the famous hydroplane base.

[jan_olieslagers]

the poor guy with the ULM entering the clubhouse

You are little acquainted with world of aviators, it would seem. Even without posessing an ULM, I have never been frowned upon in any airfield clubhouse, at the contrary, "general aviators" are generally open-minded and welcoming. Of course there's the occasional big ego, these are everywhere but among recreational pilots thery are few and generally they find healing over time.

Not that I am sure there even IS a club-house at the location mentioned, it is a housing estate after all, not a flying club.

BTW do not forget that some ULM's today are more expensive AND more performing than the ubiquitous C-152.

[regi]

Oh, just one remark: the pictures show a mix of sportplanes and even ULM. I wouldn't like to be the poor guy with the ULM entering the clubhouse. Silent looks, smiles, turned away faces

Well, at least John Travolta does not have that problem:

Big doesn't mean more respect. The looks at the clubhouse could also mean " There he is again, that guy with his big loud and smooky B707." See the comment in this link:

http://www.joe-ks.com/archives_nov2004/ ... _House.htm

Well yeah, there will always be complaints.

[westwings]

There is even one quite close to the Belgian border at Verchocq http://www.aero-delahaye.com

[regi]

the poor guy with the ULM entering the clubhouse

You are little acquainted with world of aviators, it would seem. Even without posessing an ULM, I have never been frowned upon in any airfield clubhouse, at the contrary, "general aviators" are generally open-minded and welcoming. Of course there's the occasional big ego, these are everywhere but among recreational pilots thery are few and generally they find healing over time.

Not that I am sure there even IS a club-house at the location mentioned, it is a housing estate after all, not a flying club.

BTW do not forget that some ULM's today are more expensive AND more performing than the ubiquitous C-152.

come on, I was joking.

[jan_olieslagers]

It certainly isn't a US-only idea, though it may have originated there. Here's one more example far from Uncle Sam:

http://www.zandspruit.co.za/

[earthman]

Question then, can you just fly your plane from abroad and land it at your holiday home, or do you need to land someplace first to go through customs? And I'm sorry if this questions seems incredibly naive to some of you (I'm sure it does - but remember, there are no stupid questions, only stupid people ).

[jan_olieslagers]

Nothing stupid about that question. But the answer is as it must be: IF one needs to pass through customs (which is not always the case, Schengen is just one example) and IF there's none at your destination a/d, yes in that situation one would have to land at a customs a/d first.

A Belgian with a property in France could fly there directly. His UK neighbour might well have to call at Le Touquet or so, to clear customs, as I don't think many of these air parks will have local customs clearance available.

But mind you, the question doesn't even arise in big countries like the USA or Southern Africa.

[earthman]

My question was actually in re the original post, thus about the air park in Thailand, e.g. if some Lindbergh were to fly his ULM from Belgium to his holiday home in Thailand (stopping at Cape Town on the way).

Of course now that I read their FAQ I found there that "If you arrive from abroad, you need to first stop @ Phuket International Airport for custom & Immigration. We are 8DME on 140 Radial from VTSP." which makes this a RTFA.

[regi]

My question was actually in re the original post, thus about the air park in Thailand, e.g. if some Lindbergh were to fly his ULM from Belgium to his holiday home in Thailand (stopping at Cape Town on the way).

Sounds reasonable...
The trip to Cape Town seems to be feasable. But crossing the Indian ocean? Mauritius? OK.
But after Mauritius? Diego Garcia
Well, than you are stuck at Mauritius. I suppose it also a nice place to have such a house-with-hangar.

[earthman]

I suppose it will do