Regina Suthida flies solo Saab Gripen at RTAF Base 7

Regina Suthida piloted a solo Saab JAS 39C Gripen on 8 October 2026 at RTAF Base 7 in Surat Thani province, with King Maha Vajiralongkorn, RTAF Air Chief Marshal Seksan Kantha and the base commander watching.

She has logged more than 1,188 flight hours across aircraft types, first flew a Cessna T-41D on 13 May 2010, and has experience in CT-4E Airtrainer, Pilatus PC-9, Mooney M20M, Piper PA-34 Seneca, Boeing 737-400 and 737-800, serving as copilot with the king on the Boeing 737s and accumulating over 450 hours on the 737-800; RTAF Wing 7, which hosts the Gripen C/D squadron that entered service in 2011 and marked its 15th anniversary on 20 July 2026, operates 11 of the 12 Gripen C/D aircraft Thailand received after one was lost in a January 2017 accident.