Queen Suthida flies fighter jet solo to become Thailand's first female Gripen pilot

In a historic first, Queen Suthida of Thailand recently took to the skies as the nation's inaugural female pilot of the JAS 39C Gripen fighter jet. The 48-year-old monarch flew for 41 minutes from Wing 7 in Phun Phin District, according to a palace account reported by Thai business daily Krungthep Turakij.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 74, joined her for a briefing on the flight plan before the queen inspected the aircraft and took it to Runway 22 for takeoff. Upon landing, the king presented her with a bouquet and attached a Gripen Order Golden Patch to her left sleeve, signifying her acceptance into the honorary Swedish association of Gripen pilots.

The queen's achievement came after completing a conversion course at the air force's invitation, following the standard curriculum for Thai Gripen pilots. She spent over 10 hours in the two-seat JAS 39D before transitioning to the single-seat Gripen, having completed 45 academic and emergency-procedure subjects in June and July.

Prior to her aviation accomplishments, Queen Suthida served as a Thai Airways flight attendant and joined the security detail of the then-crown prince. She logged more than 1,188 flying hours, with more than 450 of those hours on the Boeing 737-800. She holds an airline transport pilot license and a Boeing 737 type rating, and frequently co-pilots the king's royal flights.

The queen's flight occurred during a state visit to Vietnam, where she and the king flew the Gripen from Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport to Bhutan's Paro airport. Wing 7, home to Thailand's Gripen C/D squadron since 2011, operates 11 of the Swedish-made jets, with orders for four newer Gripen E/F aircraft placed in August 2025.