[Shorts] 1,200 hours of flight… The world's first reigning queen to fly a fighter jet solo

(Seoul = Yonhap News) On the 8th (local time), the first solo training flight of the Royal Thai Air Force's single-seat JAS 39C Gripen fighter aircraft was conducted by Queen Suthida of Thailand at the 7th Air Force Base in the Punpin region of Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand.

On this day, her husband, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, a former Air Force pilot, personally observed the flight and watched the entire process from the flight plan briefing to aircraft inspection and takeoff and landing.

Queen Suthida, who took off from the base and embarked on a solo flight, also demonstrated a 'roll maneuver' in which she rotated the aircraft during the flight to make a 360-degree turn.

After successfully completing the flight, King Vajiralongkorn personally awarded Queen Suthida the 'Gripen Order of Merit Gold Plaque', which is given only to solo pilots of Gripen fighter jets, and also presented her with a congratulatory bouquet.