Queen Suthida made her first solo flight in a JAS 39C Gripen at Wing 7 in Surat Thani province on October 8. King Maha Vajiralongkorn watched the training flight.
According to The Nation and an official account from Thailand's Public Relations Department, Queen Suthida checked the single-seat fighter before takeoff, completed the flight according to her training plan and landed safely. After the flight, the King congratulated her and presented the Gripen Order Golden Patch, awarded to pilots who have flown the JAS 39 Gripen.
Training followed Royal Thai Air Force standards and took place in two periods: August 20 to September 4 and September 25 to October 8. It included simulator sessions and more than 10 hours in the two-seat JAS 39D Gripen.
Thailand's Public Relations Department said Queen Suthida has logged 1,188.48 hours across different aircraft. The list includes the Cessna T-41, CT-4E Airtrainer, Pilatus PC-9, Mooney M20M, Piper PA-34 Seneca and Boeing 737. During a state visit to Bhutan in April 2025, she served as co-pilot while the King piloted the aircraft.