Chittagong to Utapao

We landed in Thailand with me having expressed concern about coming to Utapou without prior permission. Chittagong ATC would not clear us to U-tapou because we did not have the needed prior permission. Jan said it would be fine and it certainly seemed that way until we got to landing in utapou where we were greeted by uniformed naval officers asking about why we were in utapou rather than Chiangmai as our flight permission indicated. Apparently VTBU is a naval airport and us landing here is the equivalent of us landing in Richmond Air force base without permission. Generally not good form.

I get pretty nervous around men in uniforms with weapons and I feared a night in the Bangkok Hilton. But Jan again came to the rescue with Thai language skills, respectful bow, and apparently a reasonable explanation.

Jan in debate with the Navy

It also helped that Sonny was around. Sonny is a businessman who is an aviation nut. He owns 7 planes located in Laos and Thailand. He is also well connected locally and he and his men quickly had us through the naval process.

It turns out to be a fantastic outcome. The reason we wound up here is because Jan did some work for Sonny rescuing his Cessna 310 out of the USA where it had been stuck under the control of a crooked ferry pilot. He also wants Jan to do some extra work for him including fixing a twin otter in Laos and ferrying another 310 out from the US.

Sonny took us to his self developed Balinese style complex of a home and very generously invited us to stay there. All the rooms had spectacular views over the Pattaya valley with indoor and outdoor bathrooms. Some had separate private pools, including the one I stayed in so I was not shy to make use of it. It was truly spectacular and undoubtedly as good as the best resorts that Donna and I have ever stayed in.

Sonny and his wife took us to a classic Thai outdoor seafood restaurant of the kind we often ate at in Malaysia and Singapore. Excellent food.


Approx Track Miles:   780 NM  
Hobbs Hours:              5.5
Fuel Added Chittagong:     200
Price per Litre:             USD $3.40 

In Singapore now. More later.