Flythailand is hosted by May, a very pleasant Thai lady. May is the only female Thai national to have passed her general flying test and achieve a Ultralight pilots licence for delta wing aircraft.

Tom began flying microlights in 1989 and has achieved some notable flights. In 1994 he became the first flexwing pilot to fly from Scotland to Norway across 220 miles of the North Sea, continuing to fly to Denmark, Germany, Holland, England, Wales, Ireland and back to Scotland.

In 1997 Tom along with fellow pilots Chris Cullen and Keith Ingham successfully circumnavigated Australia in Pegasus Quantum 582 microlights, starting at Melbourne they flew anti-clockwise round the coastline returning 3 months later and covering 12,000 miles.

My name is Tom Grieve and I first got involved in flying flexwing microlights as a student pilot in June 1988. I purchased a new Pegasus XL 447cc and proceeded to get myself a private pilots licence at Eshott airfield near Morpeth, under Tony Anderson, the resident instructor. I went solo six months later and passed my GFT (general flying test) after 10 months training. I was now free to do all the adventures I had dreamt about !!!! My first task was to enrol in a Scottish club and though it is 110 miles from my home, I opted to join Connel Flying Club, and so a form of partnership emerged between myself and the other club members. My first recorded flight from Connel was in December 89 and little did I realise then just how much encouragement Dave Whitelaw, the Q.F.I. was to affect my input into the clubs achievement records.

My first year was full of cross country excursions but the highlight for me was landing at Aberdeen airport and winning the spot landing trophy much to the dismay of all the "proper pilots". With only 90 hours under my belt and my nerves going crazy I was well pleased with my effort. I replaced my trusted XL in July 91 for a Mainair Alpha which I purchased from a friend on the Island of Mull. I was now into upmarket touring mode and almost one year to the day of getting the Alpha, Dave suggested Pete Oldham a fellow club member and myself enter the Dawn to Dusk competition. We followed the first ever mail route to the Orkney Islands which was flown by Cpt E.E.Freeson in 1933. Our route started from Inverness airport at 0545 and throughout the day we landed on every island in the Orkneys arriving back at Inverness at 1815 tired but jubilant. Our efforts were rewarded by being presented with the first prize from HRH Duke of Edinburgh.

Eleven months later found Peter and I leaving Dingwall, Inverness to follow Bonnie Prince Charlies escape route after the battle of Culloden, this took us down the Great Glen the full length of Loch Ness, past Mallaig and landing on the Island of Skye. Next stop was to get to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides which we managed in good time. The local T.V. came and interviewed us and Peter did the honours. Our return to Dingwall was very scenic and for the second year we won first prize not only for ourselves but also for Connel Flying Club.

Again, eleven months later (29-05-94) with only 200 hours in my log book found me and another pilot, Hugh Knox with another challenge, this time I was to attempt the first flexwing crossing of the North Sea from Sumburgh, Shetland to Haugesund in Norway. I completed the 220 mile flight in 0505hrs safely, "what a feeling" reaching the other side. I continued down the Fjords to Kristiansund then faced another 120 mile water crossing to reach Denmark. Germany came next then fate took a twist in Holland where I met Ellen Heijnsdijk who became my partner for four years. I left Holland and crossed the North Sea again arriving at Ipswich. The rest of the journey was through England, Wales, Ireland and back home to Scotland. For this we won the Steve Hunt trophy for exceptional airmanship. Not long after this Pete Oldham was killed flying an XL in Zambia, an enormous sadness and loss to both the club and myself.

The next two years were spent mostly touring Scotland and Ireland. I became involved in an expedition with two other pilots, Chris Cullen and Keith Ingham. The purpose was to circumnavigate the continent of Australia. This meant investing in a new Pegasus Quantum 582 Super Sport microlight, I took possession of G-MYZK in May 96 at Insch airfield. A lovely piece of aeronautical engineering and by far the best aircraft I had owned to date. On the 24th August 1996 I encountered an unplanned impact with mother earth and suffered a dislocated left arm with a fracture thrown in. Two months later I had a frozen shoulder and no prospects of flying round Oz in February.

Ellen came to the rescue and got a physiotherapist friend of hers named Jan in Holland to treat me for free. It was hard work but his perseverance paid off and though limited to movement I recovered enough to embark on what was to be my best flying adventure yet. We left the Avalon airshow near Melbourne on the 23rd February 97 to begin our circumnavigation, a task which flying friends thought was terrific and they wished they could go too. We flew anti-clockwise and Ellen joined me just North of Sydney at Warnervale. We experienced 1000 miles of the East coast of Australia together filled with exceptional happy memories.

The top end came all too soon, a desolate yet awe inspiring scenery filled with mangroves, not the place for a forced landing. The Gulf of Carpenteria was crystal clear allowing us to see sharks, manta rays and of course salt water crocodiles. We met Aborigines at the reservations we visited, everyone we encountered was very friendly and helpful. There are far too many instances to mention, Kimberly's, Darwin, West Coast, and the Nullabor where I had a ground speed of 120 mph. Now that's flying !!! Our adventure ended safely at Avalon airport on the 5th May 97.

For this we were awarded the Steve Hunt trophy for outstanding aviation achievement. Winning this trophy for a second time in a space of only three years was exciting for me and I was very happy that my efforts were appreciated at Connel.