High-flying news: Siam Seaplane cleared for takeoff

Siam Seaplane has finally soared to new heights with its freshly minted air operator certificate (AOC), issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). The certificate, AOC.0032, valid until October 2026, allows the airline to officially begin commercial flights. But there’s a surprising twist—despite the name, it won’t be flying off water just yet, announced an enthusiastic CEO, Worakanaya Siripidej.

“With our AOC certification in hand today, we are now ready to operate. I want to assure everyone that our standards will always exceed expectations.”

However, those expecting thrilling amphibious flights will have to wait. Siam Seaplane’s launch will feature land-based operations instead, relying on a single Cessna 208EX, registered as HS-SSP.

According to Seaplane Asia CEO Dennis Keller, approvals for water-based take-offs and landings are proving more complicated than anticipated.

“We realised that the process and approvals for the water take-offs and landings will take time to secure. We knew this from the start, but it is taking longer than initially planned.”

While amphibious operations remain on hold, Siam Seaplane’s parent company, Seaplane Asia, secured funding earlier this year, with plans to expand its footprint across Southeast Asia. The company has its sights set on acquiring two more Cessna 208EXs.

Thailand has not seen amphibious aircraft in the skies for 15 years, but Keller is confident that the necessary approvals will come through. Once they do, Siam Seaplane will be able to live up to its name and introduce amphibious operations, bringing water-based flights back to Thai skies, reported ch-aviation.

In related news, the CAAT has clarified the case where a pilot exposed aircraft mechanics using fake and expired parts for maintenance, causing concern that it could be life-threatening. The X account Aviation Knowledge (@aviknowledge) stated that another point that needs to be answered is the standard for issuing a Certificate of Airworthiness.