POKHARA, July 13: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the sole regulatory body of Nepal's aviation sector, has banned mountain flights conducted by helicopters for the entire monsoon season after frequent helicopter accidents. The authority argued that it is dangerous to fly during the monsoon so the flights have been suspended.
Gyanendra Bhul, information officer of the authority, said that CAAN has decided to ban mountain flights and flower shower flights throughout the ongoing monsoon season which ends in September.
“Search, relief and rescue flights will not be hindered. For the time being, only mountain flights and floral flights have been banned,” he said.
He justified the ban on mountain flights, stating that the airline companies will not be affected much because of the tourism off-season during monsoon. However, he acknowledged that if the tourism business is significantly affected, alternative measures would be considered. This decision comes after a tragic helicopter crash, claiming the lives of six people, including the pilot and five foreign tourists on a mountain flight.
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Manang Air's helicopter with call sign 9N AMV crashed on Tuesday while returning from a mountain flight in the Everest region in Solukhumbu. While returning from the mountain flight to Kathmandu, the helicopter crashed killing six people including five Mexicans and the pilot on the spot. So far, four helicopters have crashed in Nepal in 2023.
According to information officer Bhul, airline companies have been strictly instructed to follow a new rule under which either the departure point or the landing point of helicopters should be an airport.
He said that this rule was implemented with the aim of reducing helicopter accidents.
According to him, the authority aims to enhance safety, efficiency, and professionalism in Nepal's airspace. Measures include implementing weather tracking at airports, holding pilots accountable for accidents, and utilizing technology in helicopters. A committee led by air expert Bhesraj Subedi will oversee daily flight operations for helicopters and short runway airports.
Information officer Bhul cautioned about the unpredictable weather during the monsoon season, where rain and sunshine coexist. With helicopters flying through the Visual Flight Rule (VFR), necessary precautions should be taken, added Bhul.
“These measures are being taken to understand the effects of the monsoon. This is an experimental exercise. Since the helicopter flies at a low altitude, we are testing it only for the monsoon season,” he shared.
Information Officer Bhul further said that the authority has decided to ban helicopter pilots who are also the shareholders of helicopter companies from operating commercial flights. He said that about half a dozen companies have such pilots.
