POKHARA, Nov 15: The calibration flight from the Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA), which is being prepared to be put into operation from January 1, is going to start from November 21. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has approved the flight schedule for the calibration flight till November 27.

According to Gyanendra Bhul, spokesperson for CAAN, the aircraft of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd (AEROTHAI) has arrived in Nepal for mechanical testing. The aircraft arrived in Kathmandu last Sunday (November 13). Spokesman Bhul said that this aircraft will stay in Nepal till December 5. "Pokhara Regional International Airport will undergo a mechanical test after one week," Bhul said.

He said that the test flights will be conducted from the airport after the information that all the equipment has worked correctly during the calibration flight is acquired. According to him, the report of the calibration flight will arrive within a week. After that, the test flight will take place, he said that the Ritthepani hill on the approach of the airport's runway is being cut for calibration. Only after cutting 14 meters of this hill, the calibration flight will take place. He said that the hill can be cut by November 21.

There are two hills in Ritthepani. The authority has already said that regular flights will only take place after cutting the height of 12 meters on the lower side and 40 meters on the higher side. However, for the calibration flight, cutting only 14 meters of hill is enough.

The authority will also carry out regular mechanical inspections of other airports with the same plane of Aero Thai. According to Spokesperson Bhul, other airports where IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flights will also be tested. Along with Tribhuvan International Airport, Bhairahawa's Gautam Buddha International Airport, Surkhet Airport, Dhangadhi, Chandragadhi Airport will also undergo regular mechanical testing.

The mechanical test of Pokhara Regional International Airport will start from November 21, but this aircraft will arrive in Pokhara on November 18. The next day after arriving in Pokhara, there will be a discussion with officials and technicians of Pokhara Regional International Airport. Bhul said that after discussions in Pokhara for two days, the test flight will start from November 21. “There will be a test of communication, navigation etc. of the airport. All the equipment installed at the airport will be tested to see if they work or not," he said.

The authority is preparing to put Pokhara's regional international airport into operation from January 1. “According to the schedule of the authority, preparations are being made so that there is no problem in the operation. So far, preparations are progressing," he said.

 
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