Crashed Yeti Air ATR’s black box to be sent to France

The probe panel is sending black box of ATR-72 Yeti Airlines aircraft that crashed in Pokhara on January 15 to the manufacturer in France for technical analysis.

Joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and member-secretary of Air Crash Investigation Commission Budhisagar Lamichhane confirmed that the black box of ATR is being sent to France, along with experts next week.

It will help in the effective investigation of the accident, he said, adding that the aircraft manufacturing company in France will analyse it independently. “The expert team of the Air Crash Investigation Commission will also go to France along with the black box.”

The probe panel has so far conducted on-site monitoring of the accident site, collected some necessary documents and discussed with experts.

The Yeti Airlines flight with call sign 9-ANC (ATR-72-212) flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara crashed in the Seti River gorge, killing all the passengers and crew members on the plane. But the body of one person is yet to be found.

Prime Minister to inaugurate Pokhara Regional International Airport on January 1

As the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is all set for the grand opening of Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA) in Pokhara, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' will inaugurate the airport on Sunday.

Pokhara Metropolis has announced a public holiday on Sunday to mark the inauguration and operation of Regional International Airport as it is going to be formally operate on the first day of the Gregorian calendar 2023 AD, 

Except Prime Minister Dahal, deputy prime ministers Bishnu Paudel and Rabi Lamichhane, and top leaders of various political parties, industrialists and tourism professionals will take part in the opening ceremony, according to the CAAN.

The crew and passengers of the aircraft landing at the airport from the first flight in the morning will be welcomed with garlands, the CAAN has palnned.

From Sunday, all domestic flights will be operated from the new airport as Buddha, Yeti and Sourya Air have already conducted the test flight and completed preparations including office management to start flying from the new airport.

The then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had laid the foundation of the airport on April 13, 2016, though it took yet another year to start construction. A Chinese company China CAMCE started the construction work one-and-a-half years after the foundation stone was laid. But the China CAMCE has handed over new airport to Nepal in the third week of last March, though only 93 per cent work was completed. The airport was handed over to Nepal on the occasion of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's visit to Nepal.

Narrow-body aircraft including Airbus A-320 and Boeing 757-200 that has capacity to carry less than 200 passengers can take off and land at the airport, according to director of Pokhara Regional International Airport Bikram Gautam. "The aircraft, at present however, can only land from the east in the one-way approach airport."

The airport has parking lots that can accommodate 11 aircraft including three large and eight small ones. The runway of the airport is 2,500 meters and the width is 45 meters and the thickness of the runway is 34 cm, Gautam informed, adding that the airport has the capacity to handle 610 passengers per hour during peak hours. "There will be 18-hour daily flights to and from Pokhara International Airport beginning February 23."

Estimated to have cost around Rs 22 billion with concessional loan from China’s Export-Import (Exim) Bank, the airport has domestic and international terminal buildings spread over 14,000 sq meters of land. The China CAMCE has constructed the airport on EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) model.

Four decades ago, some 3,106 ropanis of land in wards 14, 15 and 18 in Pokhara was acquired to construct the airport. After the land was not enough, another 521 ropanis of land was acquired. But the construction was started by acquiring another 60 acres of land to build a 10 km road around the airport.

The airport that is expected to be a milestone in the promotion of tourism, also wants to convey the message to the world that Nepal is eager to welcome more tourists, , according to the chairman of the Pokhara Tourism Council, Pom Narayan Shrestha. Pokhara's direct connection with international cities will help promote Pokhara more, he said, adding that Pokhara is a major tourist destination and the tourism sector will benefit more with the operation of the airport. "The tourism sector affected by Covid-19 will get relief with the increase in tourist arrivals with the operation of the new airport."

Yeti Airlines-Tara Air to airlift waste

Yeti Airlines – in partnership with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality,Himalaya Club Lukla, Blue Waste to Value and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Nepal – has collected 45 tonnes of recyclable waste from the Mt Everest region so far.
The process of airlifting non-biodegradable waste produced by trekking activities in the Everest region was initiated from March 17, 2018.
Yeti Airlines set the ambitious target of flying out 100 tonnes of recyclable waste from the Everest region in 2018 as part of its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly relating to biodiversity conservation (SDG 15) and climate change (SDG13). The company plans to airlift a further 30 tonnes of recyclable waste to Kathmandu in September.
The partners of the Everest Clean Up Campaign – SPCC, a local environmental conservation organisation, the Himalaya Club Lukla and the Khumbhu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality – worked on the collection of non-biodegradable waste in the Everest region. The accumulated debris was then airlifted to Kathmandu from Lukla’sTenzing- Hillary airport.
Blue Waste to Value received the recyclable waste from Yeti’s sister organisation, Tara Air, at Kathmandu airport. The rubbish comprises mainly of empty beer and food cans, and discarded mountaineering and trekking equipment, all of which are eventually recycled into metal vessels, cooking utensils and construction materials, according to a press note issued by the Yeti Airlines.

Yeti Airlines introduces use of electric van

Yeti Airlines – Nepal’s first and only carbon neutral airline – is further enhancing their efforts towards a greener future by testing the use of an electric van in the airport premises. According to a research by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
Yeti Airlines by adopting the use of an electric van for their services will be creating a major positive environmental impact. “If the electric van trial brings a positive response, Yeti Airlines commits to replace all of its 20 units of petrol engine vans with these Mahindra e-Supro electric vans,” a press note from the airlines reads, adding that the initiative of Yeti Airlines will further promote Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No 13 ‘Climate Action’. “Setting an example to all the airlines in Nepal, Yeti Airlines has been working on this goal for a long time with remarkable results to show for their efforts.”
Yeti Airlines was also able to offset its GHG emissions by procuring carbon credits that is Certified Emission Reductionsunder the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through the ‘Climate Neutral Now’ platform.
In the past, Yeti Airlines undertook various environmental and social projects such as the Yeti Green Re-forestation Project, and Green Far West Project, and continues to work on the Everest Clean Up campaign also, it adds.
Yeti Airlines’ managing director Chanda Sherpa and UNDP Nepal Resident Representative Ayshanie Medagangoda Labé were present during the inauguration for the trial use of the electric van today.
On the occasion, managing director Sherpa said that introduction of an electric van is an opportunity to show the airlines commitment to carbon neutrality, which is the company’s honest and realistic approach to environmental conservation. “We take pride in being a pioneer to endorse a positive change which I believe will encourage everyone to make a conscious effort to save our earth.”
Congratulating Yeti Airlines on unveiling its first electric car, Resident Representative of UNDP Ayshanie Medagangoda Labé said that Yeti’s one more step forward in its carbon neutrality journey made the UN happy. “We are with the company in this journey to advance the sustainable development that I am sure will inspire many others so that our collective efforts will curve pollution and save our planet.”

Yeti adds new ATR

Yeti Airlines announced the addition of a fifth ATR72-500 aircraft MSN 740 to its fleet. The aircraft with Nepali Registration no. 9N-ANG arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu today, after it’s ferry flight from Bangkok, Thailand.
With the acquisition of our fifth ATR72-500 aircraft, the airliner will increase its flight frequencies to certain destinations and also add some new ones, it said, in a press note. “We hope it will help Nepal achieve the target of 2 million tourist arrivals for the ‘Visit Nepal 2020’ year,” the release reads, adding that the ATR72-500 is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft manufactured by the French-Italian consortium ATR. “With it’s superior build and performance the ATR72 has now become the most successful regional carrier in the world, steadily expanding and entering into new global markets.”
The ATR72-500 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW127 engines and are equipped with Hamilton Sundstrand composite blade propellers. These high-tech engines and propellers ensure exceptional performance, fuel efficiency, remarkably low noise and low greenhouse gas emissions.
Well known global operators of the ATR72-500 aircraft are Air New Zealand, Aer Lingus, SAS, HOP!, Azul, Bangkok Airways, Indigo, MalindoAir etc.
Yeti Airlines started it’s flight operations from 1998.
Besides the ATR72-500s, the domestic airliner also operates a fleet of five BAE Systems Jetstream 41 aircraft. Tara Air, it’s sister airline, which operates two Dornier Do228 and four DHC6 Twin Otter aircraft, Yeti Airlines operates the widest network of flight routes in Nepal.

Yeti to fly directly from Pokhara to Bhairahawa

Yeti Airlines today announced the launch of direct flights from Pokhara to Bhairahawa, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj – though on charter basis only – on it’s Jetstream 41 aircraft. In addition the airliner will also operate daily scenic mountain flights ‘Annapurna Express’ from Pokhara, a press note issued by the company reads, adding that it will operate daily flights from Pokhara to Bhairahawa from August 1, Pokhara to Bharatpur from September 1 and the Annapurna Express mountain flights from September 15. “Charter flights will also be available from Pokhara to Nepalgunj.”
Saying that Yeti Airlines will be connecting the Golden Triangle of Kathmandu-Pokhara-Bharatpur by air, it said that the airliner will also connect the two cities Pokhara and Bhairahawa via a convenient 20 minute flight at an affordable fare, the press note further reads. “Yeti Airlines will also operate ‘Annapurna Express’ – a 30 minutes daily mountain flight from Pokhara Airport from September 1 – that will showcase breathtaking close up views of the Fishtail peak and the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges.”
Established in 1998, Yeti Airlines currently operates a fleet of 5 ATR 72-500 and 5 Jetstream 41 twin turbo propaircraft fromit’s main hub, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), in Kathmandu.
It’s sister airline Tara Air operates a fleet of specialised STOL aircraft – 4 Twin Otters and 2 Dornier Do228 – that operate to high mountain airports like Jomsom, Lukla, Dolpo, Simikot, Jumla and Rara. Yeti Airlines is Nepal’s first carbon neutral airline.

Domestic airline companies issue travel alert for passengers

Domestic airlines today issued a travel alert as the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) will remain shut for 10 hours from tomorrow evening for runway rehabilitation and expansion work. The only international airport that also houses the domestic one will remain closed from 10pm to 8am every day for 45 days till June 30 for maintenance. Based on a notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued by the TIA, the domestic airline companies have issued a travel alert about the changes in their flight schedule for the convenience of the passengers.
Due to NOTAM, Yeti Airlines and Tara Air – owned by the same group – reduced some 13 flights a day including six mountain flights in the morning. "Apart from mountain flights, one regular flight to Bhairahawa, Tumlingtar and Bharatpur each has also been reduced till the next notice is issued," the airliner stated a press note. "Likewise, two flights to each to Bharatpur and Pokhara have also been reduced from the regular schedule."
Likewise, Buddha Air also issued a travel alert last week – on March 26 – revising the time schedule for flights. "Currently we are not planning to reduce the number of regular flights," marketing director of Buddha Air Rupesh Joshi said, adding that they will not cut down the flight numbers, if rescheduling flights help maintain the schedule. "If necessary, we will also reduce few flights, though we are trying to reschedule as much flights."
Simrik Air has also already issued its travel alert – a month back – cancelling its pre-booked flights to Lukla.
Meanwhile, almost all mountain flights from Kathmandu have been cancelled for the coming 45 days, whereas all flights to Lukla airport from TIA have been diverted to the Manthali airport of Ramechhap.
The TIA’s runway was built in 1975. Though, according to international practice, runways of international airports should be refurbished with new bitumen every 10 years, the TIA has never done that. A Chinese company – China National Aero Technology International Engineering Corporation – is working on the project.

Yeti airlines introduces two ATR aircrafts

Yeti Airlines has introduced two ATR 72-500 turboprops.
The 72-seater aircraft – the most fuel efficient carrier – was brought at the cost of Rs 1 billion, according to the private airline operator. "Manufactured in France by ATR aircraft manufacturer and purchased from Nordic Aviation Capital based in Singapore, the airplanes landed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) today through the routes of Singapore, Thailand and Chiang Mai, said the airlines manager Bhimraj Rai.
The newly purchased aircrafts is planning to fly on Kathmandu-Biratnagar, Kathmansu-Bhairahawa, Kathmandu-Nepalgunj and Kathmandu-Bhadrapur, he said, adding that the airlines now has seven aircrafts in total. "Now the airlines is operating 30-seater six aircrafts Jetstream 41, apart from plan to introduce additional two ATR aircrafts within this year.
The ATR 72-500 aircraft with call sign MSN 876 and Nepali registration number 9N-AMN is the youngest FAA/EASA approved pressurised aircraft in operation in the Nepali domestic sector, the airliner said, adding that the ATR 72-500 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW127 engines and equipped with Hamilton Sundstrand composite blade propellers. These high-tech engines and propellers ensure exceptional performance, fuel efficiency, remarkably low noise and low greenhouse gas emissions, according to the airline.
This ATR 72-500 aircraft has been lease financed from Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC), the industry’s leading regional aircraft lessor, serving over 70 airline customers in 47 countries. Its clients include leading airlines such as Aeromexico, Air Canada, British Airways, Air Berlin, Azul, Garuda, Flybe, HOP!, as well as major regional carriers like Air Nostrum, Jet Time, Etihad Regional, Binter and Air KBZ, among others.

Tara Air adds new Dornier aircraft

Tara Air added a Dornier Do228 aircraft to its fleet of seven aircraft.
The Dornier Do228 aircraft of Tara Air today landed at Tribhuvan International Airport and is expected to start flying from Tuesday.

Currently, Tara Air operates a fleet of four Canadian built DHC6-300 Twin Otters and three German built Dornier Do228-212 aircrafts. 

Purchased from Philippines, the 18-seater Dornier Do228-212 is a Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) capable aircraft that is ideal for operating in short, high altitude runways such as Lukla and Jomsom, the airlines said, adding that the Honeywell TPE 331-10 twin engine powered aircraft is equipped with the latest Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and the advanced Traffic Collision Awareness System II (TCAS II) and meets all the standards set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

“The aircraft will also help provide transportation and food supply to rural areas,” according to Tara Air that is a subsidiary of Yeti Airlines.

Formed in 2009, when Yeti Airlines split its STOL operations from its regional operations, Tara Air operates scheduled domestic flights to 18 destinations in the country.

IOM, Yeti Airlines renew service agreement

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Yeti Airlines have extended their partnership.
Yeti Airlines, which has been providing exclusive air travel service to IOM since 2008, has once more been selected to be the official air travel partner of the IOM, according to the airlines. "The airlines that operates BAE’s Jet stream 41 — the world’s best turboprop aircraft — has been continuously offering its best services to IOM for over than five years. The airlines has provided service for over 2,345 chartered flights assisting 75,326 passengers. The IOM — the world’s leading international organisation working in the field of migration — works in close coordination with various actors in the international, national and local community to fulfill its mandate to uphold the dignity and wellbeing of migrants. As an inter-governmental organisation that has offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all by providing services and advice to governments and assistance to migrants.
Nepal became an IOM member state in 2006 and IOM has had the distinct pleasure to support its important member state in a range of areas of intervention including inter alia movement, emergency and post-crisis management, labour migration, reparation programmes, counter-trafficking and in addressing climate change and environmental degradation.
As in Nepal, road transport is often not easy and available for all destinations, the IOM has joined hands with Yeti Airlines, for travel as a reliable, trustworthy, and efficient partner. "The partnership is particularly critical to IOM’s work on refugee resettlement, whereby IOM flies all refugees that it is assisting across the country," it added.
At the core of IOM’s work, lies the beneficiary of its service, and IOM has found given Yeti’s airline’s excellent service to it and the refugees, the according to the airlines that has been since past 14 years, whether it is on-board or on-ground, serving with pride and determination, and most importantly, with timeliness.
The airlines operates a fleet of BAE’s most advanced Jetstream-41 aircrafts, in accordance with safety standards that remain unmatched. "It is the first airline to receive the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) based NCAR 145 certificate, and Maintenance Organisation Approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Yeti Airlines, along with Tara Airlines, flies the widest network with over 50 flights a day in the country.

Tara Air brings Dornier aircraft

Tara Air added a Dornier 228-212 aircraft to its fleet on Friday to provide additional service in remote areas.

"The German-made aircraft was purchased from Island Aviation Service Company of Maldives," said senior manager of the airlines Vinaya Shakya, adding that the aircraft is installed with Honeywell TPE-31 engine. "The aircraft is equipped with ultra modern Ground Proximity Warning System and Traffic Collision Awareness System (TCAS-1) as well as Weather Radar. The 19-seater aircraft was manufactured in 2002."

With the addition of this Dornier aircraft –– registration number 9N-AKE Dornier 228-212 –– Tara Air now has a fleet of seven aircraft, comprising of two Dorniers and five Twin Otters, he added.

The addition will help us serve passengers from far-flung remote areas, and transport construction and food materials more efficiently, said Shakya, adding that it will directly contribute towards tourism, as well as in the local development of remote regions.

Tara Air operates regular flights from Kathmandu to Lukla, Phaplu, Lamidanda, Rumjatar, Tumlingtar, Ramechhap and Bhojpur, besides Jomsom and Manang from Pokhara. It operates flights regularly to Dolpa, Jumla, Bajura, Simikot and Rara from Nepalgunj and Surkhet.

Yeti Airlines and Tara Air have been playing a major role in the private domestic air transportation sector since the last 14 years, according to the company.

Yeti Air gets safety certification

Yeti Airlines Domestic has become the first domestic airline company to fulfill all the requirements of the European Aviation Safety Agency on time, and received the prestigious NCAR 145 certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal today.
As per the commitment of European Aviation Safety Agency to implement the requirements and standards set by it for aircraft maintenance in the SAARC countries, the company has fulfilled all the requirements, the airlines said, adding that Yeti Airlines Domestic has become the first company to be conferred with this prestigious certification for aircraft maintenance.
"The company further commits to strictly adhere to these strict international aircraft maintenance standards in the future to ensure maximum safety," said Yeti Airlines that operates seven Jetstream-41 advanced turbo prop aircraft across Nepal. "It has the widest area coverage network in the country and provides service to more than 500,000 passengers annually."
The airline has always focused on 'Flying On Time and Highest Safety Standards', thus making it the preferred airline among passengers of all sectors, it claimed.

Hike in fuel surcharge pushes airfare up

Domestic airlines are increasing fuel surcharge that will increase the airfare by Rs 55 to Rs 200 following the price-hike in air turbine fuel (ATF).
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has increased Rs 5 per liter in ATF on Wednesday, taking the ATF price to Rs 105 per liter. With this, the ATF price has increased by Rs 50 per liter in two years. Domestic airlines had increased the fuel surcharge up to Rs 775 following the increment of Rs 10 per liter in May last year.
Largest domestic airline Buddha Air has announced new airfare, which will be effective from Saturday whereas other airlines including Yeti, Guna and Agni are preparing to hike the airfare shortly.
“With the increment in ATF, fuel surcharge will increase in the range of Rs 60 to Rs 200,” executive marketing manager of Buddha Air Rupesh Joshi said.
However, another domestic player Yeti Airlines has not yet decided anything on increasing airfare so far. Agni Air and Guna Air officials are increasing their new airfare effective from Monday.
According to the regulations, airlines can increase fuel surcharge when ATF price is increased by more than Rs 4 per litre. Similarly, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) reviews airfare every two years on the basis of inflation rate, fuel price and maintenance cost.

Goma Air to fly soon

Goma Air is bringing Cessna Caravan tomorrow.
"We will be based in Surkhet and fly to the five western hilly districts -- Jumla, Mugu, Humla, Bajhang, and Bajura -- currently," said Goma Air chairman Upendra Bhattarai.
"But we will be expanding our services to Rolpa soon," he said adding that the two Cessna Caravan of Goma Air have been flying to Kathmandu from Muscat, Oman today through New Delhi and land at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) by tomorrow afternoon.
The airlines with an investment of Rs 250 million plans to have passenger and cargo flights. "The nine-seater aircraft will be modified to 14-seater for the passenger flight," he said, adding that the aircraft has 1300-kg cargo carrying capacity, though it depends on district-to-distrcist, as the western hilly districts have various altitudes.
The airlines that has six captains and two aeronautical engineers among the promoters also have chartered flights apart from the cargo and passenger flight.
There are eight domestic airlines and five helicopter services currently operating from Kathmandu.
While the domestic passenger movement has grown by 13 per cent, domestic aircraft movement increased a nominal 2.09 per cent in a year, according to the data. Almost all the domestic carriers saw their business taking off during the period.
Today it is possible to reach to most of the tourist destinations in Nepal from the remote airfields to major cities in the country by air and the private airlines have greatly contributed to the tourism industry too.
The step taken by the government after 1990 by adopting an open sky policy allowing the private airlines to step in the domestic air service front has not only strengthened the development of tourism sector, but also create employment for thousands educated professionals.