Rithepani hill cut 14 meters

 

POKHARA, Nov 18: The first phase of cutting Rithepani Hill near Pokhara Airport, which is supposed to obstruct the flight and landing of large aircrafts has been completed. Civil Aviation Authority Nepal (CAAN) said that 14 meters of cutting of the hill has been completed so far. As there will be an 'approach' to the runway, about 40 meters of hill will be cut and made flat. Initially, 14 meters of hill was cut for mechanical flight.

According to the authority, a mechanical test flight 'Calibration Flight' will be conducted at the Pokhara Regional International Airport, which is the third international airport in the country, from the  November 21.

The regulatory Civil Aviation Authority Nepal has made a schedule of mechanical flights from November 21 to 27. Jagannath Niraula, spokesperson of the authority, informed that there will be mechanical flights at Pokhara airport for one week from November 21. Earlier, the authority had announced that mechanical flights would start from November 30. There will be a mechanical flight at Pokhara airport for one week. CAAN has already announced the commercial operation of Pokhara Airport from January 1 .

According to the authority, the flight schedule of the current old domestic airport may be changed during the mechanical flight. ``During the mechanical flight of the Pokhara International Airport, the internal flight of the old airport should be completely stopped, according to Aerothai's technician. We are also trying to arrange the flight schedule because we have to fly at the new airport," said spokesperson Niraula.

Air traffic controllers, towers, runways and communication equipment connected to the airport will be tested to see if they work or not. Commercial flights are conducted only after the mechanical tests are successful.

According to spokesperson Niraula, the plane of Aerothai Company has already arrived in Kathmandu last Sunday for mechanical flights to Pokhara and other airports in the country. Spokesman Niraula said that after completing mechanical flights to Pokhara International Airport, Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport and other airports in the country, Aerothai's plane will return on December 5. Aerothai's aircraft will conduct regular test flights at domestic airports across the country to check equipment.

Vinesh Munankarmi, head of the airport construction project, said that the physical infrastructure and technical work of Pokhara Airport, which is a project of national pride, has been completed. The authority said that the investment of this airport, spread over an area of about 3,900 ropani, will be about 22 billion. Currently, the airport has a runway of 2500 meters and a width of 45 meters and the thickness of the runway is 34 centimeters.