CAAN prepared to issue new rules

KATHMANDU, Jan 31:The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal(CAAN), the regulatory body of the aviation sector, has prepared to issue new rules to reduce air accidents.

According to the draft of the new rules made by the authority, now a pilot will be allowed to fly eight hours a day and eight flights at most. Currently, there is a provision of 10 hours and 10 flights per day.

Similarly, a rule is going to be issued with the provision that the plane should always be above 500 feet above the ground level during the 'short take off and landing' (stall) flight in mountainous areas and at least 1000 feet above the ground level while flying in accessible areas.

According to the authority, among the measures that can be taken to reduce accidents, the new rules that are currently being prepared will provide some assistance. However, the decision has not been made.

It is mentioned that all the instructor pilots (IP) of the airline company must go to the plane manufacturing company for a skill test, and they cannot fly the 'Visual Flight Route' (VFR) at the airport where the 'Instrumental Flight Rule' (IFR) is flying.

Now VFR flights and landings are taking place even at the airport where IFR flights are taking place. A new rule is about to be issued so that VFR flights are not allowed at airports where IFR flights are conducted. IFR means instrument-assisted flight while VFR means flight with the pilot looking ahead from the cockpit.

A senior official of the CAAN said that although the new rules have been prepared, no decision has been taken yet. The official said, "Because of the discussion, it has not been made public yet, and a decision can be made in a few days to be implemented from the summer season."