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Far-west passengers hit hard as only airport of Province 7 lacks IFR facilities

File: Dhangadhi Airport

Kathmandu, December 15

The only airport of Province 7, Dhangadhi Airport in Kailali district, still lacks facilities related to instrumental flight rules (IFR), which would enable pilots to operate flights in lower visibility conditions too.

Instead, all flights to and from the airport, which boasts the second biggest runway in the country, depend on visual flight rules (VFR). Consequently, many flights get delayed and cancelled in case weather turns unfavourable. Dozens of passengers are hit hard due to flight delay and cancellation almost everyday.

While no flights get obstructed due to visibility issues in normal fog at other Terai-based airports, pilots refuse to fly to Dhangadhi unless there is a five-kilometre visibility, according to aviation officials.

Unlike in VFR, in IFR, flight navigation is possible with the reference of instruments which produce electronic signals.

It has been long since aviation officials and agencies started talking about installing VHF Omni-directional radio range (VOR) and distance measuring equipment (DME) at the airport. However, no action has taken place towards this end. Likewise, lack of sufficient lights have made it impossible to operate flights during nights at this airport.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Sudheer Kumar Shrestha, says the process to install necessary equipment has already begun.

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