Pokhara, April 17
The construction of an international airport in Pokhara is now set to be a reality. If its construction is completed on schedule, the airspace above the lake city will be subject to increased air traffic of additional flights.
But as much as the airport is expected to bring a much-needed revival to the tourism sector of the city, the operators of aerial sports like ultralight flights and paragliding fear that such activities will be subject to airspace regulation after the construction of the airport.
Presently, there are 65 different operators in Pokhara, which operate ultralight flights and paragliding. These operators are mainly based near Sarangkot and Tori Pani area, which will fall into the approach track for jetliners landing and taking off from the now under-construction airport.
“For flights to take off and land safely, paragliding should be completely banned in these areas once the international airport comes into operation,” says Sanjiv Gautam, director-general of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
“Moreover, those flights taking off from the domestic airport should also be banned since the airspace above will also fall on the approach track of the new airport,” Gautam adds. “It looks like this will also put an end to ultralight flights presently taking off from the domestic airport.”
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) mandates that airspace above airports should be completely banned from unregulated aerial activities.
But operators are reluctant to explore new locations because shifting base means trial flights and technical assessment, which add to expenses. Most operators have already invested in building infrastructure in their current base.
Moreover, most operators are still sceptical that the commencement of international flights will affect their flights.
“To say that once jets start flying above Pokhara, paragliding will be displaced is completely unfounded,” says Basanta Dawadi, general secretary of Nepal Air Sports Association (NASA). “There are many places in the world where these two kind of air traffic flow smoothly.”
CAAN has not given any formal notice to these operators to stop flights and relocate but its director-general Gautam suggested the relocation of such activities elsewhere within two years, while speaking with Onlinekhabar.
Pokhara still holds many locations, which are relatively untapped by entrepreneurs. Places in the northern belt of the city like Armala, Riwan, Saurya Pakha and Green Wall can be suitable alternative to Sarangkot from where most paragliders now take off.
Paragliding started in Pokhara nearly two decades ago and has since turned into a major attraction of the city.
The sport is particularly popular with Chinese tourists, who also indulge in other adventure sports like zip lining, bungee and ultraflight.
“Around 70 per cent of Chinese tourists, who come to Pokhara, go paragliding,” says Dawadi.
