Why does Nepal’s aviation {industry} have questions of safety? A professional explains

A Yeti Airways ATR 72-500 plane crashed in Pokhara in central Nepal on January 15 2023, killing no less than 68 passengers on board. The plane was once en direction from Nepal’s capital Kathmandu to Pokhara, the rustic’s 2nd greatest town, positioned below the picturesque Annapurna mountain vary.

Whilst the picturesque panorama of the rustic appeals to vacationers, it poses vital demanding situations to aviation operators, who wish to include and navigate the difficult surroundings.

The air crash on Sunday was once Nepal’s worst aviation crisis since 1992. The rustic has been operating to triumph over its demanding situations in aviation.

A difficult panorama

Topography has talented Nepal with picturesque landscapes, however posits unequalled demanding situations to flight operations.

Nepal, positioned between India and China, is house to 8 of the arena’s 14 perfect mountains, together with Mount Everest or Sagarmāthā. For flight operations, it is a nearly unequalled, harsh surroundings with surprising climate adjustments that may make for hazardous prerequisites.

Airports inbuilt mountainous areas incessantly wish to have shorter runways that may simplest accommodate turboprop-powered regional plane, reasonably than huge jet airliners that may get admission to greater towns in Nepal.

Consequently, aviation carriers in Nepal have various plane on their fleets. Those craft range in situation, presenting doable security hazards.

The ATR 72 plane is one standard plane utilized by Nepali carriers. This is a turboprop-powered regional plane with a capability between 44 and 78 passengers. Those plane are manufactured via a three way partnership of Airbus in France and Leonardo in Italy.

The plane concerned on this crash were in provider for 15 years, a moderately standard age for an plane.

The general record on what took place to the tragic Yeti Airways flight will take over a month to finish.

A rising and fast-changing {industry}

Nepal has welcomed personal funding into its aviation sector since 1992. Yeti Airways is certainly one of 20 home carriers. The airline, headquartered in Kathmandu, flies to 10 home locations the use of ATR 72-500 plane. As well as, 29 global airways perform into Nepal’s capital too.

With air commute in Nepal turning into extra obtainable and reasonably priced, airport infrastructure building has remained some distance at the back of in comparison to the expansion of air visitors. This has ended in expanding congestion at airports, fare pageant between airways, and reduced security information.

Actually, the rustic has recorded no less than 350 casualties related to airplanes or helicopters since 2000, which has raised questions in regards to the effectiveness of its aviation security laws.

The aviation regulator in fee is the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, a central authority company established in 1998.

Running arduous to enhance

Nepal was a member of the UN’s Global Civil Aviation Group (ICAO) in 1960. This club obliges the rustic to abide via global conventions, ICAO’s laws, requirements, and beneficial practices in aviation security.

Whilst Nepal’s aviation {industry} has made vital efforts to enhance security, sadly the protection file nonetheless does not fit up with the necessities of different civil aviation government.

Particularly, the Ecu Union banned all Nepali airways from running within the bloc’s airspace in 2013 after ICAO raised a crimson flag. That ban nonetheless hasn’t been lifted, and Nepal stays at the EU Air Protection Listing.

In spite of the tragic casualty file, Nepal has stepped up its efforts to enhance aviation security. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has been specializing in bettering security in Nepali aviation—corresponding to construction enhancements at airports, upgrading security apparatus, and fostering a favorable security tradition via encouraging danger reporting.

Nepal’s substantial development in security measures and compliance with global requirements was once known via ICAO in 2018. Alternatively, the rustic will have to proceed paintings on its aviation reform to make its skies protected for everybody.

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