Iconic Aircraft (adding glory) from the past 50 years flying in Nepal
January 2, 2017- Kathmandu
At any one period, the skies are lively with movement. The air traveler nowadays has a wide spread of frequencies, networks and types of service available to them — but there’s one area where choice has constricted.
Growing amalgamation in the aircraft manufacturing industry, determined by its huge capital necessities and enormous economies of scale, means we’re flying in a gradually narrower range of airliner types.
While there’s much to appreciate in the most contemporary aircraft models, those looking for eccentric flying experiences will have to try harder.
Here, in part one of the assortment of iconic aircraft today’s Nepalese aviation enthusiast still fly in, here are some of the favorite planes (according to CNN) from the last 50 years flying in Nepal.
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
First flight: 1965
Often used as a customer aircraft providing service to small populations, the Twin Otter is a small, solid aircraft that’s nonetheless proficient of the most incredible landings.
For example, it delivers service to the Caribbean island of Saba — which has the shortest commercial landing strip in the world.
Used in the STOL region, the aircraft can reach at the highest elevation of the country to provide its services.
ATR 42
First flight: 1984
What Airbus is to jets, ATR is to smaller, turboprop airplane.
In the initial 1980s, French firm Aerospatiale (now part of Airbus) and Alenia, of Italy, combined services to design a regional propeller aircraft.
The result was the ATR 42 and, later on, its bigger derivative, the ATR 72, both riotously successful in their market positions.
Numerous airlines fly the ATR 42. Among the largest operators are Aeromar in Mexico and HOP. Air France’s regional subsidiary.
In Nepal, Buddha Air and Tara Air flies ATR series.
Airbus A320
First flight: 1987
Although it first soared in 1987 — two decades later than its archrival Boeing 737, the A320 has achieved to catch up with the Boeing 737 and even beat it.
The A320 was Airbus’ answer to the Boeing 737 and, with its fly-by-wire and side stick controls, forged a new approach to commercial aircraft.
The A320 has deposited an entire family of aircraft, from the smaller A318 and A319 to the stretched A321, which gives airlines sufficient flexibility when planning their fleets without forgoing the efficiency obtained from allocating a mutual technology.
As is the case with the Boeing 737, the A320 is still a sprouting aircraft. Distributions of its latest repetition, the re-engined A320neo, are just preliminary.
Nepal Airlines has two of the Airbus A320s while Himalaya Airlines has one A320 and another will arrive shortly. All of them operate internationally.
Bombardier CRJ
First flight: 1991
This aircraft family has made a large influence to the promotion of the local jet concept.
Canadian manufacturer Bombardier has manufactured different sizes of this stylized aircraft, from the 50-seat to the 100-seat classifications.
The planes are advertised as CRJ and include a number that labels their capacity — CRJ700 for the 70-seater, CRJ900 for the 90-seater and so on.
Hundreds of CRJs are currently flying, with the type being chiefly prevalent among feeder airlines across North America and Europe.
Saurya Airlines consist the Bombardier CRJ200, also being the first airliner of the country.
