Goma Air’s additional two aircraft finally landed on TIA (Photo Feature)

February-26, 2017-Kathmandu

Goma Air’s two additional Let-410 aircraft that left Chita, Russia a week earlier finally landed in TIA today. The aircraft were scheduled to land TIA today at 11:00 am and 11:10 am but landed late due to delay of overfly permit for India. Both the aircraft after the delay of the overfly permit was scheduled to land Kathmandu at 1:30 pm 1:40 pm but arrived ten minutes earlier. Goma Air officials had stated that both the aircraft were at Bangkok on Friday evening and had landed at Chittagaun Airport of Bangladesh yesterday.

The aircraft took off from Chita, Russia and landed Nepal via transiting in Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Thailand and Bangladesh.  Shiva Ram Thapa, Kathmandu airport operation coordinator for the airlines had reported that both aircraft has been operated for 800 hours and are in maintained condition. Both the aircraft holds 19 seat configurations including one seat for the cabin crew. Shiva had also reported that in general one factory made LET 410 will cost six million and five hundred thousands of American currency.

Both the aircraft along with previous two planes will now have new livery of the airlines. The landed aircraft will also be modified before being operated. All the modification and crew training program will be conducted in Nepalgunj.

Goma has completed the custom protocols of both aircraft and the remaining documentation procedure will be completed within the period of 2-3 working days reported Shiva.

Shiva also spoke that the authorities from the airlines plans to operate the first flight from this Thursday. The aircraft had arrived under the command of Captain Manish Panta, Captain Ang Dorje Sherpa, Captain Bipul Pokhrel and First Officer Lakhpa Sherpa along with engineering team of Sunil Jha and Prajol Jung Rana.

Let-410 is a twin-engine turboprop short range transport (mostly passenger transport) aircraft manufactured by the Czech aircraft manufacturer LET. The landing of two Let -410 today increased Goma Air’s fleet number to six. Now the company is proud owner of four Let-410 UVP-E20 and two Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft. The aircraft have been registered as “9N-AMG” and “9N-AMH” by the airlines.

Goma Air currently operates regular and charter services to airfields in remote and mountainous STOL(Short Takeoff and Landing) destinations of West Nepal like Jumla, Simikot, Dolpa, Lukla, Bajura, Rukumkot, Bajhanga and Tanana from its Surkhet and Nepalgunj hubs.

The company now will be adding new destinations namely Tumlingtar, Taplejung will be conducting daily flight to Jomsoom from Pokhara and flying over western region via Nepalgunj. The airline has decided to operate daily flight from Pokhara and Nepalgunj airport with its two newly arrived aircraft.

Photo Feature