Tara Air conducted a successful test flight on Sukilumba Airport located at Ilam today afternoon with its Twin Otter DHC-6-300 ‘9N-AET’ aircraft.
There was a huge presence of local residents at the airport who welcomed the flight crews and other officials. Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) conducted test flight along with technical testing of the constructed airport.
The test flight was carried out after the runway grading work and level test had been accomplished to check the feasibility of the lengthened runway.
The airport terminal construction is under way and the blacktopping project has been expected to start soon after the successful test flight. The airport will come into full operation after the completion of remaining infrastructure projects.
Land acquisition work was done in the initiative of the local body and residents for the construction of the airport as the airport will spread over in three hundred 26 ropani areas. Earlier, at the cost of Rs70 million, the upgrading of the runway was completed along with the construction of drainage management and road.
Nepal Government suspended the Sukilumba Airport project due to lack to funds in the year 2015. Then the 760m dirt runway was constructed at a cost of NPR65 million.
The airport will serve the locals of the far eastern mountainous region along with the travelers to the hilly districts of Eastern Nepal and the tourist destinations of Darjeeling and Sikkim in India.
