-KATHMANDU
(New entrant to the Nepalese helicopter market hopes to begin operations with a fresh approach.)
R.S Helicopter Pvt. Ltd, a new operator in Nepal, was awarded License for operating Charter Helicopter services from Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) dated July 21st, 2018.
According to the highly placed source, the helicopter company has been awarded License No. 161|075|76 from MoCTCA to operate 3 AS350B3e (H125) Helicopter with base outside of Tribhuvan International Airport. The carrier now has applied for the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) – the equivalent of an operator’s certificate, granting permission for the company to begin commercial helicopter operations from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
The addition of new helicopter companies suggests that the difficult geographical terrain of the country demands for an alternative means of faster and reliable transport. There are also many other helicopter companies is Nepal which operates with Airbus AS350 B3e helicopter including Nepali Army.
The H125 series are currently in-service worldwide and are mainly used for high-performance missions in high & hot environmental conditions. “The H125 is a member of Airbus Helicopters’ rugged and proven Ecureuil family and some 6,000 Ecureuils have been delivered in nearly 120 countries for some 1,800 operators.”
The H125 has broken world records throughout its career. In 2005, the AS350 B3 broke the world record for the highest-altitude landing and takeoff, performed on Mount Everest at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet), a title still held today. On 19 May 2013, the AS350 B3 performed the world’s highest long-line rescue operation on Lhotse, the world’s fourth highest mountain, located in the Himalayas, at 7,800 meters (25,590 feet). So, this type of helicopter has proved to be prominent for the rescue, evacuation and emergency operations in Nepal.
