-JOMSOM AIRPORT
Located at the bank of Kali Gandaki river, Jomsom Airport has been serving the town of Mustang-Jomsom as well get way to Mustang; renowned as a country beyond mountains, via airway.
Situated at elevation 2736m (8976 ft.), the STOL airport with ICAO code VNJS can help to reach Jomsom, Kagbeni, tangbe, Lo Manthang and Muktinath temple which is one of the popular pilgrimages for Nepali as well as Indians.
The airport is situated at the bank of Kali Gandaki River lying in between majestic mountains Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Nilgiri, and other towering peaks. Jomsom valley is one of the great tourist destinations of Nepal. The airport is situated in the world famous Annapurna round trek route.
The airport features blacktopped runway of 739 meters by 20 meters with the alignment of 06/24 with the peaceful view of Nilgiri Mountain. The airport is capable of parking 4 fixed-wing aircraft and 2 helicopters in its territory. Currently Nepal airlines, Summit and Tara air operate in the airport. The airlines operate from 6-12 am in morning time only due to weather adversity afterward.
Daily flights of 20 minutes to and from Pokhara are conducted as planes fly through Kali Gandaki gorge including sightings of major peaks like Dhangadi, Nilgiri, and Annapurna.
Upon entering the airport terminal, chairs are placed with a TV for spending time waiting for the flight and a small shop is established that sells coffee along with other snacks.
Wind hits 40-45 knots in the area making some difficulty in the flight operation. In January 2018, the wind speed of 70 knots was measured at the airport whereas three years ago, it was 101 knots which was the strongest wind speed ever recorded at the region.
Flights per day range from 1 to up to 5 maximum flights that are directly affected by weather phenomena. During peak tourism season 5 to 7 flights operate per day. The airport is well equipped with a fire extinguisher and the extra emergency vehicle is expected to be added in coming years and security of the airport is provided by Nepal police of the locality.
