-KATHMANDU
The rooftop helipad located above fourteen floors at an elevation of 4480 ft. of the Grande Hospital in Kathmandu resumes its normal operation after the temporary suspension following the crash land of Simrik Air AS350B2 ‘9N-ALR’ while approaching to land at the rooftop helipad on June 30, 2018.
As per the source, the Aerodrome Safety Standards Department under the CAA Nepal had inspected the Helipad site on October 31st and November 19th. The department after the inspection had allowed the Hospital to resume its Elevated Roof Top Helipad for the normal operation. The Hospital had repaired the damaged section of the Helipad after the crash land of Simrik Air AS350 B2 aircraft.
Simrik Air AS350B2 ‘9N-ALR’ crash-landed while approaching to land at the rooftop helipad of Grande International Hospital on June 30, this year and fortunately, the single occupant of the helicopter Pilot Capt. Hareram Thapa escaped without any injury. After successfully airlifting a patient from Charikot to Grande, the helicopter was again on the way to Bharatpur to evacuate another patient following a refueling at TIA and was expected to land at the helipad to ferry the medical team. The helicopter fell 10 feet down off the rooftop helipad of the hospital while touching down for landing. The authority has still grounded the Captain Hareram Thapa has not been released for the normal duty.
The Elevated rooftop helipad has a concrete deck surface with rubberized non-slip material and is equipped with the Wind Sock for countering Wind direction. The rooftop helipad at Grande International Hospital provides for efficient and quick patient rescue and has allowed the Hospital to rescue patients from all over Nepal. The helipad is facilitated with a devoted lift that takes patients straight to the Emergency Room.
