A private helicopter operator, Altitude Air has received its brand new H125 (AS350 B3e) series Airbus Helicopter. The helicopter arrived on 3rd April at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for commercial operation.
The chopper manufactured by Airbus Helicopter Company with call sign ‘9N-AMX’ landed day-before yesterday at TIA at around 4 PM. The chopper under command of Captain Keshav Prasad Gauchan and Rabindra Prajapti along with engineers arrived yesterday after around 16 hour long ferry flight.
Around a month ago the chopper was spotted at Airbus Helicopter Facility at Singapore. The helicopter was dispatched from Airbus Helicopter Southeast Asia, Singapore to Malaysia and landed on Nepal via transiting in Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh and India.
This is the 3rd helicopter in Altitude air fleet and the estimated cost of the helicopter is Nrs 310 million and will be used in high altitude search and rescue operation.
The AS 350 B3e is powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 2D turboshaft engine and is well known for its capacity to fly at the high altitude about (23,000 feet AMSL) all over the world. The chopper has also proved its capability in Nepal especially in mountain regions. It has the capacity of 6 seats excluding pilot and performs flawlessly in Aerial Sightseeing, Mountain Flights, Rescue Evacuation, Corporate Charter, Sling Operations, High altitude operations, and other special adventure missions.
Airbus received milestone from Nepal as the customers form the country including Nepalese Army, Shree Airlines, Manang Air, Simrik Air, Summit Helicopters (Formerly Fishtail Air), Air Dynasty, Mountain Helicopters, Altitude Air and Heli Everest collectively had already logged more than 50,000 flying hours with their combine H125 choppers.
These airbus helicopters are capable of flying in high altitudes which is suitable for Nepal as the country is full of mountains and hills.
When the unfavorable weather conditions cancel the majority of STOL flights, the helicopter ramp at Tribhuvan International Airport seems buzzing proving that Nepal’s helicopter is some of the busiest in the world.
