Conversation with Captain Bed Upreti about the new wide-body aircraft museum
November 18, 2016- Kathmandu
The Turkish Airlines wide-body Airbus A330-300 which crash landed at the runway of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) a year ago in March 2015 was bought by Captain Bed Upreti recently. The aircraft which is kept at the east helipad of the airport has been dismantled by the respective airline authority.
In an exclusive telephone conversation with Captain Bed Upreti, a former Nepalese Army pilot, we asked him about the upcoming plans regarding the aircraft museum that is going to be set up in Kathmandu.
What was the response of the Turkish Airlines after hearing about your plans?
They were excited about the project and were interested too. As I had previous experiences of operating aircraft museum, they were more supportive. They have also been cooperative with the dismantling process. They have also provided the landing gear free of cost which will make the aircraft movement easy and affordable.
How is the dismantling process of the Airbus A330-300 going?
The dismantling responsibility of the Turkish Airlines has been completed by the airline authority and the remaining dismantling process will be done by the end of the December.
Where would the museum be located in Kathmandu?
The location is not yet fixed but it will likely be near the airport, probably in Sinamangal Area.
What are your plans for the museum?
The museum will serve as a tourist destination along with for students and aviation enthusiasts. The museum will consist simulators for pilots, present the documentary about construction, show evolution of aircraft and will feature about 300 different model of aircraft, along with aerial photo gallery serving to show the people coming to the museum.
The aircraft museum will also include airport models, cargo compartments- double decker and also conduct cabin crew and pilot training and instruct about flying videos and aviation safety.
There will also be some international standard awareness program regarding the situations of Nepalese aviation.
Are all the procedures completed for the establishment of the museum?
The paperwork related to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has been completed and the aircraft has been named to Bed Upreti Trust already and the 110 seater Fokker previously of Cosmic Air is also under the trust. Also, the livery will also get changed.
