-KATHMANDU
(Russian-American aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky once said, “If you are in trouble anywhere in the world, an airplane can fly over and drop flowers, but a helicopter can land and save your life.”)
The Helicopter flight operators have addressed the government regarding the long provision to allow permission to fly helicopters in some restricted areas of Nepal. The rescue operation at the place like Mustang and other Himalaya region requires special permission from Home Ministry and tourists are also required to get necessary permissions for visiting the place.
The Home Ministry provides the recommendation for the concerned district officer and the Chief District Officer has to ask for the recommendation of the Village Secretary to grant the permission to fly helicopter.
The Senior Tourism Entrepreneur informed that the rescue process is often delayed due to the long process. He said that despite the slow pace of permission from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to conduct operations throughout the country, the provision of additional recommendations should be taken from different bodies. He also urged that the government to make the process of gaining permission from home ministry easier. “There is no problem in providing immediate relief after gaining permission from the Home Ministry,” he said. However, if the process goes through 10 different offices, it would be difficult to rescue people and complicated circumstances could be created.
Senior Helicopter Captain informed that in the evening twilight on Friday he had a call for emergency medical evacuation. But the place where he had to carry out medical evacuation was on Far western region and need to have proper flight permission to pass through the restricted area as it was Friday evening so, he needed to wait until Sunday for the open of the government offices which is a long period of time and sometimes lots of patients and victims would lose the life flowing the lengthy permission process by the government.
Due to this, the tourists who have to be immediately rescued have suffered a major problem. Especially tourists visiting Mustang are found to be victims of this problem more often.
A man comes out of helicopter, ties itself in a sling rope and slowly moves down through hoist attached at the bottom of helicopter and goes down at any altitude to save another man at any location around earth. Yes, this operation can be modified into carrying cargos, loads, constructing materials, scientific structures, communication antennas, vehicles or any calculated possibilities. But, saving life has to be the best contribution that rotorcraft will continue to provide for earth’s inhabitants.
