NAC Intends To Add Only Airbus In Its Fleet For International Flights Onward.
Nepal Airlines in its recent report has stated their desire to limiting the new arrivals in its international fleet to be from Airbus only. NAC which is due to be open for tenders for purchase of a new Airbus within 5 months has come forward with this information.
NAC has come forward with the decision seemingly to cut down expenses on management and human resources. NAC to this time has a twinotter, MA 60, Y 12 E, two Boeing 757s and two Airbus A320s in its fleet. The recently bought Airbus hasn’t been in full operation due to the lack of trained pilots. Tenders for new pilots have already been issued.
“Having different aircrafts has increased the difficulty in management “, said Mr. Sugat Ratna Kansakar, General Manager of NAC. He further explained, “We have decided that only Airbus will be purchased by NAC for its international fleet. Airline companies in other countries don’t operate different aircrafts. At least a fleet of 15 to 20 similar ones are purchased before adding a different model. We have already added two Airbus A320s and thus have decided any other addition to our international fleet will be from the same company.”
The consequences of using 5 different aircrafts has been a concern in many ways ranging from lack of pilots, engineers to expenses on spare parts. CAAN has since last year has forbid a single pilot to fly different aircrafts. This has had a hit on NAC as it is facing a lack of pilots for the recently purchased Airbus A320s.
“The provision for distinct pilots for different aircrafts has led to much difficulty in management and created a shortage of pilots”, said Mr. Ramhari Sharma, Corporate Director of NAC. 7 pilots are on commander training and 12 are training as pilots from Airbus. “NAC has prepared to call in 5 foreign pilots as commanders. We are also hiring a trainer and 4 pilots. A global tender of such has already been issued”, said Mr. Sharma. He further adds, “The foreign pilots will have salaries ranging from NRS 1.2 to 1.5 million.”
“We are also hiring a Type Rating Examiner and a Type Rating Instructor. The Nepali pilots can thus be trained and tested. Hiring such foreign pilots for a fixed time period will uplift the abilities and confidence of pilots so as to help them conduct independent flights in near future”, concluded Sharma.
Process of purchase of New Aircraft to be started after 5 months
NAC has decided to add a new aircraft to its fleet in order to expand its list of destinations. General Manager Sugat Ratna Kansakar has put the new purchase on top priority and thus a global tender of such will be issued after 5 months.
“I have already consulted the management about the purchase of a new aircraft. A discussion has already taken place for issuing a global tender. We are begun our homework for adding a wide body aircraft to our fleet. It will be followed by the purchase of a narrow body aircraft”, said Mr. Kansakar.
He further added, “Since we have limited our purchase to Airbus, we are also looking onto the possibilities buying of Airbus that have been used by different airliners. The type and age of the aircraft will be put into perspective before a second hand purchase. NAC has been using aircrafts from Boeing for a long time and its expenses too have been huge and thus will be replaced by Airbus in near future.”
He has aimed to add one Airbus every 9 months. ”A 10 year business plan is a long model and so I have decided to reduce it to a 4 year plan and work with such planning”, said a determined Kansakar who has aimed to add 6 to 8 new Airbus to the NAC fleet within his period of service.
