Five member committee formed to evaluate the need for NAC to purchase new aircraft to serve domestic sector has recommended buying six new Viking Air DHC6-400 Twin Otter aircraft.
The committee led by NAC’s Deputy Director Ganesh Bahadur Chand hand over the report last week commending the management to purchase aircraft to expand services at remote areas.
Rabindra Shrestha, spokesperson of NAC said though administration has been figuring out on yielding deal with the Twin Otter aircraft manufacturer through which it can trade in its three vintage Twin Otters, but the committee has suggested persisting two deals separately. They have also advocated either selling out or auctioning the old Twin Otters of NAC individually.
The corporation would initiate the process of arranging financial resources to buy new planes soon after the board approval, he added. Each aircraft is predicted to cost $ 7 million but the exact prices will be known only after finalizing the deal’s negotiating with the manufacture company.
The manufacturer will deliver the aircraft within seven months if the government sanctioned the project told Saugat Kansakar, NAC Managing Director to the Kathmandu Post. There are various factors affecting to finance the purchase and Employees Provident Fund is one of them, he further affirmed.
The Corporation said the purchase approach either full or lease purchase is envisioned to be assured by the board.
With the sharp demand in remote areas NAC has already added six China-made aircraft to its fleet. The national flag carrier’s domestic fleet includes nine planes along with three vintage Twin Otter.
