-KATHMANDU
Tariguan Airport based at Dang, Tulsipur is expected to resume its operation from the second week of October 2018 as the flight operations had been disruptive and inconsistent for a long time.
After the reoperation of the airport, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is preparing to commence flights from the second week of October. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal expedited the process after receiving repeated pressure from locals and authorities of Dang for commencing the commercial flight.
The NAC official had vowed to deploy all the aircraft for commercial operation for the upcoming main festival, Dashain. NAC planned to deploy its Chinese manufactured Harbin Y-12E STOL aircraft. NAC also plans to extend its service to other STOL destinations like Lukla, Simikot, Dolpa, Rara, and Jumla with its fleet of four Harbin Y-12E aircraft in the coming future.
NAC had only flown to airport till 2 decades ago but couldn’t operate consistently due to fuel shortage. By the late 90s, NAC, Yeti and Sita airlines conducted a flight per week and continued for 6 years. Then the airport was closed for 4 years for the blacktopping project. A couple of years back since May 28, 2015, Summit Air, previously Goma Air operated the flight with the help of Tulshipur Industries and commerce union that continued for 9 months only. Later it was halted stating due to lack of passengers. Summit airlines also on January 7, 2017, again had resumed operation but it has been occasional and was shut down eventually.
Locals of Dang haven’t been able to utilize the blacktopping of the 700-meter runway that was achieved in an investment of 100 million rupees. Locals have been agitated after the fact that the government hasn’t given priority to the airport in the current fiscal year budget to upgrade the airport.
Peoples of Dang have to take air service from Nepalgunj airport now. Summit air initially took NPR 7200 for the flight in coordination with Tulsipur sub-metropolitan but stating the increment in air-fuel the airlines had increased the price up to 2680 NPR for one way only, thus facing decrements in passengers’ movement.
Dang (Tarigaun) Airport is located in western Nepal at an elevation of 634 m/2080 ft. above mean sea level. The airport has Bituminous Paved (Asphalt Concrete) runway with its dimension of 750 m x 30 meters aligned to 160 degrees and 340 degrees. The airport currently has three parking bay which can accommodate the STOL aircraft like Dornier D228, DHC6 Twin Otter, LET L410, Harbin Y12e and Cessna Grand Caravan C208.
