Summit Air (Former Goma Air) landed its fifth L410 UVPE-20 18 passenger seat aircraft yesterday at Tribhuvan International Airport. The maintained LET aircraft had arrived Kathmandu at 1:15 pm Nepali time yesterday.
As been reported by Mrs. Manjani Shrestha Dangol, Chief of Marketing Department for Summit Air, the aircraft is 2000 hour flown maintained aircraft. The aircraft has only been operated for about 2000 hours since coming out from the manufacturing plant and the airline has bought the aircraft in cooperation with LET manufacturer, she added.
2000 hours operated aircraft had arrived Nepal from South Africa by resting in various transits on the way. The aircraft was on a transit in New Delhi prior flying for Nepal.
Captain Stephen Jolly from Algeria had operated the flight from South Africa to Nepal for Summit Air. The aircraft is yet to acquire Nepali registration and was operated to Nepal with South African registration.
The aircraft is equipped with latest Avionics (EGPWS, TCAS, Weather Radar and Auto Pilot). This would be the first aircraft in Nepal in its category with air conditioning facility, added Dangol.
Mrs. Manjanai reported Aviationnepal that airline after completing pending documentation procedure will receive the certificate of air operation from Civil Aviation of Nepal and will start the operation of the newly arrived LET aircraft by coming week duration.
Summit Air after this addition will have four L410 UVPE-20 Aircraft in its fleet. But the aircraft, in general, is the fifth LET aircraft owned by the airline. Previously, Goma Air lost one (9N-AKY’-MSN 2917) in a catastrophic crash at Lukla Airport on 27 May this year.
Summit has already trained its manpower for operating the aircraft. The airline will be operating the aircraft in their regular STOL route airport of the country and are also planning to start commercial operation to Jomsom.
The aircraft will be operated with plain white livery at the beginning and will only acquire the official Summit color by coming June.
