Private airline operator, Tara Air conducted a successful test flight at Balewa Airport located at Baglung Municipality-14 today.
According to the discussion between Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Tara Air, Nepal Airlines Corporation representatives and Baglung Municipality in last two week, the test flight has been conducted.
Surrendra Khadka,Deputy head of Baglung Municipality stated that with the aim to facilitate the airport, the task of removing the tree of the south east of the airport has been started. Similarly, the fencing and security arrangements are also being done. The repair and maintenance of the infrastructure has reached the last phase, he added.
As per the information, Nepal Airlines Corporation and Tara Air will be conducting scheduled flight with its 18 seated STOL aircraft every Sunday from Chaitra 9. Minimum 12 passengers are required to operate the flight from Baglung to Kathmandu. If 8-9 passengers are there instead of 12, Baglung Municipality has agreed to look after insufficient freight.
In 2022 BS, the construction of the Baglung-Pokhara road was completed and after that in 2048, the airport came to a closure. Although the initiative was taken to bring the airport into operation several times but it did not get meaningfulness.
As accordance to the agreement held between the counter-parties two airline companies i.e. NAC and Tara air will execute two schedule flights with its 18 seated STOL aircraft; one flight each in a week from March 23 (Chaitra 9), this year. Former Education Minister, Daynath Sharma and Former Tourist Minister Lokendra Bista had instigated their steps for the airport operation and had successfully conducted test flight on the airport with NAC Twin Otter equipment but the airport had failed to come back on operation.
Balewa Airport is considered important for tourism and development of Dhaulagiri region as well.
