SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 21 -
A day after being acquitted by the Special Court of corruption charges in the
Airbus purchase deal, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) executive chairman Sugat Ratna Kansakar said that he would purchase aircraft for the national flag carrier at any cost.
Kansakar made this remark after resuming office on Wednesday at NAC. Addressing the staff, Kansakar expressed his confidence of overcoming any challenge to acquire aircraft for NAC. “I have suffered extremely over the aircraft purchase deal, and I don’t want to let my efforts go in vain,” said Kansakar to appreciative employees during the one-and-a-half-hour long welcome programme.
Although supporters of Kansakar were seen to be enthusiastic, unions and staffers supporting NAC managing director Kul Bahadur Limbu remained absent at the welcome programme. Kansakar and Limbu were at opposite ends regarding NAC’s plan to purchase aircraft from Airbus. After the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a corruption charge against Kansakar, Limbu was running the show at NAC.
The Special Court on Tuesday acquitted Kansakar and five other NAC officials - deputy managing directors Raju
Bahadur KC and Ganesh Thakur, acting director Gyanendra Purush Dhakal, director Mayur Shumsher Rana and acting deputy director Keshav Raj Sharma — who had been accused of corruption in the Airbus purchase deal. “All the officials will carry on their respective duties from Thursday,” said KC.
On the same occasion, Thakur said that signing of the deal to send the lock-up money to Airbus was one of the happiest moments of his life. “Unfortunately, the purchase process was stopped.”
The acquitted officials pointed out that the aircraft purchase deal was the right move. “Our efforts have proved that we were in favour in NAC,” the team said.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
TIA gives the nod to constant descent approach system
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, APR 21 -
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has implemented the constant descent approach (CDA) system for aircraft, scrapping the 13-year-old non-precision approach (NOPEN) as per the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Marking a major reform at the country’s only international airport, CDA allows big aircraft to make a smooth, constant-angle descent during the landing approach. Instead of approaching an airport in a stair-step fashion, CDA starts ideally from the top of the descent. Aviation experts said that the revised system would also benefit areas close to the airport as it reduces noise pollution. “The system has been revised in line with the regular upgrade of the country’s international airport as per the standards set by ICAO,” said Kishore Thapa, secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. He added that the new approach system would be more efficient and safer.
NOPEN known as the “dive and drive” approach has been revised after the ICAO group of experts’ findings recommended that the non-precision approach was riskier. ICAO had asked all the airports to implement CDA. “The new procedure is safer,” said Nepal Airlines Corporation Captain Sharwan Rijal.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) had revised the aircraft approach procedure on March 4. “After the implementation of CDA, we have seen that one steep descent is safer than the traditional ‘dive and drive’ approach,” said Rijal.
Implementation of CDA has drawn reservations from some international airlines. Pilots are required to take training to familiarize themselves with the new system. Qatar Airways had objected to CDA and written to CAAN saying that the high rate of descent was not practicable. “However, the airline has now been following the revised approach system,” an airline source said. According to the Economic Times, Air India pilots had decided not to operate flights to Kathmandu citing that the airline had
not given them system familiarization training after the revision of the approach system at TIA.
“Alleging that there had been no familiarisation training for approach and go around procedures which have been revised for Kathmandu airport, the pilot’s union, Indian Commercial Pilots Association, has asked its members not undertake flights to Nepal’s capital,” writes the Economic Times. As per the company training manual, pilots have to undergo familiarisation training in an Airbus 320 or Airbus 330 simulator. Rijal said it was difficult to adapt to the new rules immediately. “Training is necessary before executing the new approach. Now, a majority of the airlines are comfortable with it,” added Rijal.
KATHMANDU, APR 21 -
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has implemented the constant descent approach (CDA) system for aircraft, scrapping the 13-year-old non-precision approach (NOPEN) as per the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Marking a major reform at the country’s only international airport, CDA allows big aircraft to make a smooth, constant-angle descent during the landing approach. Instead of approaching an airport in a stair-step fashion, CDA starts ideally from the top of the descent. Aviation experts said that the revised system would also benefit areas close to the airport as it reduces noise pollution. “The system has been revised in line with the regular upgrade of the country’s international airport as per the standards set by ICAO,” said Kishore Thapa, secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. He added that the new approach system would be more efficient and safer.
NOPEN known as the “dive and drive” approach has been revised after the ICAO group of experts’ findings recommended that the non-precision approach was riskier. ICAO had asked all the airports to implement CDA. “The new procedure is safer,” said Nepal Airlines Corporation Captain Sharwan Rijal.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) had revised the aircraft approach procedure on March 4. “After the implementation of CDA, we have seen that one steep descent is safer than the traditional ‘dive and drive’ approach,” said Rijal.
Implementation of CDA has drawn reservations from some international airlines. Pilots are required to take training to familiarize themselves with the new system. Qatar Airways had objected to CDA and written to CAAN saying that the high rate of descent was not practicable. “However, the airline has now been following the revised approach system,” an airline source said. According to the Economic Times, Air India pilots had decided not to operate flights to Kathmandu citing that the airline had
not given them system familiarization training after the revision of the approach system at TIA.
“Alleging that there had been no familiarisation training for approach and go around procedures which have been revised for Kathmandu airport, the pilot’s union, Indian Commercial Pilots Association, has asked its members not undertake flights to Nepal’s capital,” writes the Economic Times. As per the company training manual, pilots have to undergo familiarisation training in an Airbus 320 or Airbus 330 simulator. Rijal said it was difficult to adapt to the new rules immediately. “Training is necessary before executing the new approach. Now, a majority of the airlines are comfortable with it,” added Rijal.
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