Paragliding pilots told to get license within a week: Pokhara, Nepal

POKHARA, Sept 2: Local administration has asked Nepali paragliding pilots, who were so far plying their trade without any license or accreditation, to get license by September 7.

Chief District Officer of Kaski, Yadav Koirala, said the local administration has given local pilots a week-long time-frame beginning Sunday to meet all requirements for operating paragliding flights. “We have tried to regulate the paragliding pilots working in the lake city, as it would be difficult for us to take action if any untoward incidents happen,” Koirala said.

He further said the local administration asked pilots to get license within a week after none of them applied for the license on their own.

The Aviation Sports Regulation 2013 makes it mandatory for local pilots to obtain a license from authorities concerned before operating paragliding flights.

Paragliding entrepreneurs, however, said the regulation has yet to be implemented.

Koirala said the local administration will take action against pilots if they are found operating flights without getting license after September 7. “We have not decided yet what action we will be taking. But we will go to the extent of revoking registration of paragliding companies that allow unlicensed pilots to operate flights,” he added.

Basanta Raj Dawadi, general secretary of Nepal Air Sports Association (NAA), said delay in the implementation of the regulation has affected the paragliding business. “Nepali pilots were excited when they knew the government would provide license to them as per the Nepal Air Sports Regulation. But they were disappointed, as the government has been postponing the process to distribute license even eight months after the enforcement of the regulation,” he added. “The local authority told the pilots that they don´t have ´additional´ documents for the regulation.”

Most of the Nepali pilots are operating paragliding flights based on their skills and expertise, while few of them has taken permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) after producing license issued by other countries.

After the DAO Kaski asked paragliding pilots to get license within seven days, NAA has said it will put pressure on the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to start licensing process on a fast track mode.

“The government is not issuing license, but the Kaski DAO is asking pilots to get license within seven days,” Dawadi said, adding that the decision will affect paragliding operators ahead of the peak tourist season.

Pratap Babu Tiwari, chief of CAAN´s Pokhara Office, said the process to issue license to paragliding pilots has been delayed as the aviation service regulator is yet to make standards for the regulation.

Source:  http://www.myrepublica.com