New paragliding directives soon

Pokhara: Underscoring the need to manage the booming paragliding business in Pokhara, paragliding entrepreneurs, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and aviation sports associations are working out paragliding operational directives.

CAAN officials said it has become necessary to manage the business as problems have increased in the absence of solid rules and regulations.

CAAN Deputy Director General Min Raj Upadhyaya said, “In the lack of guidelines, problems are rising in paragliding business. So, to solve the problems and to make the business more professional, we are working to introduce directives.” He said the new directives will be ready within two months.

According to Upadhyaya, the directive will address the existing problems regarding pilot´s license. He said they are working to determine the qualifications and eligible age for paragliding pilots, eligible age for passangers, and to manage foreign pilots´ licenses and insurance for the pilots and passengers among other things.

“At present, paragliding flights are being conducted haphazardly for lack of legal guidelines, so we want to systematize it,” Upadhyaya added.

Upadhyaya said even minors are being allowed to paraglide purportedly to set new records and such practice should stop.

The new directives are also expected to address the concerns that the government has not been issuing licenses for paragliding pilots. “The new directives will address the licensing issue. Eligible Nepali pilots will be awarded with internationally recognized licenses,” said Upadhyaya.

Basanta Dawadi, the general secretary of Nepal Air Sports Association (NAA), informed that the new directives would expand the area of the operation for the paragliding. “The new directives will pave the way for the operation of the paragliding from other hill tops beyond the Sarangkot hill,” said Dawadi.

At present there are around 15 paragliding firms, with around 100 pilots operating in the Pokhara area. They conduct up to 300 flights a day during peak tourist season.

source: republica,20 Feb 2013