Nepal and Kathmandu

[Dupre]

There's a job advertised in a couple of places for a Caravan driver in Nepal. Does anyone have any info about the operator, planes and living/flying in Nepal?

Thanks!

Dupre.

[Dupre]

Does no-one know anything about this job? :sad:

How about flying in Nepal in general?

Thanks :ok:

[theparrellbarrell]

I have some slight experience as a passenger in Nepal last year flying in/out on an A340, then internal flights in a Do228 to/from Lukla.

As a [very] interested observer, being a professional Pilot, I sat in the front row of pax seats going into Lukla - and had possibly the most scary experience of my life in an aircraft with no control... Airfield sits on the relatively gentle slope of the side of a very steep valley with a 2000m metre drop off in the undershoot and a solid wall of living rock a matter of metres from the stop end of the runway.

Landing is up a 15% slope towards the rock wall, takeoff the opposite way down the ski slope. Perhaps the most mind concentrating bit was the large brown patch of ground in the arrival undershoot, clearly visible, where a few days before a Twotter had clipped the airfield fence and crashed killing all but one on board.

I suggest a look on YouTube for Lukla - some very interesting video of the arrivals and departures.

That said, the country was fantastic to look at and trek in, the people second to none in my experience of many places around the world.

I suspect when the wx is VFR flying is great, though with some very interesting airfields to operate out of if Lukla is anything typical. On a dark and wet night with lots of cumulogranitus about.....

Kathmandhu was pretty typical for an asian city, hot, wonderfully smelly and even more chaotic than Manila or Djarkarta.

Hope this helps a little.

[Dupre]

Thanks for that - checked out some interesting vids on Lukla!

Does anyone know if there are many expats flying in Nepal?

Cheers, Dupre.

[Just another canuck]

I would also like to know any info about this job... I've applied to the address in the job ad. I have lots of Van time flying around Northern Canada and in the mountains of Papua... this job would be perfect for me. I'm currently in survey work and its sooooooooo boooooooooooooring.

Licensing requirements? Company fleet? Has anyone had a response from the gentleman in the job ad? Etc., etc.

Cheers.

JAC

[skysurfer71]

Dear Dupre, unless u desperately need a job, don't go ! I fly in & out of Kathmandu in a jet. The weather in the valleys can be really nasty with presence of CBs round the year. Strong mountain waves is another thing that has often put my piloting skills to test. I must say I've enjoyed some truly magnificent out-of-this-world views from the cockpit window but that's the only great thing about flying in Nepal. I always admire the pilots of numerous King Airs, Jetstream 41s, Twin Otters & Caravans who fly in Nepal especially in & out of airfields like Lukla, Pokhara etc but I'll never trade positions with them for any amount of money !

[khading]

Dear Dupre,

I know they used to have expats in Nepal in the early days but I did hear one on the radio a few years ago.That normally happens when they have
an aircraft type new to the region with no locals type rated on it.I think
Kathmandu is a great place and you could easily get used to it. Views are great and the weather can get dificult in the summer months and bumpy in the winter months due to winds. I know guys who have been doing the flying there for the last twenty five years or so and are still doing so till date.
It's up to you but atleast check it out since you seem to have a lot of experience as well.You may just love it. Personally I fly an Airbus in and out of Kathmandu and have been doing so for a long time but I have a lot of respect for the domestic pilots there.Demanding conditions