After six decades of operation history, Nepal gets first helicopter magazine

KATHMANDU: It took six decades for Nepal to bring out its first helicopter magazine, named ‘Helicopter Nepal’. This formally happened this afternoon at a magazine unveiling ceremony in Kathmandu. Simrik Air chairperson, Captain Rameshwar Thapa, and General Manager Murali Dhar Joshi, among others, stated that they launched the magazine to promote helicopters among both industry insiders and stakeholders.

“Roads and airports in Nepal are not in good condition, and the terrain of our country reflects this,” opined Captain Thapa. “That’s why helicopters are an indispensable part of Nepal’s transportation, rescue operations, and tourism.” Thapa emphasized that the government, stakeholders, and communities must view helicopters in a positive light.

General Manager Joshi described the multi-pronged mission of this pioneering publication. “We are proud to present the inaugural edition of Helicopter Nepal Magazine,” he said. “Our goal is to comprehensively showcase the achievements, ongoing efforts, future prospects, and challenges encountered in helicopter operations.” Joshi also discussed the potential impacts of the magazine’s helicopter stories among industry insiders, stating that they “will boost the morale of employees and helicopter crews engaged in this industry.”

In discussing the tourism potential, Joshi mentioned, “The Heli Tours section will serve as a valuable tool for promoting tourism in Nepal.” He added, “This magazine will play a pivotal role in fostering the growth of heli-tourism and advancing air safety standards.”

Nepal’s helicopter operations date back to the 1960s. The first batch of helicopters used in Nepal was a Bell 47G-2, a two-bladed single-engine helicopter with a carrying capacity of three passengers. It was used by the then Royal Nepal Army. Nowadays, Nepal boasts a dozen private helicopter operators, including Air Dynasty, Fishtail Air, Manang Air, Shree Airlines, Simrik Air, Mountain Helicopters, Prabhu Helicopter, Altitude Air, Heli Everest, Kailash Helicopter, Annapurna Helicopter, and Mustang Helicopter. Their total fleet stands at 30.