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The history of gliders can be
traced back to 1896 when Otto
Lilienthal of Germany made
unsuccessful attempts with
hang-gliders. Gliding as
adventurous sports has gained
immense popularity globally in
recent years.
Avia Club Nepal is the pioneer
in ultra-aircraft aviation in
Nepal. Since its inception in
1996, it has been offering
sightseeing tours aboard the
ultra-light aircraft
(power-glider) in the Pokhara
Valley. The choice of the
Pokhara Valley for ultra-light
aircraft is appropriate chiefly
because of the proximity of the
mountains, and the scenic lakes.
For those who wished they could
fly like birds when growing up,
this flight is a must. Leave
your woes behind on earth, soar
to heights, bathe in the clouds,
reach out for the mountains and
kiss the azure sky as you fly
across it. It might be lonely at
the top, but the spectacular
view from up high certainly
makes it all worth it.
The company operates flights
from the Pokhara airport
beginning September through
June. The flights take place
from sunrise to 11 a.m. and from
3 p.m. to sunset every day
during these months. Three
different routes are taken:
Fly for Fun: The flight duration
is 15 minutes. The aircraft
flies over the Pokhara city,
Phewa Lake, Sarangkot hill at
the speed of 50 km/hour to 90
km/hr. The maximum altitude
attained is 5,000 feet. This
flight is designed for the
curious who just wants to have a
little fun.
Touch the Fish Tail: Not quite,
but still this flight takes as
close to the Fish Tail as is
possible without compromising
the safety. The flight duration
is 30 minutes. The speed is 90
km/hr.
Mountain Range Sky Trek: Flight
duration 1 hr. This flight
covers the whole of the
Annapurna range at the speed of
90 km/hr to 130 km/hr. The
altitude attained is 12, 000
feet, high above the clouds.
This flight is intended for
those who like to live life on
the fast track, and love a
little adrenaline rush now and
then.
Avia Club Nepal has two
ultra-light aircraft of the
model "Biman-1". Designed and
manufactured in Russia by Biman
Company Ltd, the delta wing
aircraft fitted with "ROTAX 582"
engine and weighing 170 kg, has
operational speed of 50 km/hr to
130 km/hr. Flying on "BIMAN-1"
is safe. The use of
aviation-grade aluminum alloys,
Dacron, Parachute Recovery
System (which will help the
aircraft to land safely in case
of emergency), world-class
piston and satellite-assisted
navigation GSP has enhanced
safety while keeping the weight
to a minimum. Ultra-lights can
take off and land in a field or
on a dirt road, and in areas
where other planes fear to
tread. The aircraft seats two, a
passenger and the pilot. It can
fly for hours and ascend the
altitude of 5000 m. Its
aerodynamic quality allows it to
perform long flight even with
the engine shut off. It is flown
by pilots with over 6,000
flights to his or her credit.
The aircraft was accorded high
qualification marks in the
BOURGE Air Show in France. |