POKHARA, Dec 7: With preparations for bringing the international airport in Pokhara into operation, there is still confusion about the future of paragliding in the skies of Pokhara. Entrepreneurs want to continue paragliding in the skies of Pokhara to the extent possible.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the regulatory body of the aviation sector, is also looking for an alternative solution with the aim of keeping paragliding flights in Pokhara as much as possible. However, some entrepreneurs have started preparing themselves commercially even if they have to relocate from Pokhara. Some companies have started to identify new destinations as alternatives to Pokhara.
According to entrepreneurs, about half a dozen companies are looking for alternatives to move to a new place if they have to relocate from Pokhara. One of them, Babu Adventure Paragliding Company, has taken a commercial paragliding flight permit from Walling Municipality-1, Mansangkot, in Syangja.
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According to the director of Babu Adventure, Sanobabu Sunuwar, the Ministry of Tourism has given Babu Adventure a license to operate commercial paragliding flights. Sunuwar said that the CAAN has given permission for recreational air activities. “Now the new season in tourism starts from February. After that, we will start commercial flights from Mansangkot," he said. This company also conducts commercial paragliding flights in Pokhara.
Babu Adventure runs a paragliding school at Swarek Maidan, Bhirkot Municipality-5 in Syangja. The Babu Adventure International School is run by Sunwar himself. The school has been running for eight years. "Practice is to be done at the school; commercial flying is not allowed in the school area," he said, "Since commercial and educational flights cannot be done at the same time, I have taken permission for commercial flights from Mansangkot near Walling." Foreigners also come to learn paragliding at Swarek's school. Apart from that, the native youth are also learning.
Sunuwar said that he is planning to operate paragliding from Mansangkot by taking the guests of the flight to Swarek and giving them a homestay experience.
This is the second time that paragliding has received permission for commercial flights in Syangja. As such, Flying Himalayan Paragliding Company is licensed for commercial flights. However, now Flying Himalaya is closed. Flying Himalayan is also Sanobabu's own company.
