That is why Nepal is considered the most dangerous airspace in the world

Airports in Nepal are considered the most dangerous in the world. Poor visibility and narrow runways are the only minor problems.

With the Himalayas, Mount Everest and numerous temples, Nepal is one of the most beautiful travel destinations in the world. Hundreds of thousands of tourists are attracted to the region every year. But what is a nightmare for the audience is a huge challenge for the pilots. Even among experienced pilots, the flight paths there are considered – to put it mildly – ​​demanding.

Why are plane crashes so common in the region? The answer is complicated. On the one hand, serious dramas Weather Air transport plays an important role in the Himalayan region.

Due to the nearby mountains and differences in altitude, sudden weather changes can occur frequently. As a result domestic flights are canceled at short notice if visibility deteriorates or winds exceed the maximum speed set for flights.

Aircraft in the air must rely on air traffic controllers on the ground.

That’s probably one of the biggest problems: air traffic control staff in Nepal are considered unreliable and imprecise. One pilot describes how inaccurate it is on an Internet forum: “Air traffic control is a joke,” he writes. The staff there “forgets to provide traffic information”.

And you [die Fluglotsen, Anm.d.Red.] “The airport will not be closed if the wind exceeds the maximum limit,” reports the pilot.

It is an indisputable fact among pilots that misinformation in this area can endanger lives. But weather and air traffic control alone are considered dangerous there. The runways are also popular.

A very important example Tenzing Hillary Airport At Lukla: The airport at the base of Mount Everest has a narrow runway of 530 meters with a gradient of more than 10 percent. Additionally, the airport was built directly on a slope between a mountain massif and a deep ravine.

Here too in 2019, a small engine had an accident while taking off. Three people died. The dead included a police officer on the ground at the time of the crash and the co-pilot of the Summit Air flight.

On the subject of pilots: Many Nepalese pilots are poorly trained, causing repeated casualties in Nepal. Also, the airlines’ machines are said to be out of maintenance. For this reason, they also do not meet European regulations. Nepalese airlines have been banned from flying in the EU since 2013.

Despite all these dangers, the Himalayas remain a worthwhile tourist destination. However, if you are unsure and generally feel uncomfortable on flights, you should look for another travel destination.