FlyDubai's newest destination: Katmandu!

[AA 1818]

Flydubai, Dubai's first low cost airline, will expand its network to the east for the first time next month with the announcement today of the eleventh route on its network, Kathmandu. Flydubai's first flight to Kathmandu, on Tuesday, December 15, will ensure this increasingly popular destination in the foothills of the Himalayas will be more accessible to a greater number of people in the UAE who will now be able to take advantage of Flydubai's commitment to making travel a little less complex, a little less stressful and a little less expensive.

http://www.ameinfo.com/217168.html

Congratulations to both FlyDubai and Nepal! Great news, and considering how shortly FlyDubai has been in service, it is really amazing that they are already at their 11th city! Very well done for the little LCC that could...

[TheRealAncientMarine]

Congratulations to both FlyDubai and Nepal! Great news, and considering how shortly FlyDubai has been in service, it is really amazing that they are already at their 11th city! Very well done for the little LCC that could...

Inexperienced airline and Kathmandu. Scary stuff. Watch out for them hills. I'll let them have few years of accident free service before I buy a ticket.
Per

[AA 1818]

Inexperienced airline and Kathmandu. Scary stuff. Watch out for them hills. I'll let them have few years of accident free service before I buy a ticket.
Per

Come on, don't be that pessimistic. Firstly, it's a 737-800 - of which I am sure some of the world's most advanced technology is on. Secondly, it Katmandu - not Shangri-La. Nonetheless, I would be apprehensive on being on the first flight.


BTW, does anyone know of the restrictions at Katmandu? What kinds of equipment (towers, safety and the like) are at the airport?

[TheRealAncientMarine]

Come on, don't be that pessimistic. Firstly, it's a 737-800 - of which I am sure some of the world's most advanced technology is on. Secondly, it Katmandu - not Shangri-La. Nonetheless, I would be apprehensive on being on the first flight.


BTW, does anyone know of the restrictions at Katmandu? What kinds of equipment (towers, safety and the like) are at the airport?

No idea, but there's still bits and pieces from the PIA and Thai crashes scattered around them hills. I've seen the approach mentioned by pilots on other aviation fora and it is apparently not very forgiving. Cue the experts.
Per

[brianw999]

......BTW, does anyone know of the restrictions at Katmandu? What kinds of equipment (towers, safety and the like) are at the airport?

Not the best....

Airport Data: International, Kathmandu 5km (3miles), Position 27°41´48"N, 085°21´33"E, Elevation 1 338m (4 389ft)

Customs Hours:Sunrise to sunset or on request
Customs Hours:Sunrise to sunset or on request

Airfield Data
Navigational Aids:VOR-DME, NDB
Runway 1: Heading 02/20, 3 050m (10 006ft), 54/F/A/W/T, No ILS

4,389' elevation and no ILS does not float my boat !!

[WILCO737]

No idea, but there's still bits and pieces from the PIA and Thai crashes scattered around them hills. I've seen the approach mentioned by pilots on other aviation fora and it is apparently not very forgiving. Cue the experts.
Per

I have never been to Kathmandu myself, but talked to a lot of captains who have been there and it is for sure one of the most challenging approaches out there. The weahter isn't always the best and of course the mountains around the airport are very high which can be dangerous.
I flew the approaches in the sim (not FS) and it is indeed challenging and you ALWAYS should know where you are!!

wilco737

[TheRealAncientMarine]

I have never been to Kathmandu myself, but talked to a lot of captains who have been there and it is for sure one of the most challenging approaches out there. The weahter isn't always the best and of course the mountains around the airport are very high which can be dangerous.
I flew the approaches in the sim (not FS) and it is indeed challenging and you ALWAYS should know where you are!!

wilco737

I've pax'ed in and out of Kathmandu a few times and it is a rather fun approach with visibility. Some of the other airports in Nepal are even more "interesting".
Per

[WILCO737]

I've pax'ed in and out of Kathmandu a few times and it is a rather fun approach with visibility. Some of the other airports in Nepal are even more "interesting".
Per

Very nicely said "more interesting" I am sure there are many other scary airports around there. Kathmandu isn't easy as well, maybe easier than the others
But as long as you know where you are, everything is fine

wilco737

[akerosid]

You know, thinking about flying into KTM, and particularly looking at some of the KTM approach charts, reminds me of an old Gary Larson/Far Side cartoon, where two pilots are in a cockpit and one says to the other, "hey, what's a mountain goat doing way up here in this cloudbank?"!

http://www.flightsim.com/main/howto/katm/sasfss1.htm

Looking at these charts, one would have to have quite a lot of confidence in the quality of the navaids available; thank God for EGPWS, but I think I'd be very concerned if it were done in poor visibility or bad weather!