Surkhet Airport

Surkhet Airport
IATA: SKH ICAO: VNSK
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Government of Nepal
Operator	Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal
Serves	Birendranagar, Nepal
Hub for	Makalu Air Summit Air
Elevation  AMSL	2,402 ft / 732 m
Coordinates	28°35′09″N081°38′09″E / 28.58583°N 81.63583°E / 28.58583; 81.63583
Map
Surkhet Airport Location of airport in Nepal
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 02/20 1,255 4,117 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF [1] [2] [3]

Surkhet Airport( IATA : SKH, ICAO : VNSK), also known as Birendranagar Airport, is a domestic airport located in Birendranagar serving Surkhet District, a district in Karnali Province in Nepal. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal considers it an important hub for cargo transport into remote Western areas of Nepal, ^[3] however this role is declining due to increasing road connectivity. ^[4] Buddha Air has started daily flights to and from Kathmandu since 22 December, 2022 using its ATR-72 aircraft. ^{[5] [6]}

History

The airport was established in October 1966, ^[3] however major connections to Kathmandu were only established with services from Buddha Air in 2018. ^[7] Previously^{[ when? ]} this airport was only used by Nepalese Army Air Service and local services.^{[ citation needed ]}

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 2,400 feet (732 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt runway which is 1,255 metres (4,117 ft) in length. ^[3] There are plans to extend the runway. ^[8]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Buddha Air	Kathmandu [9]
Guna Airlines	Kathmandu [10]
Summit Air	Bajura, Chhayanath Rara, Jumla, Simikot [11]

Accidents and incidents

• 17 July 2002 - A Skyline Airways De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (9N-AGF) left Jumla on a flight to Surkhet. Some 18 minutes after take-off and 10 km north of Surkhet, at an altitude of about 6500 feet, the aircraft crashed into trees on the Gargare Danda hill in bad weather. All two crew and two passengers were killed. ^{[12] [13]}
• On 26 May 2010 a Tara Air DHC-6 Twin Otter had taken off from Surkhet Airport heading for Talcha Airport in Rara National Park, with 18 passengers and 3 crew on board. At 10 am, the aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Surkhet after its cabin door suddenly opened five minutes after take-off. Tara Airlines officials said that the cabin attendant managed to lock the door immediately after it opened. ^[14]

References

1. "Airport information for VNSK". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF.
2. Airport information for SKH at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF  (effective October 2006).
3. "Surkhet Airport" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
4. "New roads hit flights at Surkhet Airport". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
5. "Buddha Air - Buddha Air is one of the leading airlines company in Nepal". 7 December 2022. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
6. "Regular flights operation begins at Surkhet Airport - myRepublica - The New York Times Partner, Latest news of Nepal in English, Latest News Articles". 23 December 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
7. "Flights from Kathmandu to Surkhet KTM - SKH Flights".
8. "Plan to extend 300 meters of Surkhet airport runway". Aviation Nepal. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
9. "Buddha Air to resume Surkhet flights". The Himalayan Times. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
10. "Guna Airlines launches flights to Bhairahawa". Guna Airlines. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
11. "Network-of-Summit-Air". Summit Air. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
12. Aviation Safety Network retrieved 18 November 2006
13. Spotlight Archived 21 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine 8 August 2002
14. ^[ permanent dead link ]

See also

List of airports in Nepal