Himal Press 
POKHARA: Just three years ago, the inclusion of paragliding in the 9th National Games held in Pokhara brought much excitement to the city’s tourism sector. However, that joy was short-lived as pilot Nissim Thapa (26), originally from Gorkha and living in Lakeside, Pokhara, died while competing in the cross-country paragliding event.
Representing Tribhuvan Army Club, Nissim had taken off from Sarangkot but crashed just three minutes into the flight. A half-body statue has since been erected at the Pokhara Stadium in his memory.
Following the fatal accident, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) cited safety concerns and imposed a ban on solo paragliding flights. That ban has now been lifted.
In a letter sent to the Nepal Airsports Association (NAA), Kaski, on July 2, CAAN informed that solo paragliding flights have been officially reopened. “As per the Solo Paragliding Flight Procedure, 2024, a decision has been taken to regulate and manage solo paragliding flights. You are requested to implement this procedure and ensure safe operations accordingly,” reads a letter written by Gyanendra Bhul, who heads CAAN’s Recreational Aviation Division.
Under the new guidelines, solo flights are permitted only within the designated paragliding zone under NAA’s direct supervision. Likewise, all solo flights must be monitored by both the relevant aviation operator and aviation regulator. If solo flights are to be conducted outside the designated zone, operators must obtain special permission as per the Recreational Aviation Regulations, 2012, and comply with specified conditions.
NAA has welcomed the decision, stating that it would revitalize adventure tourism in Pokhara. “We have been working hard to get the flights reopened. We expanded the designated zone and allowed landings up to Phewa Lake end about a month ago,” NAA President Anil KC said. “We are happy that solo flights can now be resumed.”
KC said there are other challenges as well. “Since Pokhara has an international airport, CAAN’s guidelines alone will not be sufficient. We are studying the matter further and plan to add a few more provisions to ensure safety,” he added.
Solo paragliding is particularly attractive to foreign pilots. According to KC, around 1,000 tourists used to visit Pokhara annually for solo flights. They would stay for two weeks to two months, giving a huge boost to the tourism industry of the lake city.
Currently, 65 paragliding companies are affiliated with the NAA. Of them, 53 are in operation. Nepal has about 400 paragliding pilots, including 15 women. According to KC, only around 240 of them are currently active.
