Following last week’s incident, where a private aircraft violated no-fly zones over Thimphu city, the department of civil aviation (DCA) will now require all chartered flights operating in Bhutan to have on-board an experienced Bhutanese or Drukair guide pilot or navigator. The private aircraft en route to Paro airport had above the huzom area turned into Thimphu valley instead of the Paro valley. As it approached Thimphu City, the aircraft even lowered its wheels and extended its flaps in preparation for landing.
The air traffic control tower (ATC) at Paro airport also cleared the aircraft to land; not snowing it was approaching Thimphu instead. At one point, the aircraft flew as low as 100 metres or 300 feet above the capital city. The approach to Paro airport is based on visual flight rules; it is possible for inexperienced pilots to mistake Thimphu valley for Paro Valley. Having said so, it would have been obvious from the compass direction that the plane is heading towards the wrong direction. This is the second time that the same pilot is flying into Paro. The first time was November 2011.
This ruling would make a charter flight into Paro more expensive that the past. The chartered flight would have to pick up a Drukair pilot from one of the international airports near Bhutan. Additionally, the pilot would have to be flown from Bhutan to pick up point.
The plane seen approaching Thimphu valley can be seen here.
