Domestic Air Service

Domestic Air Service Hundreds of people in Bumthang valley watched, from a distance, Drukair’s Drukair’s ATR 42-500, a 48-seater double engine propeller plane, come in from the east.

It was clear but windy when the plane touched down at Bathpalathang yesterday afternoon to a round of applause and mobile phones recording the moment.

The plane was returning from Yonphula airport, Trashigang.  It flew there at around midday from Paro yesterday to conduct its first test flights to the domestic airports in central and eastern Bhutan.

A total of 13 Drukair officials and five crew members were on the test flight to Yonphula and Trashigang. “It was a successful test flight,” Drukair’s general manager for domestic flight, Namgay Wangchuk, said.

A cabbie, who saw the plane landing, was amazed at its speed. “It was exciting to see it touch down though we may not be able to afford to fly,” he said in Bumthap.  He had brought along friends in his cab who wanted to see the plane.

Kesang, 50, who also came to see the aircraft, said it was amazing to see a plane land and take off from the valley.

Drukair will be conducting its test flight again on December 14.

Meanwhile, Tashi Air’s fixed wing aircraft, which landed in Batpalathang airport on Friday, did another test flight from Bumthang before lnding.

On December17, coinciding with the National Day, the two domestic airliners will officially conduct their first inaugural flights.

Drukair will conduct its official flight from Bathpalathang airport, and Bhutan Airlines from Yonphula.  Later, Bhutan Airlines will fly to Bathpalathang and Drukair to Yonphula as a part of inauguration.

Source: kuenselonline