30 October, Kathmandu. Due to bad weather and low visibility, the process of implementing a modern air navigation system has been progressed to reduce the problems of flight disruptions, diverting to other airports and flight cancellations at Pokhara International Airport. Nepal Civil Aviation Authority has completed the preliminary technical study to implement RNP-AR, a special performance-based air guidance and landing system that requires permission at the airport.

At present, guidance and landing system based on radio signal is in operation at Pokhara International Airport. Due to the geographic location of the airport and the surrounding mountainous terrain as well as technical and operational limitations, flight operations in adverse weather conditions are challenging.

The new system will be satellite based. In order to implement this, a detailed process design, technical validation, safety assessment and regulatory approval will have to be completed.