Summit Air (Nepal)

Summit Air
IATA ICAO Callsign
- SMA[lower-alpha 1] -
Commenced operations 24 February 2011
Operating bases Tribhuvan International Airport
Hubs Surkhet Airport
Secondary hubs Nepalgunj Airport
Fleet size 5
Destinations 10
Company slogan Wings of Everest[2]
Key people Bikash Rana, Chairman
Manoj Karki, MD
Website Summit Air

Summit Air, formerly known as Goma Air is an airline based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Goma Air was re-branded to Summit Air on 13 March 2017.[3] The airline operates from short takeoff and landing (STOL) airstrips of western parts of Nepal.[4][5] The airline received the first of two Let 410 aircraft in October 2014, to be used on flights to Lukla and Jomsom.[6] The aircraft are financed by the Czech Republic Export Bank.[7]

History

The airline was founded under the name Goma Air in February 2011. It began to operate using Cessna Grand Caravan 208 B aircraft. In October 2014, the airline acquired one Let 410 UVP-E20 aircraft, which was the first aircraft of this type to be operated in Nepal.[8] The airline is the only one to use Nepalgunj Airport as the main hub of operation and focuses on operating out of that base.[9] On 13 March 2017, the airline officially changed its name to Summit Air.[3]

In 2014, Summit Air signed a deal with Fishtail Air with the aim of enhancing Nepal's tourism. Both Airlines are led by Bikash JB Rana, for which a collaboration was eased.[10][11] Following Goma Air's name change to Summit Air, in 2018, Fishtail Air also changed its name to Summit Helicopters to visualize the cooperation.[12][13]

Destinations

The airline serves the following destinations:[14]

DestinationAirportNotes
KathmanduTribhuvan International AirportHub
NepalgunjNepalgunj AirportFocus city
BajuraBajura Airport
DolpaDolpa Airport
JumlaJumla Airport
LuklaTenzing-Hillary Airport
PhapluPhaplu Airport
RaraTalcha Airport
Rupakot MajhuwagadhiMan Maya Airport
SimikotSimikot Airport
TaplejungTaplejung Airport
TumlingtarTumlingtar Airport

Fleet

Summit Air fleet
Aircraft In Fleet On Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Cessna Grand Caravan 208 B 2 — 0 9 9 [15]
Let 410 UVP-E20 4[16] — 0 18 18 Three originally delivered. One crashed on 27 May 2017 at Lukla[17][18]
Total 6 0

Accidents and Incidents

  • On 2 June 2015, a Goma Air flight from Jomsom landed in Pokhara without the nose gear. All 18 passengers on board the Let 410 aircraft were safe, but the aircraft 9N-AKY suffered damage in the nose wheel part.[19]
  • On 12 January 2017, a Let 410 series aircraft with registration 9N-AKZ of Goma Air outbound from Nepalgunj to Mugu experienced a tyre burst incident during landing at Talcha Airport. All the 15 passengers reported to be safe.[20]
  • On 27 May 2017, Summit Air Flight 409 crashed on final approach to Lukla Airport. The aircraft, a Let 410, Registration 9N-AKY, crashed into the rock-wall 5–10 m (16–33 ft) below the runway. From the 3 person crew the Flight Senior Captain Paras Kumar Rai was killed in the crash, Co Pilot Shrizan Manandhar died undergoing treatment at the scene, the Air Hostesses Pragya Maharjan was injured and airlifted to Kathmandu for further treatment.[21]

Notes

  1. ↑ Summit Air has no registered ICAO code allocated, but uses "SMA" on scheduling, ticketing and baggage (as an official ICAO code would be used). However, officially, the ICAO Code SMA is allocated to SMA Airlines.[1]

References

  1. ↑ "Current Flight Schedule". Summit Air. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  2. ↑ "About us". Summit Air. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 ""Goma Air" officially changed name to "Summit Air"". Aviation Nepal. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  4. ↑ "Goma Air". Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Goma Air successfully conducts test flight". Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  6. ↑ http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/31936-nepals-goma-air-takes-delivery-of-first-let-410 CH Aviation
  7. ↑ "Goma Air to fly to Lukla and Jomsom". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "About us". Summit Air. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Airliners in Nepal: Risk taker Goma Air(गोमा एयर) providing service in remote areas of the country". Aviation Nepal. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  10. ↑ "Fishtail Air and Goma Air collaborate on Nepal tourism". HeliHub.com. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Fishtail Air and Goma Air coordinate to boost the Adventure Tourism of Nepal". Fishtail Air. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  12. ↑ Manandhar, Shivesh (11 June 2018). "Fishtail Air gets new official name 'Summit Helicopters'". Aviation Nepal. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  13. ↑ "Announcement of Company Name Change". Summit Helicopters. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "Flight Schedule". Summit Air. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  15. ↑ "Goma Air flight for western districts". Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  16. ↑ "Newly arrived LET 410 UVPE-20 for Summit Air". Aviation Nepal. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  17. ↑ "UPDATE: Senior captain dead, two hurt as Goma Air plane crashes in Lukla". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  18. ↑ Kuvera Chalise. "Business and Economy". Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  19. ↑ "Goma Air plane crash lands in Pokhara". NepaliAviator.com. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  20. ↑ "Goma Air Minor Incident". Aviation Nepal News Network. Retrieved 12 Jan 2017.
  21. ↑ "Senior captain dies, two hurt as Goma Air plane crashes in Lukla". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
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