Year 2011 proved to be a bumper year for Nepalese tourism industry as tourist arrival figures reached a record high. By November 2011 Nepal had welcomed more than 5 lakh visitors – a record high. Tourism entrepreneurs hope that this positive trend will continue  and 2012 will bring in more tourists. Taking into consideration the surge in tourist arrivals, Fishtail Air is all set to upgrade its existing fleet of aircrafts. A delegation from the company led by Chairman, Bikash Samsher JB Rana is on an European tour, visiting helicopter design & manufacturing units in Switzerland, Italy and France. As part of their mission, the team visited the factory of AugustaWestland (an Anglo-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing company) at Costa di Samarate, Italy on 13th of Dec. 2011. Mr. Umberto Fonteneila the company’s Vice President, Sales in his briefing to the Fishtail Air team recommended AW 119 Koala Helicopter for Nepal’s high altitude and mentioned that the company is reviewing it’s tradition chart on the altitude limits to enable Koala to fly in higher altitudes. The aircraft’s power, speed, space and passenger occupancy level could become extra benefits to consumers involved in different adventure activities at high altitude. Following the sales briefing,  the company took the delegation from Fishtail Air (Bikash Samsher JB Rana, Chairman, Suman Pandey, CEO and Ashish Sherchan, Director Operation) for a test flight in Samedan , Switzerland. AugustaWestland has expressed a desire to work with Fishtail Air in conducting test flights of ‘Koala’ in the Nepal Himalaya in the near future.

Sales briefing in progress at AugustaWestland

Mr. Suman Pandey & Mr. Bikash Samsher JB Rana at Samedan, Switzerland

The 'Koala'