Wednesday 4 November 2015

Official helicopter flight in Bhutan to debut on 11 November 2015

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals



Helicopter flight services in Bhutan will officially debut on 11 November 2015 when Royal Bhutan Helicopter Services Ltd (RBHS) launches its first domestic general flight using its first H130 (EC 130 T2) helicopter to commemorate the 60th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo. It is an important milestone in the development of Bhutan civil aviation.

RBHS is the helicopter subsidiary established by Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines under royal decree in Paro on 10 August 2015 and inaugurated by H.E. Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay, the Honorable Prime Minister of Bhutan. Its CEO is Chhensong Gyeltshen, who was General Manager of Drukair for three years before he took responsibility to lead the new limited company. He also served as an airworthiness officer with the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) for ten years before he joined Drukair.

RBHS will initially operate on-demand aerial sightseeing flights using its H130 helicopter that can cater to a group of up to six passengers per flight and it will also be deployed on emergency flight services in Bhutan.

According to DCA, Bhutan aims to have at least 40 operation helipads of various standards in 18 dzongkhags or Bhutanese local districts by 2020.

RBHS' first H130 Helicopter arrived in Paro on 3 November 2015 after it was ferried to Bhutan from Singapore after the parts from the French manufacturing plant of Airbus Helicopters were assembled in Singapore. It flew to Dhaka from Paro on 3 November 2015 for a special cross-border introduction to Sky Bangla Aviation Ltd, the GSA of Drukair in Bangladesh. 

Another H130 helicopter will be added to RBHS' fleet by June 2016.

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