By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : An ultra-light aircraft built by Nepali engineers is scheduled to take off on Saturday afternoon almost one year since its builders sought permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, according to The Kathmandu Post.
“The research team is ready for the test flight as we have already fulfilled all necessary lab-safety requirements,” said Bikash Parajuli, leader of the team that built the aircraft.
“We are optimistic that the flight will be successful,” he was quoted by the Saturday’s daily as saying.
Minister for Science, Environment and Technology Ganesh Shah, senior professors and engineers of Pulchowk Engineering Campus and media persons will attend the historic test flight ceremony at Pokhara airport in western Nepal.
According to Parajuli, Nepali license holder Russian pilot Alexander Maximov is ready to lead the test flight. Pokhara airport, some 200 km west of Kathmandu, has given permission to use the airport when other flights are not scheduled.
The aircraft will remain in the sky only for one minute and travel at a speed of 1.4 km per hour. The test process will be completed in five minutes. The aircraft needs 1.5 km of runway, according to team members.
After nearly two years of research and documentation, the Light Aircraft “Danfe”, was built last year by Fabrication Group, a research team comprising eight students of Pulchowk Engineering Campus.
According to team members, the engineers have used locally available materials and some useless materials from Avia Club, Pokhara, due to shortage of essential materials like aircraft fabric in the country’s market. The two-seater craft has a total take-off weight of 400 kg.
The design and dimensions of the aircraft are based on a project report of the aircraft prepared by 2002- batch students of Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering, Pulchowk Campus.