Suresh Bista sent in this photo, explaining: “The Cessna Caravan was introduced into flying service in Nepal in the year 2000. Two Caravans were bought and owned by Necon Air. We needed to do few proving flights at high altitude airstrips as required by Civil Aviation rules. This sortie was one of them at airstrip Jomsom in Nepal. As an instructor pilot on the type, I had the privilege of doing the proving flights. A few years later, I flew them over Mt. Everest for photography and search flights looking for mountaineers.”
We got something like that in Mexico,Toluca airport 8500 msl
Proving flights can be very challenging as demands put up by the authorities could take the pilot and airplane to its maximum limit. Once completed and ‘green signal’ received, flying into and out of Toluca will all be exciting and enjoyable.
At the background are some portions of Nigiri and Tilicho peaks that form part of the Mount Annapurna Ranges.
Have you been to Lukla in a Caravan?
To answer your query; “yes” . I have been there many times. Both on the Twin Otter and on the Cessna Caravan. Gradient is 14%. It is more of a airfield and terrain experience flying into that airstrip. That is where you do not forget your basics.
By the way, that Lukla airstrip is renamed ‘Hillary Tengzing’ airport.
The runway at Jonsom is 8800ft MSL, to give you a reference as to the height of the surrounding terrain seen in the background.