SAFA Skysailor Magazine

27 July | August 2022 SKY SAILOR How was flying Pokhara? It was great! Though I have to say that the drama associated with the permit and the checkpoint police’s strict ‘you shall not pass’ until the 10am launch time, certainly took the shine off the experience. How to avoid days of ‘torture’ awaiting your flight permit You must have two paper copies of your passport, visa, flying licence (the plastic card), insurance and passport photos ready to hand over to the paragliding operator of your choice. Expect to pay three separate fees: • • the local paraglider operator • • Nepal Airsport Association • • Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal All this comes to between USD130 to $150. Try to have all of this arranged before your arrival. I can recommend www.babuadven- ture.com. However, there are so many para- gliding providers in Pokhara, perhaps choose whoever can get you the best price. midday departure from Pokhara, we were keen for one last flight! So headed up to launch just after 9am – knowing that we would have to wait until 10am to launch. Thinking we could lay out our gliders, do all the pre-flight checks, watch the wind and get ready; before respectfully waiting until 10am to launch. Unbeknownst to us, we would be forced to sit like children at a ‘Paragliding Checkpoint’ and wait until it was exactly 10am, before the Paragliding Policeman allowed us to pass, we waited 30 minutes at the side of the road, looking up at launch. To say this was frustrat- ing is an understatement! Being treated like a delinquent child who is not to be trusted was insulting and annoying. The crazy ‘system’ and ‘rules’ had already cost me two days of flying and now being forced to wait at a checkpoint was just adding salt to the wound. Paragliding police at checkpoint Pokhara lake All photos: Catherine McMillan NSW pilots launch at Sarangkot