Paro International Airport Explained

Paro Airport
Iata:PBH
Icao:VQPR
Type:Public
Operator:Department of Civil Aviation of Bhutan
City-Served:Thimphu and Paro
Location:Paro, Paro District, Bhutan
Elevation-F:7332
Elevation-M:2235
Metric-Elev:yes
Coordinates:27.4089°N 89.4206°W
Pushpin Map:Bhutan
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Bhutan
Pushpin Label:PBH
R1-Number:15/33
R1-Length-M:2,265[1]
R1-Length-F:7,431
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Metric-Rwy:y

Paro International Airport (Dzongkha: སྤ་རོ་གནམ་ཐང༌།|paro gnam thang) is the sole international airport of the four airports in Bhutan. It is 6km (04miles) from Paro in a deep valley on the bank of the river Paro Chhu. With surrounding peaks as high as 18000abbr=outNaNabbr=out, it is considered one of the world's most challenging airports,[2] and only a very small number of pilots are certified to land at the airport.[3]

Flights to and from Paro are allowed under visual meteorological conditions only and are restricted to daylight hours from sunrise to sunset.[4] [5] Paro airport was the only airport in Bhutan until 2011.[6] The airport is accessible by road, 6km (04miles) from Paro city, and 54km (34miles) from Thimphu by Paro-Thimphu road.

History

In 1968, the Indian Border Roads Organisation built an airstrip in the Paro valley, which was initially used for on-call helicopter operations by the Indian Armed Forces on behalf of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Bhutan's first airline, Drukair, was established by Royal Charter on 5 April 1981.

Paro Airport is deep in a valley 7332abbr=onNaNabbr=on above mean sea level and is surrounded by mountains as high as 18000abbr=onNaNabbr=on.[7] The airport was constructed with a 3900abbr=onNaNabbr=on runway,[8] giving the Bhutanese government specific requirements for a choice of aircraft to be operated from Paro. They required an 18–20 seat STOL-capable aircraft with operating capabilities which included a high service ceiling, high rate of climb and high manoeuvrability. The major requirement for the aircraft was that it must be capable of flying KolkataParoKolkata, a 1200km (700miles) round-trip, without refuelling, due to minimal infrastructure availability at Paro. Three aircraft types were considered after flight tests that had been conducted in India and Bhutan between 1978 and 1980; however, none was deemed suitable.[8]

In mid-1981, the Indian government set up a committee to study its own requirements for a light transport aircraft. Based upon this study, the Bhutanese government ordered one Dornier 228-200 for delivery in January 1983, with the option for a second aircraft for delivery in late 1983. The first 18-seat Dornier 228-200 landed at Paro Airport on 14 January 1983. The exact time of landing, the number of passengers on board and even the direction the aircraft was parked on the airport apron were predetermined by the high lama of Paro Dzong.[8]

Drukair inaugurated scheduled commercial flights from Paro on 11 February 1983, with Flight 101 departing Paro for Kolkata and returning the next day as Flight 102. At the time of service commencement, Paro Airport consisted of the runway, a two-room air traffic control building (with the ground floor acting as the check-in counter) and a departure lounge on the lawn.[9] Before the establishment of the Department of Civil Aviation in January 1986, Drukair was also responsible for the operation and maintenance of the airport's infrastructure.[10]

In 1990, the runway at Paro Airport was lengthened from 4600to and reinforced for heavier aircraft.[11] [12] A hangar was constructed for the aircraft, which was funded by the Indian government as part of the Paro Airport Development Project.[13]

On 21 November 1988, Drukair's first jet, a BAe 146-100, was delivered to Paro Airport. In 2003, Drukair was seeking a replacement for the BAe 146 and on 19 October 2004 the airline's first Airbus A319-100 arrived in Paro.[14]

Buddha Air became the first international airline to operate charters to Paro in August 2010.[15] [16] Tashi Air, Bhutan's first private airline, was started in December 2011.[17] In 2012, it was reported that 181,659 passengers used the airport.[18] By 2018, this number had grown to 397,599 and 6,761 flights were handled by the airport. The airport got 4 new structures: modified departure terminal building, cargo building, the relocated substation, and a parallel taxiway.[19]

Facilities

The airport has a single 7431abbr=onNaNabbr=on asphalt runway, and there is one terminal building that was commissioned in 1999.[20] In 2021, the interior was revamped, adding many art pieces.[21]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About Us. Paro Airport. January 3, 2022.
  2. Cruz . Magaly . Wilson, James . Nelson, Buzz . 737-700 Technical Demonstration Flights in Bhutan . Aero Magazine. 3 . 1; 2 . July 2003 . 12 February 2011.
  3. Web site: Toledo . Joanne . 2023-09-26 . Shockingly Few Pilots Are Cleared to Land at Paro International Airport . 2024-06-23 . Aviation Property Network . en-US.
  4. Web site: Paro Bhutan . Air Transport Intelligence . Reed Business Information . 2011 . 12 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110807143051/http://www.rati.com/APLANDING_14062.htm . 7 August 2011 . dead . dmy-all .
  5. Web site: 7 Facts You Never Knew About Flying Into Bhutan. Lee. Natalie Joy. Druk Asia. August 2, 2019. January 3, 2022.
  6. Web site: History. https://archive.today/20161123200851/http://www.doat.gov.bt/index.php/history/ . dead . 2016-11-23 .
  7. The A319 excels in operations from high-altitude airports . Airbus . 8 February 2005 . 15 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141213015322/http://www.airbus.com/newsevents/news-events-single/detail/the-a319-excels-in-operations-from-high-altitude-airports/ . 13 December 2014 . dead . dmy .
  8. Christ . Rolf F. . Bhutan puts its flag on the world's air map . ICAO Journal . 38 . 6 . 11–13 . June 1983. 15 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20170104231631/http://www.cbl.ie/getdoc/71d8acd7-5e05-4a98-aede-9c716e193bf1/3.aspx . 4 January 2017.
  9. Chattopadhyay . Suhrid Sankar . Aiming high . . 25 . 9 . 122 . 9 May 2008 . 0970-1710 . 15 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160110095315/http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2509/stories/20080509250912200.htm . 10 January 2016 . dead . dmy .
  10. Web site: Department of Civil Aviation. Ministry of Information and Communication (Bhutan). 25 April 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706162902/http://www.moic.gov.bt/dca.php. 6 July 2011 .
  11. On the Wings of a Dragon: 25 Years of Progress . Tashi Delek . XIII . 3 . 76 . July–September 2008 . 25 April 2010 .
  12. Brunet. Sandra . Bauer, Johannes . De Lacy, Terry . Tshering, Karma . Tourism Development in Bhutan: Tensions between Tradition and Modernity. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 9. 3. 243. 2001. 10.1080/09669580108667401. 10.1.1.120.6843 . 6123541 .
  13. Book: Zimba, Dasho Yeshey . Ramakant and Misra, Ramesh Chandra . Bhutan: Society and Polity . 30 July 2008. 2nd . Indus Publishing . 978-81-7387-044-6. Bhutan Towards Modernization . https://books.google.com/books?id=m8U94l6xHlYC . 144 . 1996 .
  14. News: Drukair's first Airbus lands in Paro. Kuensel. 20 October 2004. Paro. 26 April 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610221102/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4624. 10 June 2011.
  15. http://www.bbs.com.bt/bbs/?p=838 Buddha Air in service
  16. AirBuddha . Buddha Air . live . 8 January 2023 . While Buddha Air is popularly known for connecting domestic flights around Nepal, we have also provided international flight services. Our first international flight was on August 2010 with a chartered flight to Paro, Bhutan. #BuddhaAir #TrustedFlying #Flywithus . 1611977377198018562 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230110064907/https://twitter.com/AirBuddha/status/1611977377198018562?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet . 10 January 2023 . 10 January 2023.
  17. Web site: Tashi Group - TASHI AIR LAUNCHED ON 4TH DEC. 2011. tashigroup.bt. 12 December 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121105060239/http://www.tashigroup.bt/?page_id=862. 5 November 2012. dmy-all.
  18. Web site: Running short of space and human resource . KuenselOnline . 12 December 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141213014723/http://www.kuenselonline.com/running-short-of-space-and-human-resource/ . 13 December 2014 . dmy .
  19. Web site: Paro international airport gets new infrastructure. Lhamo. Phurpa. Kuensel. July 25, 2018. January 3, 2022.
  20. Web site: Paro Airport . https://web.archive.org/web/20111202003449/http://www.dca.gov.bt/AIRPORTS/Paro%20Airport . dead . 2 December 2011 . dca.gov.bt . 12 December 2014 . dmy-all .
  21. Web site: A Royal Vision Transforms Paro Airport. Kuensel. October 13, 2021. January 3, 2021.