Chinese Y-12E Turboprop Operates From 'World's Most Dangerous Airport'

A Chinese Y-12E Turboprop aircraft operated by Royal Nepal Airlines (RNA) commenced flights to Lukla, considered the world’s most dangerous airport.

Flights to this airport, which had been suspended since two years, recommenced earlier this month with the RNA flight connecting Kathmandu to Lukla.

The Y-12E Turboprop aircraft manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Co., Ltd. (HAIG) was operated by the airlines to carry two batches of passengers to the Lukla Airport.

The airport has acquired its reputation as the ‘world’s most dangerous airport’ as it has the largest slope and an elevation of 2,845 meters above sea level. The airport’s sloping runway of 30 meters in width and 527 meters in length is less than one seventh of the runway at the Beijing Capital Airport. At one end of the runway is an abyss, and the other is the Mount Everest.

Chinese-made Four Y-12Es and two MA60s are among the nine aircrafts with RNA. To guarantee successful operations, an integrated logistics team was sent to assist Nepal Airlines to conduct routine maintenance and repair, train pilots and ground professionals, and tackle daily operational problems in real time.