Paro Airport (PBH/VQPR), Bhutan’s solely worldwide airport, is positioned 6 kilometers from town of Paro and 50 kilometers from Thimphu, the nation’s capital. PBH is called one of the vital tough airports on the earth attributable to its location and difficult method, by both course of the runway.
It’s positioned in a valley at 7,332 toes, about 2,200 meters, above sea stage, surrounded by the Himalayan mountains which oscillate as much as 18,000 toes, greater than 5,000 meters. The runway, with headings 04 and 22, is 2,265 meters lengthy, equal to only over 7,400 toes. For his or her method, they have to fly visually, following particular factors and turning by the mountains till they discover the runway and land, normally with out the automated touchdown system.
One other issue that will increase the issue of this airport is the sturdy winds, inflicting a number of flights to be diverted and/or canceled. Solely a small variety of pilots are allowed to function in Paro attributable to these excessive circumstances.
With regard to carriers, all airways at the moment working to/from Paro are Bhutanese, providing home and worldwide routes, primarily with Airbus H130, Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A320neo, and ATR 42-600 plane.
Druk Air (KB/DRK), also referred to as Royal Bhutan Airways, is Bhutan’s major airline and flag service, managed by the Royal Authorities of Bhutan, which focuses its operations in South Asia and the Center East. Bhutan Airways (B3/BTN) is the opposite service working in Paro, the nation’s first non-public airline, with Kathmandu and Kolkata being a part of its route community from PBH/VQPR. In addition to Druk Air, it has Airbus A319-100s in its fleet, though the nation’s flag service additionally has ATR 42-600s, Airbus A320s and helicopters.
The airport averages six flights per day, with some days having three or 4 and others having seven or eight. Druk Air, apart from being Bhutan’s main airline, is the principle operator in Paro, because it has greater than three each day flights. Bhutan Airways, which doesn’t have its plane primarily based in Paro, generally operates solely one flight a day to PBH/VQPR.
DestinationAirlineFlightsAircraft
Bangkok (BKK)Druk Air5 weeklyAirbus A319
Delhi (DEL)Druk Air4 weeklyA319/A20N
Dhaka (DAC)Druk Air2 weeklyATR 42-600
Dubai (DXB)Druk Air2 weeklyAirbus A319
Gelephu (GLU)Druk Air2 weeklyATR 42-600
Guwahati (GAU)Druk Air2 weeklyAirbus A319
Jakar (BUT)Druk Air2 weeklyATR 42-600
Kathmandu (KTM)Bhutan Airlines4 weeklyAirbus A319
Kathmandu (KTM)Druk Air5 weeklyAirbus A319
Kolkata (CCU)Bhutan Airlines7 weeklyAirbus A319
Kolkata (CCU)Druk Air3 weeklyATR 42/A319
Siliguri (IXB)Druk Air2 weeklyAirbus A319
Trashigang (YON)Druk Air2 weeklyATR 42-600
Paro has about 42 weekly flights, 31 of that are operated by Druk Air and 11 by Bhutan Airways.
In keeping with our database, 36 of those 42 weekly flights are worldwide, distributed amongst Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. Gelephu (GLU/VQGP), Jakar Bathpalathang (BUT/VQBT), and Trashigang Yongphulla (YON/VQTY) are the home routes inside Bhutan carried out from/to Paro.
Druk Air and Bhutan Airways are the one airways permitted, on the time of publication, to function flights from this airport. That is the fleet of every one:
AirlineAircraftRegConfigAge
Bhutan AirlinesAirbus A319-115A5-DORC12Y11415 years
Bhutan AirlinesAirbus A319-115A5-RIMC12Y11415 years
Druk AirAirbus A319-115A5-JSWC16Y10210 years
Druk AirAirbus A319-115A5-RGFC16Y10221 years
Druk AirAirbus A319-115A5-RGGC16Y10220 years
Druk AirAirbus A320-251NA5-JKWC20Y1205 years
Druk AirAirbus H130A5-BHU5 or 6 PAX2 years
Druk AirAirbus H130A5-BHV5 or 6 PAX2 years
Druk AirATR 42-600A5-JNWC8Y326 years
Between 1994 and 2007, Druk Air operated two British Aerospace 146-100 plane. These had been changed by Airbus A319-115 plane with registrations A5-RGF and A5-RGG, which had been added to the fleet in 2004.
Along with plane, Bhutan’s flag service additionally has two helicopters in its fleet, each Airbus H130 T2 helicopters, registered as A5-BHU and A5-BHV. The 2 had been added in 2024, with the primary arriving in Paro on July 1st and the second on the finish of October.
With its helicopters, Druk Air operates constitution flights to distant villages, vacationer flights, medical evacuation, and cargo transport to hard-to-reach areas. These plane have two configurations, relying on the pilots flying them. With one pilot, they’ll carry six passengers, whereas with two pilots they’ll carry 5 passengers.
As with its Airbus A319, Airbus A320, and ATR 42-600 plane, the two Airbus H130 helicopters are primarily based at Bhutan Worldwide Airport.
So as to function at Paro Worldwide Airport, one in all Bhutan’s 4 airports, particular certification and specialised coaching are required. This contains demonstrated information of native geography, approaches to each runways, and touchdown procedures, in addition to the power to fly with out autopilot. It’s estimated that round 50 pilots are certified to function at PBH.
As reported by Easy Flying, to qualify for coaching, pilots will need to have a minimal of 1,500 hours, greater than 500 hours of mountain flying, and an Airline Transport (ATP) certificates. After intensive coaching in flight simulators, performed by the Royal Authorities of Bhutan at the side of Bhutan Airways, certified pilots will have the ability to function in Paro with out supervision following 30 takeoffs and landings.
A5-BHU · Airbus H130 · Druk Air
A5-BHV · Airbus H130 · Druk Air
A5-DOR · Airbus A319-115 · Bhutan Airways
A5-JKW · Airbus A320-251N · Druk Air
A5-JNW · ATR 42-600 · Druk Air
A5-JSW · Airbus A319-115 · Druk Air
A5-RGF · Airbus A319-115 · Druk Air
A5-RGG · Airbus A319-115 · Druk Air
A5-RIM · Airbus A319-115 · Bhutan Airways
Cowl picture: © FoxbatOne – JetPhotos (Paro, Bhutan)
