Nepal Airlines’ Airbus Has Malfunctioned Beyond Repair

Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) Airbus A320-200 aircraft has malfunctioned beyond repair.

After the aircraft landed in New Delhi on December 26, 2017, one of its engine malfunctioned. The aircraft with call-sign 9N-AKW was scheduled to fly to Bangkok after returning from New Delhi.

Engineers from NAC conducted a long study and arrived at a conclusion that the engine was beyond repair. The engine now has to be replaced by a new engine or a used one. The aircraft is relatively new. The 158-seater was purchased by NAC only on February 5, 2015.

NAC has not decided whether they will take a new engine or used one. While new engines cost Rs. 1 billion, used engines are available for around Rs. 600 million. The engine manufactured by International Aero Engines (IAE) had a warranty equivalent to 7,000 hours of flight. But the aircraft has crossed its warranty.

IAE and other companies have said that it would take at least six months to repair the engine. Not willing to wait for that long, NAC has started its search for a second-hand engine. NAC said that they have already received a positive response from a Beijing-based branch office of IAE for a used engine. NAC now needs to arrange the required 600 million rupees.

An official at NAC said that the office had given the option to lease the engine. The official agrees that leasing the engine would be the best option until the aircraft’s engine is fixed.

The leasing however will amount to Rs. 20 million per month. So the engine will have to be replaced at the earliest. NAC has already put forth a proposal for leasing the engine and has started to search for companies to repair the engine.