Everest Helicopter Tours Himalayan flight desk

CAAN licensed operators

The CAAN licensed operators whose aircraft we charter, what we verify before working with them, and why we tell you which is which.

Almost nobody searching for a helicopter in Nepal ends up talking to an operator. They end up talking to an agency. We are an agency, and we would rather say so on this page than let you find out at the apron.

What that means in practice

We do not own aircraft. We charter them from operators who hold air operator certificates from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, and we manage the flight around you: the schedule, the weight, the weather call, the paperwork and the person who answers at two in the morning.

The advantage is choice. When one operator is grounded for maintenance, or has both machines committed to a rescue, we move you to another. On a short weather window in October, that is frequently the difference between flying and not.

What we verify before we work with an operator

  1. A current air operator certificate. Not a company registration, not a website. The certificate, current, from CAAN.
  2. Passenger liability insurance. In force, at the level required, covering the routes we sell.
  3. Pilot experience on our routes. Lukla, the upper Khumbu and the high pads are specific skills. Hours in the logbook elsewhere do not substitute.
  4. A maintenance record we are permitted to see. If an operator will not show us, we do not work with them.

We review each operator annually and after any incident anywhere in their fleet. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft. We do not negotiate on this, and we do not announce it, because the point is the passengers rather than the publicity.

Air Dynasty Heli Services

Flying since
1993
Fleet
4 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e, H125

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Manang Air

Flying since
1997
Fleet
2 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e, H125

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Simrik Air

Flying since
2001
Fleet
3 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e, H125

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Mountain Helicopters

Flying since
2009
Fleet
2 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Altitude Air

Flying since
2016
Fleet
2 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e, Bell 407

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Heli Everest

Flying since
2016
Fleet
4 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e, H125

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Prabhu Helicopter

Flying since
2017
Fleet
2 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Kailash Helicopter Services

Flying since
2017
Fleet
3 aircraft
Licence
CAAN licensed
Types
AS350 B3e

We charter aircraft from this operator and coordinate flights with their dispatch directly. Before we place passengers on any operator's aircraft we confirm four things: a current air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, valid passenger liability insurance, pilot experience on the specific routes we sell, and a maintenance record we are allowed to see.

We review each operator annually and after any incident. Where an operator cannot satisfy us on any of those four points, we stop selling their aircraft rather than negotiating.

Which operator will fly me?

We confirm the operator when we confirm your flight. If you want a specific one, ask and we will tell you whether it is possible on your date. If an operator changes after confirmation, which happens when aircraft are reassigned to rescues, we tell you before you fly rather than after.

A note on how to read any operator list

Every agency in Nepal publishes a list of partner operators, and the lists overlap heavily, because there are not many helicopter operators in the country. What distinguishes one agency from another is not the names on the list. It is whether they will tell you which one is flying you, and what they checked.

Need a helicopter? We answer in minutes.

Dispatch desk staffed 24 hours, every day of the year. Bookings, weather holds and emergency evacuations.