Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (Harbin) officially handed over the first of six Y12Es, 9N-AKS, to Nepal Airlines (RA, Kathmandu) at a ceremony held in Kathmandu on Monday, November 3. The turboprop was originally due in the Himalayan kingdom in July but was delayed as a result of the type's certification procedure with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
Nepal Airlines plans to use the aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of DHC-6s used on flights to the country's more remote regions.
Over the coming week, the Nepali carrier is expected to add an additional three of the type in addition to one more MA-60 of which it has one.
The aircraft are offered by China via concessional loans.
