November 16: After months of rigorous test flights, Shankarapur Paragliding has started commercial flights for adventure lovers in the north-eastern outskirts of Kathmandu. 
The initiative taken by the company to start tandem and solo flights near the ancient city of Sankhu, currently known as Shankarapur, heralds a new era for adventure sports lovers of the capital, who until now had to travel as far as Pokhara to enjoy paragliding.   
“Very few people are aware that paragliding is available at the doorstep of Kathmandu,” said Rajendra Dahal, patron of the company that has been operating in the rim of the valley since the last four years. 
“We can tap in the potential of paragliding to promote adventure tourism,” added Dahal.
Kusal Thapa, the company’s managing director, said that their initiative would benefit the locals of Kathmandu as well as international tourists.
Organising a press conference in the capital on Thursday, November 16, the company informed that the paragliding site is located five kilometers away from Sankhu at Jorsinghpauwa, which is in between the ancient city and Nagarkot, a popular tourist destination. The company informed that they have 12 solo pilots and four tandem pilots and have been operating 15 flights per day. The flights take off from the hilltop and land outside the valley, which is half and hour away from the starting point. 
Thapa further said that the operation of the flights outside the valley would not affect any local and international flights. 
“We have got the license to operate paragliding as our flights does not affect international flights in any way,” he said referring to another paragliding company in the Valley in Godavari which courted controversy as it was near the airport, thereby affecting international flights.
Regarding safety issues, Thapa, who is himself a paragliding pilot, said that there are very few incidents in paragliding as long as they follow the rules and remain alert about the weather condition.
“Accidents happen mostly when the solo pilots perform stunts. But if you follow the rules, it is perfectly safe,” assured Thapa. 
According to Thapa, the price for foreign nationals is USD 100 while the locals have to pay Rs 5,500 for tandem flights.
The company provides transportation facility as well as lunch for its customers.