Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has received second Chinese-made Y-12e aircraft as part of a six-plane deal between Nepal and China.

The 17-seater aircraft bearing Nepali registration number 9N-AKT landed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu at 4:30pm on Wednesday. The aircraft, which has been named “Gauthali”, was flown to Kathmandu from Kunming in China. With this,

NAC now has six aircraft—two Canadian-made Twin Otter and four Chinese-made aircraft—in its domestic fleet. 

In Nov 2013, the Cabinet had given its go-ahead to the government to sign loan and grant agreements with China to procure six aircraft—two MA60 and four Y-12e—to enhance NAC’s domestic fleet. According to NAC, it will receive the remaining two Y-12e planes in the near future.

China has provided one MA60 and one Y-12e worth Rs2.94 billion as gifts. The other planes are being bought with a loan of Rs3.72 billion provided by China EXIM Bank.