PHALEBAS, PARBAT: An aircraft of Tara Airlines has landed at Balewa Airport for the first time after 16 years.

The private airline company conducted the test flight from Pokhara with a Twin Otter aircraft having the call sign 9NKL.

The airline is preparing to operate regular flights from Pokhara to Balewa from March 23 this year. The company said there appears to be no problem in the airport to operate regular flights.

The aircraft with three crew members — pilot Santosh Shah, co-pilot Prabhat Ghimire and air-hostess Sirjana Humagain — made its landing at the airport which had been shut due to want of passengers.

Baglung Municipality has agreed to bear the loss if the airline company failed to find passengers for regular flights. Following the municipality's announcement, various airline companies became ready to operate their services to Balewa.