EU-Backed Workshop on Flight Simulation Training Opens in Kathmandu

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal opened a two-day regional workshop on Next-Generation Flight Simulation Training Devices in Kathmandu on 24 February, backed by the EU–South Asia Aviation Partnership Project.

Original report
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Industry impact

The workshop signals deeper EU-South Asia regulatory cooperation on simulator-based training, potentially shaping how regional authorities oversee helicopter and mountain-flying simulation standards.

A two-day regional workshop on Next-Generation Flight Simulation Training Devices opened on 24 February in Kathmandu, organized by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and supported by the EU–South Asia Aviation Partnership Project, which is funded by the European Union and executed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The event brought together aviation regulators, technical experts, and industry stakeholders from Nepal and the broader South Asian region to focus on regulatory oversight and operational deployment of modern Flight Simulation Training Devices, including Extended Reality technologies. A highlight was the demonstration of a Virtual Reality-based H125 (AS350) helicopter simulator, developed jointly by Loft Dynamics and Airbus Helicopters, which let participants experience simulated mountain flying scenarios relevant to Nepal's terrain.

At the opening ceremony, EU Ambassador to Nepal Véronique Lorenzo stressed the importance of safe and reliable aviation for Nepal's connectivity, tourism, and economic development, and reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting Nepal in strengthening aviation oversight and fostering technological innovation. Nepal's Minister Anil Kumar Sinha participated in the concluding session.

The Kathmandu workshop is part of a broader EU-supported aviation cooperation programme in Nepal running through 2026, with additional technical engagements planned for June and later in the year. The EU–South Asia Aviation Partnership Project operates within the wider EU–Asia Aviation Partnership framework, aiming to promote regulatory convergence, strengthen safety oversight, and facilitate technical dialogue between authorities and industry, in line with the EU's Global Gateway strategy.