Sono certo che interesserà a molti. Bisognerebbe organizzarci per andare in comitiva!
WSJ.COM
April 7, 2014, 6:07 PM KST
Flying Soviet Style in North Korea
ByJeyup S. Kwaak
Interested in old planes and prepared to roll the dice on safety (as well as contribute to state coffers)? Then North Korea may be your must-visit destination.
U.K.-based Juche Travel Services has taken hundreds of tourists to the Hermit Kingdom for scheduled and charter flights and joyrides on aging jets, some of which are from the Soviet era.
David Thompson, who operates the tours, told Korea Real Time he came up with the idea in 2012 while running his North Korea-specialized agency. He said 12 aviation tours have taken place since.
According to the itinerary for the next English-language tour in September—the tour is also offered in German—the visit begins from Beijing where the participants are taken to Pyongyang on a twin-engined Tupolev Tu-204 narrow-body jet, which was first introduced in the 1990s.
In the following days, visitors are taken onto other rare flights in operation from manufacturers Ilyushin, Antonov and Tupolev. The Soviet era jets include the Antonov An-24 twin turboprop, whose production was stopped in the late 1970s, and the four-engined Ilyushin Il-76 freighter that was first developed in the same period and later used for military cargo and even airborne refueling.
Many of the North Korean commercial aircraft flown by flag carrier Air Koryo are believed to be operating beyond the standard 25-to-30-year lifespan for jets. But Mr. Thompson said he had “no big concerns” in this regard, adding that aviation industry professionals such as pilots and ground engineers have participated in the tours—and commended the North Korean maintenance.
“I have personally flown on much newer aircraft that have been in much worse condition than older Air Koryo aircraft,” said Mr. Thompson.
The fee for a standard tour is €1,995 per person, though some flights require surcharges.
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Copyright 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Link dell’agenzia:
http://www.juchetravelservices.com/index.html
WSJ.COM
April 7, 2014, 6:07 PM KST
Flying Soviet Style in North Korea
ByJeyup S. Kwaak
Interested in old planes and prepared to roll the dice on safety (as well as contribute to state coffers)? Then North Korea may be your must-visit destination.
U.K.-based Juche Travel Services has taken hundreds of tourists to the Hermit Kingdom for scheduled and charter flights and joyrides on aging jets, some of which are from the Soviet era.
David Thompson, who operates the tours, told Korea Real Time he came up with the idea in 2012 while running his North Korea-specialized agency. He said 12 aviation tours have taken place since.
According to the itinerary for the next English-language tour in September—the tour is also offered in German—the visit begins from Beijing where the participants are taken to Pyongyang on a twin-engined Tupolev Tu-204 narrow-body jet, which was first introduced in the 1990s.
In the following days, visitors are taken onto other rare flights in operation from manufacturers Ilyushin, Antonov and Tupolev. The Soviet era jets include the Antonov An-24 twin turboprop, whose production was stopped in the late 1970s, and the four-engined Ilyushin Il-76 freighter that was first developed in the same period and later used for military cargo and even airborne refueling.
Many of the North Korean commercial aircraft flown by flag carrier Air Koryo are believed to be operating beyond the standard 25-to-30-year lifespan for jets. But Mr. Thompson said he had “no big concerns” in this regard, adding that aviation industry professionals such as pilots and ground engineers have participated in the tours—and commended the North Korean maintenance.
“I have personally flown on much newer aircraft that have been in much worse condition than older Air Koryo aircraft,” said Mr. Thompson.
The fee for a standard tour is €1,995 per person, though some flights require surcharges.
————————————————————————-
Copyright 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Link dell’agenzia:
http://www.juchetravelservices.com/index.html
