Air Koryo Tupolev 204

This entry will be a two part one (divided in itself). The first part is getting to North Korea and the second one leaving it. Both of the flights I've done on the Tupolev 204-100 operated by Air Koryo. The -300 is just a bit shorter and apart of that doesn't differ much inside.

JS152
13.09.2014 PEK-FNJ
1255-1600
I got to the airport around 10am by the train that rides between the center and both terminal areas at the airport. There I met up with part of the group and later we passed through security prior to getting to our check-in area. Some unusually sized luggage could be seen checked-in. After getting my boarding pass with what looked like a good seat (10F) I proceeded on the yet another security check and the immigration counters. Airside, after localizing our departure gate I moved on to looking for a place to spot at, windows gave a couple good shots at aircraft that have been docked and one, in the "corner" had an overview on the main taxiway and one of the three runways at PEK. There many of my trip mates gathered. We spent the hour prior to boarding here taking pictures, notes and laughing together. We had to bond at least a bit, a full week with the company of us and only us was ahead.
It was boarding time, still before entering the jetway most of us made a slight detour for a photo of the 204. On board we were greeted by the friendly crew of todays flight. Just after a couple of minutes push-back commenced, engines have been fired up and taxiing started. A long one, with some stops due to traffic. Finally we were in the air.
In flight service was rather poor. The "Kim Burger" we got was rather a 1/10 than something you would like to eat. Fortunately the soft drink was kinda good!
Maybe it was just me, or it was the airplane or the way the pilots flew but I could feel practically every turn, something that usually doesn't happen in the "western world". One strange situation also happened. A slight bank right turned into a steep one, than the pilot suddenly over-banked left, tried to level it off and again banked right before finally leveling off. Someone even screamed at the back.
Finally after 1h 22min we touchdowned at Pyongyang Sunan airport, deboarded the plane and boarded a bus and traveled towards the terminal for our customs and immigration control. All of it did take some time and finally after around 8-9 hours we've arrived at our hotel.

In the tunnel from the train to the terminal

Landside in the T2, pre customs check

Air Koryo Mi-17

I wake up. A morning like many others. At a first glance there is nothing spectacular about it. But wait! I look out of the window and the same view comes to my eyes, the sight of Pyongyang city. The day has come. The day that most of us anticipated most. The day of flights. The day that I am going to hop on 5 flights, on 4 different planes, all of them being my first time. The Ilyushin 76, Ilyushin 62, Tupolev 154 and the Mi-17 helicopter. The 18th day of September 2014. A date I surely will remember, not only for the reasons stated above ;)

This was the last flight scheduled for me this day. After a tiring morning with four flights included and a lunch our group has been transported to a pair of helicopters (a Mi-17 [867] and a Mi-8 [847]) at Pyongyang Airport. We have been previously divided into smaller groups two of which were to fly today and the other two would return the next day back to Pyongyang while we would take the roads in our coach. I've been designated to fly on the 867. Inside: a side couch, a table, an air conditioner, a clock and two big chairs with a floor made to look like wood. The second helicopter (with which we have had a short 'A2A' session during the flight) was slightly different inside. It included a greenish carpet with flowers, kinda kitschy IMO.
We were headed for the Myohyang mountains. Landing somewhere in the area of Hyangsan. After deboarding we all could take pictures from basically any angle of both flying machines. Additionally the scenery is in the region very spectacular, truly breathtaking. Well I've got no words to describe it. It took mine away. Together with the weather it made up a fabulous setting for any session, let it be a Mi-17.

At FNJ ground before boarding