IL-62 to Pyongyang
In May 2012, I attended the first aviation trip to North-Korea and it was a success. Enjoy the photo’s.
Boarding time for our flight JS152.
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Aeroflot Airbus 330-300 VQ-BNS was named 'A. Bakulev' after Aleksandr Nikolayevich Bakulev who was a Soviet surgeon and one of the founders of cardiovascular surgery in the USSR.
Hainan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER boarding passengers at Beijing Capital airport.
The long fuselage of Air Koryo IL-62M P-885 reflects the Beijing morning light as it is replenished with catering and bags for its return flight to Pyongyang.
Air Koryo IL-62M P-885, being prepared to be backed-out of her Bejing's gate, May 2012.
P-885 flying as JS152.
Another view of ‘885’ in her senior flying years.
Unfortunately, the hallmarks captured so well by the lens also spelled the doom of this geriatric jet.
Air Koryo IL-62M P-885 awaits a new batch of passengers (including me) at Beijng, May 12, 2012.
P-885 in the spring-time sunshine glow.
Air Koryo IL-62M P-885 at BJS in May 2012, prepping for another pax run to the Pyongyang.
Our IL-62M is powered by four tail-mounted Kuznetsov NK-8-4 turbofans.
I love seeing these screamers close up.
P-885 at Beijing, ready for action.
Ilyushin greenhouse.
Off it was on a bright sunny Saturday, mid May 2012, rocketing down to Pyongyang in merely two hours, bringing back memories from our more glorious aviation past back in the 70's and 80's, from times when we were young, pure and innocent and flying onboard these submarine like shaped rockets was no less an adventure than today.
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A lovely in-flight scene as the stewardesses, in their stylish outfit, serve their passengers.
Yummy!
Arrival at Pyongyang airport.
Unfortunately, the stylish old terminal was being broken-up.
Early NK-8-4-engined Il-62's suffered from performance problems including fatigue and overheating issues with the engines, sometimes leading to false fire alarms which could possibly cause the crew to accidentally shut down paired engines to prevent contiguous engine and fuselage damage.
P-885 was delivered new to Air Koryo’s forerunner, Chosonminghang, in June 1979.
Some seriously fascinating stuff there.
Like the VC-10, the IL-62’s T-tail and rear mounted engines gave it some tight aft center of gravity limits, particularly when on the ground. As a result, the designers fitted the aircraft with a hydraulic twin-wheel strut to support the rear fuselage during loading and unloading.
Koryo means Korea.
The port-side wing of our IL-62M, forms a fitting frame, for her sisterships, lined-up at Pyongyang.
Our IL-62 front seaters were also disembarking.
'885' being portrayed on a cloudy afternoon.
One of the service-vehicles move out to meet ‘885’.
Such a svelte, sleek fuselage. A wonderful airplane for its time from a technological standpoint. Pity that the economics didn't work out.
