Don’t judge a book by its cover. As an ex aircraft engineer you are putting your life on the line flying in these aircraft, what’s the maintenance,? Etc
Thank you for making this documentary about my airline. I hope you enjoyed our services. I have ordered new planes from uncle Vlad to improve our reputation ❤ - Chairman Kim
What are these replies? You all think it's ok to whitewash what is going on in NK? This kind of content only legitimises the terror and famine regime that renders ordinary lives so subjected oppressed and abused.
Russian here. My grandfather Dmitry Vilde was building the engines for the TU in 50s. It was near Kuibyshev (now Samara), a small work town called Upravlenchesky. Some captured Germans from ww2 worked there in luxury (measuring by that time) conditions - high salary, meat and milk supply etc, they were engineers who helped our engineers to work. I have published some of his personal letters and pictures of that time. Incredibly interesting, Sam. Thank you for your videos and for your interest in Soviet aviation. This job actually saved my grandfather from ww2, during which he stayed in Moscow and was making engines for war planes in Moscow suburbs. Peace to all❤
@sbbfbwnxpquenflqpiso sad that the west thinks they have the moral high ground. Nope, we don't, we are in no position to lecture anyone. If you think we are free, you are deluding yourself. We are puppets in the hands of the 1%. We dance to their tunes. We count nothing, we are only good as long as we are useful.
The one thing that stands out is how clean their aircraft are. To see vintage aircraft still flying is a real treat. To fly seated next to the engine Is not. Thanks Sam, this was very interesting to watch.
you could assume that it’s because these planes probably see considerably less foot traffic than planes owned by airlines in the rest of the world. meaning there wouldn’t be as much wear and tear on their planes
Thanks for your excellent video. Australian Pilot. I think the entire crew should be awarded a five star rating. It's not their fault that they were born in North Korea. Old aircraft are kept in top condition. The landings and takeoffs are particularly impressive.
How many times have you heard that those planes have crashed? Those propellers will kill any bird that comes around and will not burn in the engine. It may be old but doesn't need much maintenance to keep it running.
@emt9370 you gotta be ignorant to the next level to say that. It’s not like they have a choice, when Uncle Sam has sanctioned the f out of them and all their western stooges like Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed don’t sell their planes to them. So yeah, good luck peddling propaganda dimwit
From flying like a prince in an Emirates first class suite to sitting in the back row of an Air Koryo IL-62, you have experienced everything. In my next life I want to be Sam Chui.
Las aerolíneas del continente Americano desde Alaska hasta la Patagonia son una verdadera letrina, no hay una sola que se salve, y las aerolíneas Europeas no se quedan muy atrás, el mejor servicio lo ofrecen las de Asia.
Yeah... Out of the major US airlines, United is probably my least favorite. Always a horrible experience. They haven't quite reached down to the level of Spirit yet, but they're getting there. I've had more favorable experiences on Jet Blue lately, than I have United, and Jet Blue itself has kind of fallen off over the past twenty years.
United sucks, they stranded me in Harrisburg Pennsylvania(flight was from Seattle to Newark), because of "weather" in NYC. Meanwhile JFK and LaGuardia were running just fine.
I’ve watched loads of videos on North Korea but this one is by far the best. You actually showed the interesting activities you did instead of just going on about how strange the place is. Yes NK is weird, we know - but there is still a lot to experience. Clearly you made the most of your time which is refreshing 👍
@umairasif15it is impressive 'for show'. The food you get on the planes are quite literally luxury meals that the majority of the population in NK can't enjoy. A lot of sights, events, gatherings you as a tourist will see are choreographed and fabricated, especially on government-issued tours. We do have many anecdotal reports, photos and videos from tourists that show patterns, and at least some numbers on their economy, current living standards, diet amongst other things that paint very conflicting pictures, especially from every Intel gathered by people who fled NK.
Skill. When you have so few planes and millions of people, It’s not hard to have team lifetime dedicated technicians who just live and breathe a few planes. If North Korea spent their money on planes instead of muck missiles, they could have a modern fleet.
Everything you see and everyone you meet there is intentional. They seem sweet and fun but they are actors. They probably spent their whole lives preparing for their roles. They sing the same songs, they tell the same jokes, they share the same stories. All scripted. Probably why they use two of them. In case one goes "off script" they can be handled accordingly.
Impressive how the North Koreans keep their Soviet-era planes well-maintained and airworthy. The flight attendants were gorgeous, and you treated their country with respect. Insightful documentary--thanks for posting, Sam. 😊✈️🛫
@dohcnehbthank you for saying that 😭 I also respect their hard work because regardless it’s impressive to be a pilot, but so sad to think about the circumstances.
@dohcnehbeveryone is forced to work to work unless you choose to be a parasite in a nation that facilitates your selfish nature. Capitalism allows you to choose your own path in work, while communism chooses your occupation for you
It's a different style because of when this video was shot. It was when he was mostly doing his video's on his own, so it has that more raw uncut look. I'm grateful he still has all this footage to go back to. Today Sam has a lot of help to shoot and edit, so it has that more polished professional look now. But I do appreciate the early stuff when he wasn't so known to the aviation industry and now get's invited by airlines and other aviation related industry.
to bad his info is very out of date, back in 2012 maybe you would get your phone taken, this was no longer true few years later, as you can see on other travel videos
wow - it’s amazing how well-preserved these beautiful airplanes are - they look as if they’re maintained on a daily basis - it would be worth a visit just to fly them
I wouldn't. Aviation-grade steel is high quality but have defined lifespans. When you're evaluating a civilian aircraft's age don't think about the flight hours, at least not when you're evaluating the airframe itself, the wingbox, wing struts, cabin & the like. It's compression cycles that matter. These planes at altitude expand & on landing contract. Under UV radiation & working under vibration, metal has a limited number of compression cycles before microcracks start to develop. Once the wingbox starts developing cracks the plane's done. How many compression cycles have these aircraft been through over the Decades? Alot. I wouldn't trust their domestic service planes.
@CoffeeAndPaul true but a lot of commercial airplanes are older than 30-40 years still in service and they are getting used much more than for example this il 62
I flew jets for an American airline and the only time they were cleaned was for repainting. Looks like a neat and different experience in an interesting place.
I'd love to know who is qualified to fix that MiG-21 after that horrific tail strike on landing. But hey... let's all cheer for female pilots! That's what's really important, right?
I mean it’s not that hard to afford, what with the fact they don’t pay workers or offer any sort of (meaningful) government assistance or give a living shit about their citizens’ quality of life… you’d be surprised how much you can spend in one area when you “belt tighten” elsewhere 😬
@JME1186 They probably live better than you. DPRK citizens get monthly food ration which includes rice, vegetables, tofu, beer and more, free housing and free education.
Summer of 1990, I flew Aeroflot from NY to Moscow. Hearing the jet's engines in your video brings it all back. Not sure if they've since fixed it or if your audio just didn't pick it up, but in addition to being incredibly loud, the engines were slightly out of tune with each other. The end result being that on top of being the loudest jet I've ever flown on, there was a fluctuating ?warble? ?harmonic? between the engines that I hope to never experience again. Ever. Good times. edit to add: all the seats on the plane reclined fully onto the seats behind them. We were told it was so that the planes could be quickly converted to cargo planes for the military. For 60+ high school students, it was better than 1st class. We reclined all of our chairs and the back half of the plane became a huge sleeping area. We were also allowed to take a small set of stairs down into the cargo hold (where we played cards until the cold got to us).
I flew Aeroflot from Moscow to Siberia in winter. When we were landing, the pilot said there was ice on the runway. He made everyone stand in the back of the airplane on landing to weigh down the tail. It still floundered back and forth like a fish struggling on a line. Absolutely terrifying in every way. Lots of people were throwing up. But that man landed that damn airplane, and everyone survived! It was rough though.
I am also an aviation enthusiast from Russia. True, at the time when you flew to Russia, I had just been born) but we in Russia ourselves miss the sound of the engines of old planes. They almost never fly in Russia anymore. Therefore, it is almost impossible to touch the history of aviation. Recently there was a farewell passenger flight of the Tu 154 aircraft. This is one of the most beautiful aircraft in the world....
This one airport in wyoming was on top of a big mesa and every landing was an instant white out from the snow on the runway! Always hoped it stopped before skidding off the mesa but there was no of knowing cuz you couldnt see!
Well done, Sam. A great presentation. I flew on a huge Antonov An-22 from Prestwick Airport Glasgow, UK way back in 1996 to Goma, Zaire (now DRofC) which has a really long runway. We stopped in Athens, Khartoum and Nairobi for refuelling. It was full of Plant vehicles for building roads in the refugee camps post Rowanda"s genocide situation in in 1994. I had to sit on a wooden plank spanned across one of the windows. It was a madness flight but a great experience. I spent 8 months out there as a civilian with a UNHCR contractor. I'm pretty old 😊. I flew in some of those old helicopters and aircraft of the British Forces in my 26 years of service (1966-1993). I thought you presented the N.Korean people with great respect.
Thank you for the video and all the footage of beautiful old birds doing what they do best in the sky. Glad to see so many happy faces enjoying an event, hope life keeps getting better for them.
@guitardzan5641you and I know why they keep 2 people with you at all times. #1 to keep u from seeing the real N. Korea #2 so the 1 person can keep the other from escaping
Those Ilyushin Il-62 engines are ridiculously loud. Easily the loudest jet engines I've ever heard on a commercial airliner. I can only imagine what it's like onboard at the back of the plane.
Honestly, I think they deserve more than one star rating. Their fleet might be dated, but everything seems to be working just fine. The service is even better than most low cost airliners these days. The Supreme Leader should really consider to open up more to international tourists. It's fine to keep everything guided. Since many (including me) would definitely pay for such 'traveling back in time' experience.
Hi Sam, just winter to say thank you for the topics and bringing us around all these differents topics with an unparalelled passion.This vidéo on Norah Korea reflects my gratitude
@jimtuite3451 , I haven’t met one NK citizens that would swap citizenship with me. Believe me, I’ve tried. They don’t want to leave utopia. I understand! KJU RULES! 🇰🇵
Your genuine curiosity for a place / operation, and true respect for people shines through in your videos Sam Chui. Thank you for sharing these experiences with us!
Since their purpose is to represent and impress foreigners (as much as you can with 50 year old tech), I guess that these planes are kept in best possible condition because nothing would be more embarrasing for NKs leader than an airplane full of western tourists crumbling apart mid flight.
I have a friend who went to North Korea on a Soviet Antonov 26. According to him, the economy seats had more space than business seats. It had bigger windows than Dreamliner which gave a good view.
@wildbill7267they’re probably quite happy, anyone that tourists get to meet in North Korea is a privileged individual that has been selected for that role. They don’t live like the peasants in the countryside.
I was flying in my young age almost all the soviet planes. An 24, Yak 40, Tu154, Il 86, Il 62 and Tu134. Very nice memory and a typical smell of the airplanes.
Ich hätte nicht erwartet, dass diese uralten russischen Flugzeuge in einem so hervorragenden Zustand sind.👍👍😃😃 Viele Grüsse aus Warthausen bei Biberach an der Riß
What a treat! Keeping all those beautiful soviet vintage aircraft airworthy and in great condition is amazing and just worth the ticket. A very unique experience.
I do agree and all that the old planes are cool, but these planes could be falling apart and come from a time when air travel was more dangerous than it is now.
Reminds of taking local flights in Asia back in the 60s. And an international flight to the U.S. Those old planes had way better maintenance than these new ones & the service back then was way better. Got older and being on military flights, noisy loud & netted seats, at least given ear plugs & a box lunch. Now only ride economy & for me that is 1st class compared to military flights. Riding on this vintage aircraft is a treat. Thank you for the tour.
Much easier and cheaper to maintain, too. I'm sure the Supreme Leader COULD afford to replace the planes, but he would not want to afford to maintain them. Smuggling in modern aircraft parts through the gray market would be very difficult and expensive.
Another superb video report Sam. You are so lucky to be able to experience these visits and see and actually fly on some of these iconic aircraft. MiG21 ? IL-62 ? That pristene IL-18 my personal favorite. I'll never get to see them so Thank You so much for sharing !
Because they will be punished if they don't. Their own families are most likely split apart and could statistically be in prison - so they're nice and smiley to you OR ELSE. And that makes you feel good? Well that's nice...
@theStrayKat1980 It's okay man...those who have not been under the iron fist of communism will never know how horrible it is....I have seen many comments like this one and they are all full of appreciation of how "kind" these people are. Everything you said is correct: they have to ACT kind or else. But hey I saw quite a few people here actually trying to make it seem like the country isn't as bad as it seems, which is a serious blow to people who risked everything to flee such a regime. Such naivety.
Thank you Sam for this great video of these beautiful aircraft. I have been an aircraft engineer all my life..( I,m now 79 ) and during my career have been fortunate enough to work on both the Il-62 and the Il-18. Like you say the Il-62 is indeed a mighty machine. Thanks again...and best wishes.
I have flown on IL- 62 on Dhaka - Tashkent - Moscow route. Most likely IL-62 used to fly non stop in Moscow - Havana route. Thank you Sam for the great video.
@anjankumardas3426 The Il-62 had to make technical stops between Moscow and Havana (and other transatlantic destinations). For many years, Shannon, Ireland was the principal en-route stop for fuel and crew changes.
so imagine how much money they paid in JET FUEL for an airshow inside a country that has more starving people than aircraft mechanics and scientists. This is a form of cruelty because your average north Korean citizen doesn't fly in any of these!!
@faithreturns333 Let's just enjoy the beauty of these old and rare machines without always having to overthink about everything. I think everyone knows about their economic troubles.
Not that surprising. Without modifications a camera is only there to record, harder to hide and it's pretty easy to view the footage afterwards and confiscate or delete it. A phone is a small mini-computer capable of hundreds of different things. North Korea is certainly interested in tourists and allowing them to film as long as they can control what is filmed helps there.
Not unusual at all. They control every foto, every video you took with a camera. As somebody already mentioned, a smartphone is a mini computer, you can do a lot of things with them that can't be controlled that easily. Or at all.
Tourists have been known to carry multiple microSD cards for their cameras and hide the ones with spicy footage. mSD cards are the size of a fingernail and mostly inert plastic/ceramic/silicon, so there isn't much the censors can do about it.
![Игровая смерть - это механика [Страшно, вырубай!]](/img/1.gif)
The condition they keep their airplanes in is seriously impressive.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. As an ex aircraft engineer you are putting your life on the line flying in these aircraft, what’s the maintenance,? Etc
@maxbee4460 I'd rather fly with these old Ilyushins than with Boeing 😅
@maxbee4460Boeng builds very unreliable planes
@maxbee4460 I'd put my life in a Russian plane before getting on a "Made in America" disaster
The material maybe already reach the end of its life. So any flight will be a potential danger.
Thank you for making this documentary about my airline. I hope you enjoyed our services. I have ordered new planes from uncle Vlad to improve our reputation ❤ - Chairman Kim
Hahahaha 😂😂
Chairman Kim, when can I have a ride on one of these planes?
@bwillwin1505 depends on my mood
What is the deal with Russian engines being loud AF?
@Dear_Respected_Chairman - The only interesting thing about flying are the stewardesses. Excellency, you did everything right on this point.
@ColonelMacPimpDaddy They are assuring the passengers it is not Boeing.
That looked like a much better meal than on all of my last 20 flights.
You got meals?
@TikiHi77 Well... Snacks basically.
Dog meat
By design. It is propaganda
I've heard that the N Koreans do like a little rat meat with their rice!
Gotta hand it to the crew and mechanics that plane looks clean and the fact it’s still airworthy is impressive
Aye, maybe airworthy there. I dare say in the rest of the world they would be deemed as completely unsafe, if not downright dangerous.
I admire your balance of acknowledging the odd realities of North Korea without making the video all about criticizing those things.
I agree! I respect him not being condescending or sarcastic in his monologue.
Yes I fully agree!
Yooooo nice first name. You spelt it the right way🤝
Same here, I have a genuine interest in places like NK and the Soviet Union but most videos are “Americanized” and do nothing but run them down
What are these replies? You all think it's ok to whitewash what is going on in NK? This kind of content only legitimises the terror and famine regime that renders ordinary lives so subjected oppressed and abused.
Russian here. My grandfather Dmitry Vilde was building the engines for the TU in 50s. It was near Kuibyshev (now Samara), a small work town called Upravlenchesky. Some captured Germans from ww2 worked there in luxury (measuring by that time) conditions - high salary, meat and milk supply etc, they were engineers who helped our engineers to work. I have published some of his personal letters and pictures of that time. Incredibly interesting, Sam. Thank you for your videos and for your interest in Soviet aviation. This job actually saved my grandfather from ww2, during which he stayed in Moscow and was making engines for war planes in Moscow suburbs. Peace to all❤
So sad Russia is more and more becoming like North Korea
@sbbfbwnxpquenflqpiso sad that the west thinks they have the moral high ground. Nope, we don't, we are in no position to lecture anyone. If you think we are free, you are deluding yourself. We are puppets in the hands of the 1%. We dance to their tunes. We count nothing, we are only good as long as we are useful.
@sbbfbwnxpquenflqpi I don't know about that, not sure if you've ever heard of a place called the soviet union. 😅
Thanks for sharing
@sbbfbwnxpquenflqpishut up..
Boeing needs to take notes on how the North Korean Plane Mechanics maintain their old vintage fleet
Airlines perform their own maintenance genius 😂
Probably cause they only have like 5 planes to maintain instead of 5,000
Its the people who manufacture the aircraft not the mechanics. Genius.
@Brother.Gabrielwell they also have a lot less money than boeing lol
@bonk4621Boeing doesn't "maintain" planes, airlines do
I like the idea of five in the cockpit and the green really makes everything look clear
Green is less stressful to the eyes, especially under IFR conditions!
That one star airline food I saw in this video is better than all the airlines I flew
Hahah so true
Absolutely correct 😅
Facts
It's one star airline cause it's North Korea
Yes, one star? Out of 5 stars, I'd give it 3 or 4 stars. Too bad North Korea is too incompetent to exploit the uniqueness of this enterprise.
The one thing that stands out is how clean their aircraft are.
To see vintage aircraft still flying is a real treat. To fly seated next to the engine Is not. Thanks Sam, this was very interesting to watch.
Is all what they got. What are they supposed to do?
ruclips.net/video/OIz2aaZZ_qg/video.htmlsi=SDeRJ8yVu1xvWTnD
The mechanic has a lot of time to be thorough that is for sure.
The penalty for not having a clean plane is severe.
you could assume that it’s because these planes probably see considerably less foot traffic than planes owned by airlines in the rest of the world. meaning there wouldn’t be as much wear and tear on their planes
Thanks for your excellent video. Australian Pilot. I think the entire crew should be awarded a five star rating. It's not their fault that they were born in North Korea. Old aircraft are kept in top condition. The landings and takeoffs are particularly impressive.
ruclips.net/video/OIz2aaZZ_qg/video.htmlsi=SDeRJ8yVu1xvWTnD
Fault?
@chrismccannIRLYou don't choose your own spawn point, mate
@damirzhanzakov exactly but fault implies negative
@chrismccannIRLwell North Korea is deffo negative it’s not something positive🤣
That landing deserves to be a movie (Action)
You guys are so brave to take those old airplanes , even their leader only takes train 😂
More like stupid. I’ve seen their safety record.
@BASSNATIONVALLEY What do you expect from a country that spends 90% of it's GNP on weapons?
How many times have you heard that those planes have crashed? Those propellers will kill any bird that comes around and will not burn in the engine. It may be old but doesn't need much maintenance to keep it running.
You mean Boeing 737 Max
@emt9370 you gotta be ignorant to the next level to say that. It’s not like they have a choice, when Uncle Sam has sanctioned the f out of them and all their western stooges like Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed don’t sell their planes to them. So yeah, good luck peddling propaganda dimwit
From flying like a prince in an Emirates first class suite to sitting in the back row of an Air Koryo IL-62, you have experienced everything. In my next life I want to be Sam Chui.
He actually flew like a prince, I remember his video about flying on a decommissioned 747 that belonged to Saudi royalty.
🤔
There are some interesting other types airlines in South America that are quite different than those two he can try.
Next life you be the flight crew serving Sam Chui😂
maybe get a life now. its not over yet ;-)
One star airlines? Dude they still serve actual food.
And they actuallt have foot room.
Literally; it looks better than Ryanair, your average two-star airline.
NO.
It's called propaganda for the photos. The citizens barely have any food.
In the Spanish low cost Level, you must PAY for the MEALS and for access to internet and for using a small blanket.
The best North Korean tourism ad I’ve ever seen.
Agreed 👍 💯 ♥️
You probably never heard the song
I understand the new recruiting posters are almost ready for release
Makes North Korea look like paradise compared to Haiti or Somalia 🤔
I just flew United out of Florida , it was late. The plane was dirty. The crew was surly. Air Koryo could teach United a few things.
Of course, United doesn't use slave labor.
Las aerolíneas del continente Americano desde Alaska hasta la Patagonia son una verdadera letrina, no hay una sola que se salve, y las aerolíneas Europeas no se quedan muy atrás, el mejor servicio lo ofrecen las de Asia.
United 🤮
Yeah... Out of the major US airlines, United is probably my least favorite. Always a horrible experience. They haven't quite reached down to the level of Spirit yet, but they're getting there. I've had more favorable experiences on Jet Blue lately, than I have United, and Jet Blue itself has kind of fallen off over the past twenty years.
United sucks, they stranded me in Harrisburg Pennsylvania(flight was from Seattle to Newark), because of "weather" in NYC. Meanwhile JFK and LaGuardia were running just fine.
I’ve watched loads of videos on North Korea but this one is by far the best. You actually showed the interesting activities you did instead of just going on about how strange the place is. Yes NK is weird, we know - but there is still a lot to experience. Clearly you made the most of your time which is refreshing 👍
The Indigo Traveller has a good series on NK if you have not checked it out yet.
Considering they have every sanction known to man on them, its impressive
Yes, but you don’t want to encourage tourism. Or shouldn’t anyway.
@umairasif15it is impressive 'for show'. The food you get on the planes are quite literally luxury meals that the majority of the population in NK can't enjoy. A lot of sights, events, gatherings you as a tourist will see are choreographed and fabricated, especially on government-issued tours. We do have many anecdotal reports, photos and videos from tourists that show patterns, and at least some numbers on their economy, current living standards, diet amongst other things that paint very conflicting pictures, especially from every Intel gathered by people who fled NK.
@justkittensbeingkittens5892 Tourism sux.
Thank for uploading.
No shortage of skill involved in keeping vintage jets in the air. Great footage of the planes.
Skill. When you have so few planes and millions of people, It’s not hard to have team lifetime dedicated technicians who just live and breathe a few planes. If North Korea spent their money on planes instead of muck missiles, they could have a modern fleet.
@BPDBRETT But if they didn't spend their money on nukes, they wouldn't have a country to land those shiny new planes.
No way I would go there. One false step and you are fucked.
@BPDBRETTyou still need skill
@giacomoneri1782Nobody wants North Korea. They don't need nukes.
I lived in the GDR, near Berlin Schönefeld. The IL-62 was really incredibly loud on take-off and landing.
It's amazing that you were able to fly it
Louder then a VC-10?
It was even louder when it crashed.
C'mmon Tu 134s were louder...
No you didn't
Guten tag Schönefeld
“Are the tour guides scary?”
*cuts to them singing karaoke* 😂
I’d go on the tour just for the tour guides!
Yeah they're your best friend until you step out of line even the slightest.
@anactualalpaca7016 it’s not that difficult to comply with other cultural standards
Oh I miss romance!
Everything you see and everyone you meet there is intentional. They seem sweet and fun but they are actors. They probably spent their whole lives preparing for their roles. They sing the same songs, they tell the same jokes, they share the same stories. All scripted. Probably why they use two of them. In case one goes "off script" they can be handled accordingly.
2:26 dang that food looks good for a 1 star airline and its even free
Impressive how the North Koreans keep their Soviet-era planes well-maintained and airworthy. The flight attendants were gorgeous, and you treated their country with respect. Insightful documentary--thanks for posting, Sam. 😊✈️🛫
They're forced
@dohcnehbthank you for saying that 😭 I also respect their hard work because regardless it’s impressive to be a pilot, but so sad to think about the circumstances.
Way to glamorize people essentially living in slavery to make one man look good.
If you don't you and your family will get sent to prison or worse
@dohcnehbeveryone is forced to work to work unless you choose to be a parasite in a nation that facilitates your selfish nature. Capitalism allows you to choose your own path in work, while communism chooses your occupation for you
I much prefer this style of editing from you Sam, rather than the over edited pieces.
It's a different style because of when this video was shot. It was when he was mostly doing his video's on his own, so it has that more raw uncut look. I'm grateful he still has all this footage to go back to. Today Sam has a lot of help to shoot and edit, so it has that more polished professional look now. But I do appreciate the early stuff when he wasn't so known to the aviation industry and now get's invited by airlines and other aviation related industry.
to bad his info is very out of date, back in 2012 maybe you would get your phone taken, this was no longer true few years later, as you can see on other travel videos
@automatedrussianbot He was referring to his early trip back then.....not to his later trips.
wow - it’s amazing how well-preserved these beautiful airplanes are - they look as if they’re maintained on a daily basis - it would be worth a visit just to fly them
I wouldn't. Aviation-grade steel is high quality but have defined lifespans. When you're evaluating a civilian aircraft's age don't think about the flight hours, at least not when you're evaluating the airframe itself, the wingbox, wing struts, cabin & the like.
It's compression cycles that matter. These planes at altitude expand & on landing contract. Under UV radiation & working under vibration, metal has a limited number of compression cycles before microcracks start to develop. Once the wingbox starts developing cracks the plane's done.
How many compression cycles have these aircraft been through over the Decades? Alot. I wouldn't trust their domestic service planes.
@CoffeeAndPaul true but a lot of commercial airplanes are older than 30-40 years still in service and they are getting used much more than for example this il 62
I flew jets for an American airline and the only time they were cleaned was for repainting.
Looks like a neat and different experience in an interesting place.
@ryansheppard21 Dont' lie. Unless you are talking some backwaters airline with 1 plane.
I'd love to know who is qualified to fix that MiG-21 after that horrific tail strike on landing. But hey... let's all cheer for female pilots! That's what's really important, right?
Fantastic video! Thanks for posting. 👍
Did anyone notice the leg space on those commercial aircraft? You can sit very comfortably, that's how old Boeings were in the 70' and 80's.
Same as cars, these days new cars center console is a size if fridge box
The fact they are still keeping them in the air is amazing considering all the stuff with NK Maintenance has got to be expensive.
you would fly in that? trusth North Korean repairmen? not me.
I mean it’s not that hard to afford, what with the fact they don’t pay workers or offer any sort of (meaningful) government assistance or give a living shit about their citizens’ quality of life… you’d be surprised how much you can spend in one area when you “belt tighten” elsewhere 😬
@pumpdabreaks-w5p I guarantee Kim Jong-un would delete the repairmen!
Well, if the Dictator wants it, it happens. And if staff want to keep their family safe… they find a way to make it happen.
@JME1186 They probably live better than you. DPRK citizens get monthly food ration which includes rice, vegetables, tofu, beer and more, free housing and free education.
And the engine sounds makes my day. All the birds looks so good.
Yes! I love that sounds too , thank Sam for the flight that not so many people has the chance to do it.
Flying birds or walking birds?
The trees in America are empty. They eat birds on Tuesdays.
@UncleFletcher They also drink coffee made of snow.
Thank you so much for providing a wonderful experience with this
15:31 - That tail strike hurt.
women☕🤣
@Xtariz Imaging the female pilots slaming the canopy after exiting the aircraft
There probably dead by now
@qingyuanzhang3644 OH stop it you... 😅🤣🤣
Write-off
Great unbiased presentation and commentary, without being condescending
I don’t want to be condescending, I also don’t want to be a passenger either.
I’ll stick with delta and copa. I fly to panama . Copa rules.
And aren't you lucky that you will not be asked to fly Air Koryo. Carry on with your usual.
Yeah, i can’t stand those RUclipsrs that do that. Be respectful of others culture and way of life.
@davidwelch5186 “What the farmer doesn’t know he won’t eat” a German saying for ignorance!
Summer of 1990, I flew Aeroflot from NY to Moscow. Hearing the jet's engines in your video brings it all back. Not sure if they've since fixed it or if your audio just didn't pick it up, but in addition to being incredibly loud, the engines were slightly out of tune with each other. The end result being that on top of being the loudest jet I've ever flown on, there was a fluctuating ?warble? ?harmonic? between the engines that I hope to never experience again. Ever. Good times. edit to add: all the seats on the plane reclined fully onto the seats behind them. We were told it was so that the planes could be quickly converted to cargo planes for the military. For 60+ high school students, it was better than 1st class. We reclined all of our chairs and the back half of the plane became a huge sleeping area. We were also allowed to take a small set of stairs down into the cargo hold (where we played cards until the cold got to us).
I flew Aeroflot from Moscow to Siberia in winter. When we were landing, the pilot said there was ice on the runway. He made everyone stand in the back of the airplane on landing to weigh down the tail. It still floundered back and forth like a fish struggling on a line. Absolutely terrifying in every way. Lots of people were throwing up. But that man landed that damn airplane, and everyone survived! It was rough though.
Thank you for sharing most excellent story.
Sounds like an incredible experience - thanks much for sharing!
I am also an aviation enthusiast from Russia. True, at the time when you flew to Russia, I had just been born) but we in Russia ourselves miss the sound of the engines of old planes. They almost never fly in Russia anymore. Therefore, it is almost impossible to touch the history of aviation. Recently there was a farewell passenger flight of the Tu 154 aircraft. This is one of the most beautiful aircraft in the world....
This one airport in wyoming was on top of a big mesa and every landing was an instant white out from the snow on the runway! Always hoped it stopped before skidding off the mesa but there was no of knowing cuz you couldnt see!
Very interesting!! Thanks for sharing!
They have us beat in the flight attendant category.
By a mile
us, who?
Not really
They aren't dudes in skirts.
Well done, Sam. A great presentation. I flew on a huge Antonov An-22 from Prestwick Airport Glasgow, UK way back in 1996 to Goma, Zaire (now DRofC) which has a really long runway. We stopped in Athens, Khartoum and Nairobi for refuelling. It was full of Plant vehicles for building roads in the refugee camps post Rowanda"s genocide situation in in 1994. I had to sit on a wooden plank spanned across one of the windows. It was a madness flight but a great experience. I spent 8 months out there as a civilian with a UNHCR contractor.
I'm pretty old 😊. I flew in some of those old helicopters and aircraft of the British Forces in my 26 years of service (1966-1993).
I thought you presented the N.Korean people with great respect.
Thank you for the video and all the footage of beautiful old birds doing what they do best in the sky. Glad to see so many happy faces enjoying an event, hope life keeps getting better for them.
My pleasure!
You are nuts...
I wonder how many "happy faces" would love to get the hell out of there 😞
@guitardzan5641you and I know why they keep 2 people with you at all times.
#1 to keep u from seeing the real N. Korea
#2 so the 1 person can keep the other from escaping
@john-nx4xn Yep
Vídeo extremamente informativo e útil prá mim. Obrigado e parabéns pelo seu trabalho
Those old Soviet planes look amazing. The TU154 always reminded me of Thunderbird 1.
The speak of an aviation enthusiast, you really had a great time there. Cheers for the video!
Those Ilyushin Il-62 engines are ridiculously loud. Easily the loudest jet engines I've ever heard on a commercial airliner. I can only imagine what it's like onboard at the back of the plane.
Efficient or reliable. In Soviet Russia, you couldn't have both. They chose reliability. Well, Soviet reliability that is.
Those early 707, DC8, Convair 880 four engine airliners were pretty loud too. I remember them flying over my house when I was a kid.
The old Boeing 727 had a loud footprint as well.
Fuel into noise. Beautiful!
They are deafening loud, I hat a seat right next to the engines on a flight from Berlin to Leningrad in the 1980s ....
As usual. Great job Sam!❤
6:13 so, you gotta give the massive props massive props, for propping you up in the air so properly.
Honestly, I think they deserve more than one star rating. Their fleet might be dated, but everything seems to be working just fine. The service is even better than most low cost airliners these days.
The Supreme Leader should really consider to open up more to international tourists. It's fine to keep everything guided. Since many (including me) would definitely pay for such 'traveling back in time' experience.
ruclips.net/video/OIz2aaZZ_qg/video.htmlsi=SDeRJ8yVu1xvWTnD
Irrationality comes in all shapes and sizes.
@Triple_J.1 world cup north korea
ruclips.net/video/OIz2aaZZ_qg/video.htmlsi=SDeRJ8yVu1xvWTnD
world cup north korea
ruclips.net/video/OIz2aaZZ_qg/video.htmlsi=SDeRJ8yVu1xvWTnD
The Supreme leader enjoys Super size Meals.
Amazing video
Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱
Great video, very interesting.👍
Hi Sam, just winter to say thank you for the topics and bringing us around all these differents topics with an unparalelled passion.This vidéo on Norah Korea reflects my gratitude
FASCINATING VIDEO. An absolute instant classic @SamChui
KJU is the best leader in the world. We love KJU and North Korea 🇰🇵. Some many people want to move to NK. The country is amazing 🙂↔️
@mantis10_surf85 see if any north Koreans would like to swap citizenship with you?
@jimtuite3451 who said anything about supporting that murderous regime
@jimtuite3451 , I haven’t met one NK citizens that would swap citizenship with me. Believe me, I’ve tried. They don’t want to leave utopia. I understand! KJU RULES! 🇰🇵
@mantis10_surf85 As Internet trolls go, you're not even a good one
13:15. . WOW! That landing would have shaken the pilot's dental fillings out!
D😂😂😂😂😂😂🎉
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂❤
That's a military plane.
They probably pulled a couple of her teeth out, without pain killer, for making such a poor show for those tourists.
It felt me like its tail is lost.
Excelente video gracias por compartirlo
Your genuine curiosity for a place / operation, and true respect for people shines through in your videos Sam Chui. Thank you for sharing these experiences with us!
Fascinating video! Thanks for uploading, Sam!
I dunno man......seems like you are risking yr life on the OG airplane.
You earn my respect already !!!
Since their purpose is to represent and impress foreigners (as much as you can with 50 year old tech), I guess that these planes are kept in best possible condition because nothing would be more embarrasing for NKs leader than an airplane full of western tourists crumbling apart mid flight.
Great content brother.
Thank you
I have a friend who went to North Korea on a Soviet Antonov 26. According to him, the economy seats had more space than business seats. It had bigger windows than Dreamliner which gave a good view.
10:14
Hello Sam. Just found your channel today. I love watching travel vloggers. You sure know your airplanes. Peace from the U.S.
If one of these engines catches fire you're literally screwed 😂
The flight attendants are gorgeous
What about the MiG pilots? 😍😍
By design ofc.
All prisoners of the State. 😢.
@wildbill7267they’re probably quite happy, anyone that tourists get to meet in North Korea is a privileged individual that has been selected for that role. They don’t live like the peasants in the countryside.
Dude
A very interesting & riveting video production. ❤😊🎉.
Thank you.
I was flying in my young age almost all the soviet planes. An 24, Yak 40, Tu154, Il 86, Il 62 and Tu134. Very nice memory and a typical smell of the airplanes.
Какой у вас был любимый самолёт?)
@Mongol69_ ну в основном я летал на Ан 24 и Ту 154 )))) Но Ил 86 для меня тогда был космос, один раз только удалось на нем полетать
Nice memory? nahh you got RARE memory
@0012mas I have a memory of mine since I was 2 years old. I have really a good memory
Two tour guides to not only watch you ,but each other. Life in a country controlled by fear and isolation.
you always get one propaganda idiot on a podcast ....
15:31 tail strike
Itll buff its a mig 😂 (probably alr broken from factory)
Shit Runway
DEI is in effect, even in North Korea.
Ich hätte nicht erwartet, dass diese uralten russischen Flugzeuge in einem so hervorragenden Zustand sind.👍👍😃😃 Viele Grüsse aus Warthausen bei Biberach an der Riß
What a treat! Keeping all those beautiful soviet vintage aircraft airworthy and in great condition is amazing and just worth the ticket. A very unique experience.
Couldn't agree more!
Who says they're in great condition? They fall out of the sky on a regular basis.
I do agree and all that the old planes are cool, but these planes could be falling apart and come from a time when air travel was more dangerous than it is now.
@thomashenebry8269I say they’re in great condition. I am the chief engineer of Air Koryo.
@Psyopcyclops When would you say anything else?
Reminds of taking local flights in Asia back in the 60s. And an international flight to the U.S. Those old planes had way better maintenance than these new ones & the service back then was way better. Got older and being on military flights, noisy loud & netted seats, at least given ear plugs & a box lunch. Now only ride economy & for me that is 1st class compared to military flights. Riding on this vintage aircraft is a treat. Thank you for the tour.
Much easier and cheaper to maintain, too. I'm sure the Supreme Leader COULD afford to replace the planes, but he would not want to afford to maintain them. Smuggling in modern aircraft parts through the gray market would be very difficult and expensive.
These guides seemed a lot nicer than the tour guides I've seen in other videos.
He's peddling their propaganda so he can return. I'm not so sure NK isn't paying him. 😅
AMAZING REPORT 🙋🏻♀️🌟
Another superb video report Sam. You are so lucky to be able to experience these visits and see and actually fly on some of these iconic aircraft. MiG21 ? IL-62 ? That pristene IL-18 my personal favorite. I'll never get to see them so Thank You so much for sharing !
Thank You from Denmark :- ) One of the most interesting (and different) youtube video's I've seen in many years!
I love those flight attendants. No apology about being sweet, kind, nurturing, and making you feel loved. And that's your world while there.
Because they will be punished if they don't. Their own families are most likely split apart and could statistically be in prison - so they're nice and smiley to you OR ELSE. And that makes you feel good? Well that's nice...
@theStrayKat1980 It's okay man...those who have not been under the iron fist of communism will never know how horrible it is....I have seen many comments like this one and they are all full of appreciation of how "kind" these people are. Everything you said is correct: they have to ACT kind or else. But hey I saw quite a few people here actually trying to make it seem like the country isn't as bad as it seems, which is a serious blow to people who risked everything to flee such a regime. Such naivety.
They'd better be.
There is always this propaganda about being punished if they make a mistake. They are not punished, they learn to be polite from a young age.
@leonardokdc1Yeah, North Koreans aren’t punished huh? Ever read a book about anything?
Amazing impressions! Thank u!
It turns out this is one of the most interesting videos I've seen on youtube!!
BETTER than Me at the zoo ?
@xl000 you don't even make it to the zoo.
Way better than brain rotting shorts
An eye opener! Thank you & well done throughout!
I love you so much Sam Chui, thanks for this great exposure
Viagem é sempre muito bom 👍
Thank you Sam for this great video of these beautiful aircraft. I have been an aircraft engineer all my life..( I,m now 79 ) and during my career have been fortunate enough to work on both the Il-62 and the Il-18. Like you say the Il-62 is indeed a mighty machine.
Thanks again...and best wishes.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have flown on IL- 62 on Dhaka - Tashkent - Moscow route.
Most likely IL-62 used to fly non stop in Moscow - Havana route.
Thank you Sam for the great video.
@anjankumardas3426 The Il-62 had to make technical stops between Moscow and Havana (and other transatlantic destinations). For many years, Shannon, Ireland was the principal en-route stop for fuel and crew changes.
so imagine how much money they paid in JET FUEL for an airshow inside a country that has more starving people than aircraft mechanics and scientists.
This is a form of cruelty because your average north Korean citizen doesn't fly in any of these!!
@faithreturns333 Let's just enjoy the beauty of these old and rare machines without always having to overthink about everything. I think everyone knows about their economic troubles.
Love this video! Thanks for sharing, Sam!
only Sam can bring to us instructive vídeos like this
yeah especially at 17:23 where you see all the trash all over the ground at the 'air show'
they are a godless generation
@faithreturns333 worthless opinion from "faithreturns"
Wow, this was fascinating!!!
I'm confused. They confiscate your phone, but they let you take unlimited video with your camera?
I smell BS
Not that surprising. Without modifications a camera is only there to record, harder to hide and it's pretty easy to view the footage afterwards and confiscate or delete it. A phone is a small mini-computer capable of hundreds of different things. North Korea is certainly interested in tourists and allowing them to film as long as they can control what is filmed helps there.
@veastark6045begs the question about how much and what other footage they had, doesn't it?
Not unusual at all. They control every foto, every video you took with a camera. As somebody already mentioned, a smartphone is a mini computer, you can do a lot of things with them that can't be controlled that easily. Or at all.
Tourists have been known to carry multiple microSD cards for their cameras and hide the ones with spicy footage. mSD cards are the size of a fingernail and mostly inert plastic/ceramic/silicon, so there isn't much the censors can do about it.
as a fellow avgeek and someone whos interested in shedding light about nk , i love this video - well put together🤝
Great video. Respect to you 🙏
Thank you Sam! I appreciated, especially, your enthusiasm and your non-condescending narration. Great job! 👍
This was great- thanks!! You got to see the cockpit and even sit in the captain's seat!!
Seismic activity from the impact of that MiG-21 slamming into the runway 15:31!!!
Toll.
Danke für den Beitrag 👍
I enjoyed this video. Thanks Sam!😊
This was done with so much class and respect much love from New Orleans. ❤
0:50 Bros getting ready to land in Pochinki
😂😂😂
Fr 😂
Thanks so much for sharing, Sam. cheers
I love all your videos. They are most interesting that others vlogger.
The airline should get at least three stars simply because of their flight attendants. GORGEOUS.
2:48 That gives a uppercut to the tinnitus in my ears...I love it.
Very cool, very unique video. Good stuff!
What a really great video. Absolutely fascinating stuff.
Nice video Sam
Great video, Sam! 💪🏼
looks nice and far more respectful to flyers than low cost airlines in the west.
It's all looking very vintage!! It's so interesting. And they're all very clean! What an incredible experience.