Air Koryo

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Air Koryo
IATA
JS		 ICAO
KOR		 Callsign
AIR KORYO
Founded 1954 (as Chosonminhang Korean Airways)
Hubs Sunan International Airport
Fleet size 44~ (+1 order)
Destinations 11
Headquarters Pyongyang, DPRK
Key people Kang Ki Sop (Director General of the General Civil Aviation Administration of the DPRK)
Air Koryo
Chosŏn'gŭl 고려항공
Hancha 高麗航空
McCune-
Reischauer		 Koryŏ Hanggong
Revised
Romanization		 Goryeo Hanggong
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (May 2008)

Air Koryo Korean Airways (formerly Chosŏn Minhang (조선민항), short form Air Koryo) is the state-owned national airline of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, based in Pyongyang. It operates international services and charter flights to points in Asia and Africa. It is based at Sunan International Airport[1] in Sunan, a suburb north of Pyongyang.

The Head Office of Air Koryo is located in the Sunan district, Pyongyang, and it has offices in Beijing, Shenyang, Macau, Bangkok, Toronto, Berlin, Mexico City, Moscow, as well as sales agencies in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Taipei, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

The airline is on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union.

Contents

[edit] History

Il-76, Tu-204, Il-62, Tu-154 and Tu-134 of Air Koryo at Sunan International Airport in September 2008.

The airline was established in 1954 and started operations on 21 September 1955. It was formerly known as Chosonminhang Korean Airways (CAAK) which succeeded SOKAO, the joint Soviet-North Korean airline established in 1950[1]. CAAK began operations with Lisunov Li-2, Antonov An-2 and Ilyushin Il-12 aircraft. Ilyushin Il-14 and Ilyushin Il-18 turboprops were added to the fleet in the 1960s.

Jet operation commenced in 1975, when the first Tupolev Tu-154 was delivered for services from Pyongyang to Prague, East Berlin and Moscow. However, because the Tu-154 did not have the sufficient range, the plane had to land not only at Irkutsk, but also at Novosibirsk. Along with the Tu-154, Tu-134s and An-24s were delivered to start domestic services. The Tu-154 fleet was increased at the start of the 1980s and the first Ilyushin Il-62 was delivered in 1982, allowing CAAK to offer a direct non-stop service to Moscow for the first time. During this period Sofia and Belgrade were also destinations.

The end of the Cold War and the collapse of communism in Europe saw a vast reduction in the number of international services offered. CAAK became Air Koryo in 1993. Also in 1993 Air Koryo ordered 3 Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft to carry extra cargo to its destinations in China and Russia. Air Koryo recently purchased 2 new Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft to replace the aging international fleet.[2] Air Koryo has also started modernizing its fleet interiors. With the new Tu-204 Air Koryo would be able to fly to Europe or Moscow.

[edit] Destinations

[edit] Charters

From an Air Koryo 1999-2000 timetable, relatively common destinations for charter flights include Shenzhen (JS137/138) and Macau (JS187/188); however, occasional ad-hoc charter flights, mostly on diplomatic or freight duties, have served Moscow (JS215/216), Sofia (JS217/218), Zurich, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam, New York City [12], Seoul (JS815/816 and 817/818), Busan, Yangyang (JS801/802) and some Japanese cities, mostly Nagoya (JS831/832) (NKM, Aichi Prefecture Nagoya Airfield).[citation needed]

The first regular charter flights between North Korea and South Korea began in 2002. The first Air Koryo flight to touch down in South Korea was in August 2000, carrying a North Korean diplomatic delegation for talks with the South.

Air Koryo also operates additional flights to Shenyang and Beijing during the Chinese New Year with Tu-154's and Tu-134's. Air Koryo has also recently upgraded flights to Vladivostok and Shenyang with Il-62's and Tu-204's [13]

Inter Korean charters from Hamhung Airport to Yangyang International in South Korea began in 2002. [14]

[edit] Domestic services

As North Korea's sole aviation entity, Air Koryo is also responsible for the transportation of government officials. Chronic fuel shortages keep the scheduled domestic services grounded. However, Air Koryo offers domestic charter services, flying foreign tourists from Pyongyang to Samjiyon for tours to Baekdu-san as well as charter flights on behalf of government to destinations such as [15]

[edit] Fleet

Air Koryo Fleet[16]
Aircraft Owned and Orders Passengers
(Business/Economy)		 Routes Notes
Antonov An-24 7 50 Domestic and regional routes P-527, P-532, P-533, P-534 [17]
Five An-24RV's and two An-24R's
Ilyushin Il-18D 1 120 International routes to Vladivostok (Russia), China P-835
Ilyushin Il-62M 4 16/144 Long-haul routes
China, Thailand and government charters		 P-618 (VIP), P-881 , P-882, P-885
Mil Mi-17 15 [18] 32 Domestic and regional routes P-108
Unknown numbers of helicopters in Air Koryo livery (government owned)
Tupolev Tu-154[19] 4 16/120 China, Russia, Japan and South Korea P-551, P-552, P-553, P-561
One Tu-154B2 and three Tu-154B's
Tupolev Tu-134B-3 3 84 China, Russia and government charters P-812, P-813, P-814
Tupolev Tu-204-300 1 + 1 order 8/145 Beijing, Bangkok [20][21] ,Shenyang and Vladivostok (Singapore seasonal) P-632 + P63? on order
Air Koryo Cargo Fleet[16]
Aircraft Total capacity
(Max.Weight)		 Routes Notes
Ilyushin Il-18V [22] 1 34.5 Tons cargo Regional and medium-haul routes
China and Russia		 P-836
Ilyushin IL-76MD 3 44 Tons cargo Cargo flights to China and Russia P-912, P-913, P-914
Mil Mi-17 15 [23] Domestic and regional routes P-108
Unknown numbers operating soley for cargo operations

[edit] Modernization

Air Koryo is looking for new aircraft to replace its aging fleet of Soviet-era planes. The new planes would be Russian-made, given the existence of sanctions from the US and the EU . Air Koryo is looking at the Ilyushin Il-96, Tupolev Tu-204 (which have already been ordered) and Sukhoi Superjet 100s to replace their Tupolev Tu-154 and Tu-134 aircraft, which have recently been sold to Cuba, Iran, Syria and Zimbabwe.[citation needed] The Tupolev Tu-204s are capable of flying to Moscow non-stop.[24]Air Koryo have also installed LCD screens in their Tu-204's which now show safety demonstrations and movies. Air Koryo also have purchased new airport low floor buses. In the recent Airliners world magazine Air Koryo will be trying to gain EU certification to fly into EU airspace. This would give JS the chance to resume scheduled flights to Berlin in the future.

[edit] Tupolev Tu-204

The first Tupolev Tu-204-300 for Air Koryo was officially handed over to the carrier on December 27, 2007 and was ferried from Ulyanovsk to Pyongyang. It has been fitted out with 8 business class seats and the remaining 145 seats are economy.[25] This is the first Tupolev Tu-204-300 to be exported out of Russia, and Air Koryo has a firm order for another one.

The Tu-204-300, is now operating on the Pyongyang-Beijing, Pyongyang-Singapore (seasonal), Pyongyang-Shenyang and Pyongyang-Bangkok routes (whice were resumed by the newly delivered tupolev jets in 2007[26]). Its first revenue earning flight was made on May 8, 2008. The range of the Tu-204-300 means Air Koryo can start flights to Tehran which is in planning.

[edit] Incidents

[edit] Banned in the European Union

Air Koryo is on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union (as of July 2006).

The rationale for the decision by the European Commission was the following (paraphrased):

  • During ramp inspections in France and Germany there was obtained verified evidence of serious safety deficiencies on the part of Air Koryo. These deficiencies were also identified under the SAFA programme (DGAC/F 2000-210).
  • During other subsequent ramp inspections performed under the SAFA programme Air Koryo persistently failed to address these deficiencies which were previously communicated by France (DGAC/F-2000-895).
  • Incident-related information of a substantiated and serious nature communicated by France indicated that Air Koryo had latent systemic safety deficiencies.
  • There was a demonstrated lack of ability on the part of Air Koryo to address these safety deficiencies.
  • There was a failure on the part of Air Koryo to respond adequately and in a timely manner to an enquiry by the civil aviation authority of France regarding the safety aspect of its operation, which showed a lack of transparency or communication, which was also demonstrated by the absence of reply to a request by France.
  • The plan for corrective action presented by Air Koryo in response to France's request was not adequate and sufficient in order to correct the identified serious safety deficiencies.
  • The authorities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea with responsibility for regulatory oversight have not exercised an adequate oversight over Air Koryo, which it is obliged to do under the Chicago Convention.
  • Therefore and on the basis of the common criteria[30] the Commission assessed that Air Koryo does not meet the relevant safety standards.[31]

[edit] Gallery

An Air Koryo Ilyushin Il-62M at Beijing Capital International Airport

A Tupolev Tu-154B-2 at Sunan International Airport

Air Koryo's Ilyushin Il-62M jetliner at Sunan International Airport

[edit] External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Air Koryo

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: p. 59. 2007-03-27. 
  2. ^ North Korea's quirky (and unsafe) Air Koryo survives and, increasingly, appears to thrive
  3. ^ http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/3290981/(Thursday with IL8 equipment cargo flights)
  4. ^ a b c d http://www.korea-dpr.com//Air%20Koryo/destinations.htm
  5. ^ http://www.koreakonsult.com/hur-tar-man-sig-dit_eng.html
  6. ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2002_April_8/ai_84640309
  7. ^ http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do?airport=(FNJ)+Sunan%2C+Pyongyang%2C+KP&airportQueryDate=2008-10-30&airportQueryTime=0&airlineToFilter=&airportQueryType=0&x=43&y=12
  8. ^ http://www.korea-dpr.com//Air%20Koryo/hist3.htm
  9. ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/37063185@N08/3411959534/
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i "North Korea's quirky Air Koryo survives and, increasingly, appears to thrive". Associated Press/International Herald Tribune. 2008-04-18. http://www.aol.com.au/men/story/North-Korea%27s-quirky-Air-Koryo-survives-and-increasingly-appears-to-thrive/369721/index.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-11. 
  11. ^ a b http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=821306
  12. ^ Customer reviews on Air Koryo
  13. ^ http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6353747&nseq=0
  14. ^ http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25914334_ITM
  15. ^ Air Koryo(JS)'s Destination 高麗航空的目的地
  16. ^ a b Airline recognition guide by Gunter Endres and Graham Edwards.P 65 Air Koryo
  17. ^ AIR KORYO YN7 BJS RF 685 19.jpg photo - Rob Finlayson photos at pbase.com
  18. ^ Kerala, Kerala News, Kerala Hotels, Kerala Travel, Kerala Classifieds, India - www.kerala.com
  19. ^ Photo Air Koryo Ilyushin IL-62 P-885
  20. ^ http://www.korea-dpr.com//Air%20Koryo/hist3.htm
  21. ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/37063185@N08/3411959534/
  22. ^ Photos: Ilyushin Il-18V Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
  23. ^ Kerala, Kerala News, Kerala Hotels, Kerala Travel, Kerala Classifieds, India - www.kerala.com
  24. ^ Aircrafspotting.net Aviation News September 2006
  25. ^ DPRK Studies » Blog Archive » Air Koryo Prepares Russian TU-204-300 Airliner for Service
  26. ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/37063185@N08/3411959534/
  27. ^ Aviation Safety Database report
  28. ^ FCO Country report - August 15 2006 Tu 154 crash
  29. ^ Aviation Safety Database report - August 15 2006 Tupolev 154 crash
  30. ^ Fly Well portal (Which contains links to the common air transport policy)(English), European Commission, March 22, 2006
  31. ^ Commission Regulation (EC) No 474/2006 of 22 March 2006 (PDF-file)(English), European Commission, March 22, 2006
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