(CNN)The moment he stepped aboard the North Korean airliner, Bernie Leighton felt like he'd entered a Cold War time machine. For an aviation enthusiast like Leighton, it was nothing short of thrilling. After years of anticipation, Leighton, a real estate investor, finally snagged a seat on a rare 1980s Soviet-built Ilyushin IL-62 airliner. Patriotic military music filled the cabin. Flight attendants handed out communist propaganda magazines. As Leighton put it, that 2012 flight on Air Koryo airlines from Beijing to Pyongyang was an experience "beyond belief." That's high praise. Leighton may rank among the most accomplished "avgeeks" in the world. He said he's flown on at least 50 kinds of aircraft and racked up an estimated 2 million air miles.
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Aviation enthusiasts love North Korea's Cold War-era airliners
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North Korean airline Air Koryo flies decades-old Soviet-built planes
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Travelers reveal what it's like to fly in North Korea
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Soviet
Its interior decor might have been inspired by a waiting room inside a 1970s @placeholder doctor's office, Leighton joked.
Ilyushin IL-62
After barreling down the Beijing runway, the powerful @placeholder rocketed into the sky like a fighter jet, Leighton said.
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North Korea
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North Korea
When it leveled off, it was time for meal service -- @placeholder style.
Bernie Leighton
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Leighton
Leighton
Leighton
At other times during @placeholder's North Korean tour, in-flight meals may have been served with a side of paranoia.
Air Koryo
Air Koryo
Efforts to modernize @placeholder's fleet have been stymied by longstanding international economic sanctions against North Korea.