(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
At other times during @placeholder's North Korean tour, in-flight meals may have been served with a side of paranoia.