culture

An airplane-shaped structure in the Mirim area of Namsan-dong, Sadong District, Pyongyang, draws the attention of many people.

Resembling a plane about to take off, it is the Mirim Aviation Club.

Standing side by side with the Mirim Riding Club, it is also a leisure centre frequented by working people.

It consists of a medium-length runway for takeoff and landing of microlights, a service centre and an outdoor belvedere. It operates 20 microlights to provide pleasure flights over Pyongyang.

The club has served many customers since its inauguration in July 2016.

The first question to every visitor to the club is “Where do you want to fly?”

“I wanted to look down at Songhwa Street where I live from the sky. So I chose the route over the street,” said Ryom Jin Sim, a resident of the street.

According to senior attendant Ri Un Chong, most of customers want to look down at their districts of residence.

Open between early spring and late autumn, the club lends customers long- and short-sleeved flying suits according to seasons.

Once in the suits with helmets on, customers grow more eager to fly high in the air.

Among those who wanted to feel the pleasure of flying were little schoolchildren and even old persons over 70.

“The customers are nervous aboard the microlights at first. But when the planes lightly take off, they soon get relaxed, enjoying the pleasure of flying,” said the senior attendant.

Their different feelings can be read in the bulky visitor’s book at the service centre.

It carries impromptu verses reflecting strong impressions and even a succession of exclamation marks expressing gratitude to the club for providing good flights.

A 75-year-old man, who is said to have shouted hurrah while flying, wrote in the book that looking down at May Day Stadium, high-rise buildings, footballers in a match and so on from the sky for the first time in his life, he felt as if he embraced the whole city of Pyongyang.

The service centre provides the customers with meals, mainly instant foods, and sells souvenirs to them.

In a wide dining hall with a large window resembling an observation window of a plane, diners relish their meals while watching others flying in the sky.

At the souvenir stand, the customers buy souvenir pocketbooks, sportswear, model planes and so on with the pleasure of having flown in the sky and good impressions of the club.

As the number of visitors to the club increases on holidays or rest days, its employees make scrupulous arrangements to meet their demands.