North Korea is often referred to as the 'Hermit Kingdom' and not without reason. However, although tourism to this secretive country is rare, it does happen, albeit with limited numbers. In 2016, North Korea hosted its first ever airshow and invited a number of foreign visitors to watch. Unlike most airshows, this was not an international event, and all participants were from North Korea. There were a selection of aged Soviet-era airliners from the national flag carrier Air Koryo and fighters, helicopters and light transport aircraft from the air force. None of the military aircraft are ever seen outside North Korea's borders, and even the airline only operates limited international services, making the opportunity to see them in action, and photograph them, a once in a lifetime event. This volume is the personal account of a rare visit to one of the most isolated counties in the world. Not only does the book give a fully illustrated look at North Korea's aircraft, both military and civilian, but it then goes on to give a pictorial look at the country itself from a tourist's point of view.

All decades of aviation have important developments and changes. In the 2000s, the European Airbus consortium finally overtook Boeing as the major producer of airliners, with a full range from the smallest, the A318, to the largest of all passenger aircraft, the A380. It saw the early jets either disappear or get converted to haul freight. The old piston-powered props still served in remote parts of the world but in declining numbers. On a sad note, the 2000s saw the final Concorde services, bringing to an end the era of supersonic passenger flights for perhaps many years to come. With over 300 colour photographs with extended and informative captions, this book details the many facets of commercial air transport around the world, from the smallest to the largest airlines.

As the climate changes it is even more vital to protect the world's forests. They provide both the lungs' of the world and the natural resources for many industries. This book looks at both the past and the current selection of fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and support aircraft tasked with protecting our natural environment from fire. Covering America, Canada, Russia, southern Europe and other nation states, the operators of these fleets - governments and private contractors - are looked at, along with their aircraft, as they go about the dangerous task of protecting the world's forests. With over 230 images, this book covers all the aircraft types used in the water bomber role - World War Two fighters and bombers, piston-powered airliners and cargo aircraft of the 1950s, turboprop aircraft, wide-body jets, as well as the custom-built water bombers and, finally, both large and small helicopters with tanks or under-slung loads.