China (2012)

China 2012

In November 2012, 4Aviation travelled to China for the first time. The biennial China Air Show at the airport of Zhuhai was the biggest attraction. But beyond that, there are endless possibilities for aircraft and tourism.

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12/13 November 2012

The mixed group of civilian and military interested gathered on Monday 12 November at the airport of Amsterdam Schiphol for the long journey to Beijing. After a quiet flight of nine hours we arrived in the capital, on Tuesday 13 November. The customs formalities and baggage collection went well as did the meeting with our guide. Throughout the trip we had hired a guide who has supported us greatly. From the airport we went to the luxury hotel to freshen up a bit. Afterwards we ate together and in the early evening we visited the nearby Olympic village including the impressive ‘bird nest’ stadium.

14 November 2012

On Wednesday morning (14 November) we left early for the enormous China Aviation Museum in Xiaotangshan. There are hundreds of Chinese military aircraft exhibited. Most of them are in perfect condition. After an extensive visit we enjoyed a delicious lunch and then paid a visit to the impressive Great Wall. The program ended with a dinner at a local restaurant (usually included in the price of the trip).

15 November 2012

On Thursday 15 November it was time to pack the suitcases and take the plane to Shenzhen. We arrived early in the afternoon and the new guide greeted us with a welcome song. We set sail for the aircraft carrier Minsk, where a large collection of aircraft should be on display. Unfortunately, most of the aircraft had disappeared from this park and we saw only two Mi-24 Hinds and two MiG-23/27’s in bad shape. After this short visit we headed towards Zhuhai. This was our home for the next couple of days.

16 November 2012

17 November 2012

On Saturday the 17th we decided to view the air show outside of the airport. According to Google Earth there were possibilities. Thanks to our guide, we drove past the police barriers towards an abandoned hotel. There we could, for little money, spend all day on the roof with a great view of the runway. An old woman came in the morning, the take our orders for a delicious lunch. All very well organized. The weather was a little disappointing this day, but nevertheless there were many opportunities to capture everything.

18 November 2012

19/20 November 2012

21 November 2012