9 September 2012
Mao's plane
Just over a week ago I tried to find the aerospace museum and found an empty field.
Today after some extensive research, I almost didnt find it again in the completely different location where its actually located. It is quite small and well hidden underneath an elevated highway. But I was determined! I knew which station it was near and went in all 4 directions until I found it.
I guess it wasnt worth the effort if you dont like planes, luckily I do, and the entrance fee of $1 was cool too.
The highlight for the few people that were visiting was undoubtedly Chairman Mao's old plane. We all took turns to sit in his chair.
The actual facility isnt a museum as such, its the China Corporate Aircaft Manufacturing Company public awareness centre. They are tasked with making Chinas first commercial airliners. The buildings around the planes explain this story and interestingly, a few failures along the way. They have made a regional jet which is test flying now, and have grand plans for domestically produced short, medium and long haul airliners.
The displays talk proudly of 100% Chinese intellectual property going into the designs.
This is the only sign, its under the elevated highway and points to a rather non descript gateway between apartment buildings. Its apparently not even worthy of a brown sign for a tourist attraction.
The largest plane here, apparently a Chinese design that did all its test flights in the 80s but never went into production. The reason given 'various reasons'.
A huge Shenyang interceptor. Photos dont convey the size.
The usual lineup of Korean war era mig fighters. China made them under license from Russia.
Despite being an aerospace park, they have a torpedo boat floating in an algae filled swamp. I climbed aboard to fire the gun. People thought I was quite special because I stood their making machine gun noises.
I gave a salute to the visting tourists and marched off in my commando shorts.
Inside that failed big jet. Its really quite roomy.
I was amazed at the amount of leg room. Hows this for a photo, normally I take a photo of the leg room I get on a plane I actually travel on.
This time I have stepped it up a notch, photo of the leg room of a failed Chinese airliner parked in a field at a museum. Im going to start www.legroomphotos.com
This is the cockpit of Chairman Mao's 1950's era propellor plane.
People are relaxing in his plane, I told them to get out, NOW. And assumed my position as the one true Chairman. Finally my destiny fulfilled, the days of book burning shall resume! Next we invade Japan!
Nearby, an amusement park, out here in the suburbs. Not my kind of thing but I havent been on a holiday yet where I dont go on a ferris wheel. Heres my chance.
Most of the rides seem pretty crappy but they are cheap.
Unlike 6 flags parks in America, thankfully no one was decapitated, and no one had their feet cut off. At least while I was there.
Theres no line for the ferris wheel, which cost about $4 and takes 15 minutes to go around. The carriages are air conditioned.
Like a boss. It was slightly alarming when near the top it stopped for a few minutes and a garbled voice came over the distorted loudspeaker. I wasnt too concerned, I had a drink with me!
Another high pollution day. The windows are annoyingly tinted to ruin your photos.
Looking back down on the amusement park and elevated highways.
Perhaps the scariest ride in the park. But it doesnt go until its full. I had to sit around for 20 minutes waiting for every seat to fill before they would operate it. The people strapped in for that long didnt seem to mind. So there you go, there may be no queue but you have to wait just as long anyway.
Similar story with this roller coaster. The actual ride lasted about 30 seconds.
My lunch, I am back on the noodles. This one adds wood ear fungus. I love fungus. I also ordered some Jiaozi dumplings but they never came! I didnt hang around to argue for my missing $1 worth of food.
Heading back to the subway it started to get really dark, and the humidity was ridiculous. Then it rained exceptionally hard. I decided to just walk through it and get wet. People looked at me like I was the messiah, or perhaps a fool. Many women were wondering how come I dont dissolve in the rain which is clearly something they genuinely fear.