The Grumpy Gang

The Grumman Aircraft Pilots Association European Branch

Home > On Tour > Tour 2003 >  Sarmalek Hungary

From Maklar (Hungary) to Sarmalek (Hungary)

Danny report:

The next day 26/06 the sun was out early again (too early for some!) for another hot day. The plans for today was a flight south of Budapest along the Balaton lake into Sarmallek (LHSM ) where another grummaneer was waiting for us: Klaus with a friend in D-EFC. This trip provided the only detour on request of ATC, probably because the chosen route cut too close to the extended axis of LHBP (Ferihegy ) Budapest's main airport.

Am nächsten Tag, den 26.6. war die Sonne wieder früh am Himmel (zu früh für manche) für einen neuen, heißen Tag. Der heutige Plan sah vor, südlich Budapest, entlang des Balaton Sees nach Sarmallek (LHSM ) zu fliegen. Dort erwartete uns ein weiterer Grumman-Pilot: Klaus mit einem Freund in D-EFCI.

Dieses Mal war das einzige Mal, daß wir auf Wunsch von ATC einen Umweg fliegen mussten. Vielleicht weil unsere gewählte Route zu dicht an der Bahnverlängerung von LHBP (Ferihegy ) - Budapest's Hauptflughafen - vorbei führte.

Sarmallek hat einen schönen Flughafen mit billigem Service und einer netten Umgebung die es wert ist dort eine Weile zu bleiben. Doch mangels Hotelverfügbarkeit teilten wir uns am nächsten Tag in zwei Gruppen. Die meisten flogen weiter nach Portoroz (Slovenien LJPZ). Wir, d.h. OO-MAR und D-EFCI, blieben noch etwas um die wirklich tolle Landschaft zu geniessen.

Brian 70 years!

Sarmallek has a nice airport with good cheap service and is a nice area to stay and visit, but due to a lack of available hotel accommodation we split up into two groups the next day 27/06. Most choose to fly further on towards Portoroz (Slovenia LJPZ). We, the OO-MAR and D-EFCI crew stayed behind to enjoy more of the really lovely scenery!

Nigel report:

There had been plans to spend two nights in Hungary but the majority of us wanted a change of scenery so we elected to depart towards the western part of Hungary to Sarmellek (LHSM) on the west bank of Lake Balaton. The airport of Sarmellek is another ex-soviet establishment with evidence of old and decrepit concrete hangars tucked away along the taxiways. The airport treated us very well; they helped us tie down and even arranged for a hotel and transport. We found the town to be a holiday resort with lots of glitz and tourists. We also met up with another AYA member Klause Hanicke who had flown in earlier with a pal. That night we ate out in town and had a rather quiet time. Some of the group decided that they would like to explore more of Sarmellek and decided to spend another night seeking out the hot spots.