Trip above the lake Balaton

We head south-west from Budapest. The first great sight is the Velencei Lake. From above it’s greed, brown and lilac because of those little critters I can’t find in the dictionary. Over the Balaton we can see plenty of popular spas, the peninsula of Tihany that has a famous monastery and there is a lake in the middle. The Kis-Balaton (Small Balaton) is surrounded by a swamp area with plenty of birds. On the way back we can see the south hills of Bakony, several castles and the famous viaduct of Biatorbágy (it was blown up (just as the train passed by) by a terrorist on 13 September 1931).

Airborne time : 2 hours

Price for one person:
HUF 32000

EUR 123

Szeged

The first big city of the trip is Kecskemét. We follow the curling river of Tisza. It’s backwater area is full of plants and flowers that make a view even from the air. After having seen Szeged we fly back above Nagykunság. It’s a desert, moon-like area. We reach the Danube at Solt to make a turn around the biggest radio antenna in Central Europe. We fly over several big factories (Dunaújváros, Százhalombatta, Csepel), which does not sound very romantic, but some of them are really interesting. Before landing we can see the abandoned airport of Tököl, the former home of Soviet jets responsible for  the air defence of Budapest.

Airborne time : 2 hours

Price for one person:
HUF 32 000

EUR 123

To the West of the Danube

This trip is full of sights. From Budapest we fly to the north. Turning left at Esztergom (Cathedral) we follow the Danube. Beautiful lakes and parks on the left (Vértes, Tatai tó), bauxite dust covered plants on the right. The fortress of Komárom (even the Soviet troops used it) here, the harbour on the Slovak bank (Komarno) over the Danube. Around Győr (you will never pronounce it ;-) we turn south to the hills of Bakony, a wilderness area with tiny villages and medieval castles. Later, passing some some lakes of incredible colour we reach Balaton. We see the Tihany peninsula (monastery, Inner Lake), and on the way back to Budapest we can see the Velence Lake.

Airborne time : 2 hours

Price for one person:
HUF 32 000

EUR 123

Pusta and the Nine-hole Bridge

After takeoff we make a north turn around Budapest and head to east. Although there are several nice castles on the slopes of Gödöllő, most of the people are impressed by the sight of Hungaroring (unfortunately pleasure trips are prohibited when the Formula 1 race is on). We fly to the flat land, but before we reach the real “Pusta” we cross the Tisza (with countless backwaters) and the Tisza Lake. We visit Hortobágy (the heart of the Puszta), and the Nine-hole Bridge, later we try to find where the famous studs and the herd of grey cattle are hiding. Also we can see plenty of interesting birds. On the way back we can check out some of the bigger towns of the flat land: Debrecen, Szolnok, and Kecskemét.

Airborne time : 2,5 hours

Price for one person:
HUF   40 000

EUR 154

Pécs

The trip way down the Danube offers various sights. Some are interested in the radio antenna at Csepel, and the former Soviet airfield at Tököl, others are fun of the Csepel lakes and the castle of Ráczkeve. Nothing compares the oil refinery at Szászhalombatta, but some still prefer the nudist colonies at Délegyháza. After the industrial sites are left behind, the islands and backwaters of the Danube commence, most of them are reservations. As we reach Baja (the home of the annual fish-soup making competition) we turn right. We see the town of Pécs, and the hill of Mecsek. We fly back slightly west of the original track. We follow the river Sárvíz, and we pass the Lake of Velence.

Airborne time : 2 hours

Price for one person:
HUF 32 000

EUR 123

Hilltop Kékes

We fly to the highest point of Hungary over the south slopes ot the north mountain range. Soon after the castles of the Gödöllő slopes and the Hungaroring we reach the Mátra and turn around the Hilltop Kékes. We head back on the rarely visited north slope of the Mátra. If the weather  is good, we meet plenty of hang gliders and paragliders above the Hill Nyikom. Hollókő is a must. An old style village with a ruin castle, part of the World Heritage. Flying over numerous castles, we reach the town of Vác, with a cathedral and a huge prison. At the Danube we turn south, and pass Szentendre, and the Buda mountain range on the way back home to Budapest.

Airborne time : 2 hours

Price for one person:

HUF 32000

EUR 123

Abandoned military airfields around Budapest

The first waypoint is Tököl, former Soviet air base for the air defence of Budapest. The 2 km long, 60 m wide runway is in perfect condition, as well as the 20 tons concrete wings of the hangar doors. At Kiskunlacházán the runway is less wide but there is a maze of taxiways around, so motorbike races are often organised there. The following is Börgönd, previous plane and helicopter base, a candidate for the freight airport of Székesfehérvár. The last one is the airport of Csákvár. It is not big but many pilots say it is second to none.

Airborne time : 1 hours

Price for one person:

HUF 16 000

EUR 62

Abandoned airfield: Pápa

This is an incredible sight, and no one can tell how long it can be seen. At least 80 fighter jets, MiGs and Suhoys queue on the Pápa runway. On the way to Pápa we fly over the hills of Bakony and pass Csákvár, the abandoned military airfield.

Airborne time : 1,5 hours

Price for one person:
HUF 24 000

EUR 92