Refueling here in Hungary is done at an stadium near the local university. As you sit in line on the street waiting to enter, there a zoo right next to you. Giraffes and monkeys are close enough that you can see them, and at night strange noises emanate from within. It's not clear how old the facility is, but the juxaposition of the rubberazed track and shiny John Deere tractor with the bleachers is interesting. The photo below shows the "premium" seating with wood surfaces - in the corners it's just cinder steps. Like many overseas events we have to remove our tanks from the basket and haul them into the refueling area. However, unlike Austria and Japan we fill them ourselves. They have four large holding tanks, each with a manifold setup consisting of 12 Cameron-style fittings. Today it took us 1 hour and 10 minutes from the time we got in the line until the time we pulled out. After a quick lunch (in the hotel room, chips/salsa and a turkey/cheese sandwich) we're now getting ready to head back out to the 2:45pm evening briefing.
4 comments:
Jeff, thanks for taking the time to keep this updated. I know how hard it is when you are trying to find a little time to eat and sleep as well. We all appreciate your efforts!
Wow, what a schedule! The Mom in me says to remind you all to take care of yourselves, finding time to eat, drink lots of water, and get enough sleep! The blooming ballonist in me says "Having Fun Yet" ;)
With the lows in the 30s-40s is anyone heating their tanks or using nitrogen?
-Drew
I'm fairly certain that none of the American pilots are using heat tapes, and I know none are using nitrogen. I can say for sure that Paul is using neither.
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