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Péter Besenyei

Hungarian air racer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Péter Besenyei
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Péter Besenyei (born 1956) is a Hungarian aerobatics pilot and world champion air racer.

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Péter Besenyei piloting Extra 300S

Biography

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He was born on 8 June 1956 in Körmend, Hungary. He lived near the airport of Budapest and became interested in flying when he was a child. From watching 1962 World Aerobatic Championships he decided to become a pilot. At 15 years of age he flew a glider for the first time. In 1976 Péter entered his first flying competition[1] by piloting a glider and showed his talent, finishing in second place.

Besenyei became an aerobatics pilot and won several titles in national and international championships. He won his first gold medal in 1982 at the Austrian National Championships.[2] His specialty is free-style aerobatics. He invented a number of original snap rolls and, in 1984, the "knife-edge spin". In 1995 Péter Besenyei won 2 gold and 2 silver medals and he was named the most successful aerobatics pilot of his time.[1] In 2001 Besenyei flew upside down under the Széchenyi Chain Bridge,[3] that spans the river Danube in Budapest, a maneuver that became a standard in air races today.

Besenyei is sometimes referred to as the godfather of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship because of his work helping develop it.[3] He was asked, in 2001 by Austrian energy-drink company Red Bull, to help develop the concept of an air racing competition. With enthusiasm he helped set up the rules and regulations and carefully selected the most daring pilots, with skills and courage, to handle the extreme physical and mental challenges of the air race. The first race was held in 2003 in Zeltweg, Austria. After two years the competition became a worldwide organization of Red Bull Air Race World Series.

He is currently a test pilot[3] for the Hungarian Aviation Office and a flying instructor for aerobatic pilots on Zivko Edge 540. Péter enjoys car racing, skiing, sky diving, fishing, and photography.[3] Besenyei retired from the Red Bull Air Race at the completion of the 2015 season.

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Achievements

1982
  • Austrian National Championships – overall winner
1990
  • World Aerobatics Championships – 2nd
1993
1994
  • World Champion of the Compulsory Program
1995
  • European Champion Freestyle
  • European Champion of the Compulsory Program
1998
2000
  • World Champion Freestyle
2001
  • FAI World Grand Prix Series 1st
2003
2005
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Honors

  • 1996 - "Gold Medal of the President of the Republic of Hungary" by President Árpád Göncz[3]
More information Péter Besenyei at the Red Bull Air Race World Series, Year ...

[3]

Legend:

  • CAN: Cancelled
  • DNP: Did not participate
  • DNS: Did not start
  • DSQ: Disqualified
  • NC: Not classified

See also

References

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