Peter Besenyei - Aerobatic Air Race Pilot

Peter Besenyei, one of the best aerobatic and Red Bull Air Race pilots in the world.

Péter Besenyei (1956) is a renowned Hungarian aerobatics pilot and world champion air racer. He lived near the airport of Budapest and became interested in flying as 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 Peter entered his first flying competition by piloting a glider and showed his talent, finishing at second place. Peter 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. His specialty is free-style aerobatics. He invented a number of original snap rolls and, in 1984, the "knife-edge spin". In 1995 Peter Besenyei won 2 gold and 2 silver medals and he was named the most successful aerobatics pilot of his time. In 2001 Besenyei flew upside down under the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, that spans the river Danube in Budapest. He was asked, in 2001 by Austrian energy-drink company Red Bull, to help develop the concept of an air racing competition. He is currently a test pilot for the Hungarian Aviation Office and a flying instructor for aerobatic pilots on Zivko Edge 540