Frank Versteegh

Infobox Red Bull Air Race Pilot


Name = Frank Versteegh
pixels =
caption =
date of birth = Birth date and age|1954|9|19|mf=y
team = Lobo
debut = 2003
country = flagicon|Netherlands Netherlands
best = 6th (2004)
2006 = 11th (0 points)
plane = Edge 540
website = [http://www.aerobatics.nl www.aerobatics.nl]

Frank Versteegh (born 19 September 1954) is a renowned Dutch aerobatics pilot. He is also known as an airshow organiser, a flight safety committee member, a FAI judge and a freestyle aerobatics competitor.

Versteegh was born in Oosterbeek, the Netherlands and started his flying career in 1972 at the age of 18. Between 1982 and 1994, he competed in European and World Championships. During his career, he flew in over 1,250 aerobatic displays at major aviation events all over the world, using over 160 different types of aircraft.

He flew his first display in a Cessna 150 aerobat in 1983. Between 1987 and 1989, he flew in the Pitts S-2S G-SOLO , which also flew in the Rothmanns team as a solo aircraft. In 1989, the Pitts was sold to Germany. He flew back in his new aircraft, the Zlin 50 LS, which he overtook from Manfred Strossenreuther, who died in earlier that year towards Teuge in the Netherlands. In this aircraft, Versteegh managed to win the Open Dutch National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship in that same year.

His sponsor "Shake 20" made it possible to purchase his new Extra 300, a mid-wing composite mono-plane. Versteegh flew three years in this plane under a Shake 20 license, but changed to a new sponsor "Volny" in 1995. During 1996, Volny made it possible to purchase his current airplane, the Extra 300L. In July 1997, he was the first pilot ever making a touch and go with an Extra 300L (D-EZOZ) on a 70 meter long river freighter in the Rhine at Rhenen in his home country. This was unique because during the landing in the Extra 300L, the pilot is unable to see the landing gear and therefor unable to see the ship, while flying over with 150 km/h. Versteegh only had 1.5 seconds to land the aircraft on the boat due to the approaching speed of 80 knots. The stunt took place during an airshow which was attended by 50,000 spectators.

After participating in the FAI World Cup of Aerobatics for three years, he specialized in freestyle aerobatics and skydancing. Currently, Versteegh is one of the selected pilots in the Red Bull Air Race World Series, already participating since the event started in 2003. He was however unable to score any points in the 2005 and 2006 series finishing in 8th and 11th position.

Versteegh has a Jack Russell Terrier called "Joe the Co", who is known as his mascotte and co-pilot. Joe the Co was born on 12 July, 1996 and has been flying alongside Versteegh in the Extra 300L, the Bücker "Jungmann", Robinson R44, A-26 Invader and many other aircraft. The dog joins Versteegh in most of his airshows.

Competitions and tournaments

;1982-1994:
* Dutch Aerobatic Champion;1985:
* South African Masters La Mercy, Durban, South Africa;1987:
* Eurobatics Speichersdorf, Germany;1989:
* Masters Palaborwa, South Africa
* Eurobatics Becescaba, Hungary;1990:
* Masters Ocaña, Spain
* World Championship, Yverdon, Switzerland;1991:
* International Masters of Aerobatics, Argentina
* Eurobatics, Toulouse, France;1992:
* World Championship, Le Havre, France;1993:Contest director World Glider Aerobatic Championship, Venlo, Netherlands
* Breitling World Cup of Aerobatics;1998:
* Freestyle Cup Sassuolo, Italy (Winner of the Reggiani Freestyle Cup);2000:
* Freestyle Cup Milano Bresso, Italy (Silver medal);2002:
* Italian Free Style Championship Sassuolo (Second position);2003:
* Melilla Masters, Spain and Morocco
* Italy Reggiani Trophy (Fourth position); 2006:
* Italian Freestyle championships (First position)

* CAN: Cancelled
* DNP: Did not participate
* DNS: Did not show
* DQ: Disqualified
* NC: Not classified

ee also

* Competition aerobatics

References

* [http://www.aerobatics.nl Official website]
* [http://www.redbullairrace.com/ Red Bull Air Race World Series official website]