Ex Hungarian pilot stuns local fans

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

A former fighter pilot from Hungary who arrived in the country last week mesmerised local fans when he performed spectacular stunts over Sigiriya and at Unawatuna, Galle in a specially designed aircraft from Hungary.

The lanky stunt pilot was sponsored by RedBull, an energy drink.

RedBull Sri Lanka presents a memento to RedBull Champion Peter Besenyei Pic: Vipula Amarasinghe

He was introduced at a media conference as Peter Besenyei the RedBull Champion who creates 'magic' in the air. He said it was his first visit to Sri Lanka, although he had been here a couple of times while being in transit.

He said the food was excellent and beaches were beautiful with friendly and kind people.

Those were his remarks before he spoke of aerobatics. "This kind of air show I am sure will help people to familiarise with aerobatics," he said.

Asked what made him a pilot, he said he was only six when his parents moved to a home close to an airfield in Hungary. He said it was the first time he saw aeroplanes doing aerobatic manoeuvres that amazed him.

It was at this juncture that he decided to be a pilot. When he was only fifteen, he went to a flying club in Hungary and learnt to fly the glider.

One year later when he was sixteen he flew his first solo flight. When he was 23, he flew bigger planes and since 1981 he had been performing aerobatic manoeuvres.

"Flying is a kind of freedom but aerobatics is a little more than that as you use different dimensions, not just turning the plane from right to left and going up and down but by jumping into the sky", he said. Peter has participated in several aerobatic shows in North America, Canada, Africa, Chile, Argentina and Australia.

He said flying can be dangerous if one does not do the right thing unlike any other activity such as driving a car or riding a bicycle.

"I never felt that I was in any dangerous situation although I was a test pilot for 30 years.

During this period I faced quite a lot of challenging situations but never felt that I was in danger.

The problem begins when you want to do something beyond your limit," he said.

Asked to describe the difference between a Cessna plane and his specially designed plane, Peter said his plane had been designed to withstand high speed and was specially structured for aerobatic stunts.