View source for Frank Versteegh

{{short description|Dutch aerobatics pilot|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{no inline|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox aviator
|name=Frank Versteegh
|image=Frank Versteegh D-EZOZ Malmi 1.JPG
|image_size=200px
|alt=Frank Versteegh
|caption=Frank Versteegh with his [[Extra EA-300|Extra 300L]] aircraft at [[Helsinki-Malmi airport]]
|full_name=
|birth_date= {{Birth date and age|1954|9|19|mf=y}}
|birth_place= [[Oosterbeek]], Netherlands
|death_date= <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
|death_place=
|death_cause=
|resting_place=
|resting_place_coordinates= <!-- {{Coord|LATITUDE|LONGITUDE|type:landmark}} -->
|monuments=
|nationality={{flag|NED|name=Dutch}}
|spouse=
|relatives=
|first_race =2003
|racing_best = 6th ([[2004 Red Bull Air Race World Series season|2004]])
|racing_aircraft =  [[Zivko Edge 540]]
|website=[http://www.aerobatics.nl aerobatics.nl]
}}

'''Frank Versteegh''' (born 19 September 1954) is a Dutch [[aerobatics]] [[aviator|pilot]]. He is also an airshow organiser, a flight safety committee member, a [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale|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 Special|Pitts S-2S G-SOLO]], which also flew in the Rothmanns team as a solo aircraft. In 1989, the Pitts was sold to a German buyer. He flew back in a newly acquired Zlin 50 LS which had been [[Manfred Strossenreuther]]'s prior to his death near [[Teuge]] in the Netherlands. In this aircraft, Versteegh won 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 to make a touch and go in an Extra 300L (D-EZOZ) on a 70-meter-long river freighter.  He performed the feat on the [[Rhine]] at [[Rhenen]] in his home country. 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 mascot. Joe the Co was born on 12 July 1996 and has been flying alongside Versteegh in the Extra 300L, the [[Bücker Bü 131|Bücker "Jungmann"]], [[Robinson R44]], [[A-26 Invader]] and many other aircraft. The dog joins Versteegh in most of his airshows.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

==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)

{|class="wikitable"
|- 
! colspan=16 align=center|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} Frank Versteegh<br>at the [[Red Bull Air Race World Series]]
|-
!width="2%"|Year
!width="2%"| 1
!width="2%"| 2
!width="2%"| 3
!width="2%"| 4
!width="2%"| 5
!width="2%"| 6
!width="2%"| 7
!width="2%"| 8
!width="2%"| 9
!width="2%"| 10
!width="2%"| 11
!width="2%"| 12
!width="2%"|Points
!width="2%"|Wins
!width="2%"|Rank
|- align=center
! [[2004 Red Bull Air Race World Series season|2004]]
| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<br>5th
| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|Hungary}}<br>6th
| {{flagicon|United States}}<br>DNS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
! 3
! 0
| style="background:#dfffdf;"|'''6th'''
|- align=center
! [[2005 Red Bull Air Race World Series season|2005]]
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}}<br>8th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Netherlands}}<br>8th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Austria}}<br>8th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Ireland}}<br>7th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<br>8th
| {{flagicon|Hungary}}<br>DNS
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|United States}}<br>8th
|
|
|
|
|
! 0
! 0
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|'''8th'''
|- align=center
! [[2006 Red Bull Air Race World Series season|2006]]
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}}<br>10th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Spain}}<br>11th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Germany}}<br>10th
| {{flagicon|Russia}}<br>CAN
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Turkey}}<br>10th  
| {{flagicon|Hungary}}<br>DQ  
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<br>10th
| {{flagicon|United States}}<br>DQ
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Australia}}<br>11th
|
|
|
! 0
! 0
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|'''11th'''
|- align=center
! [[2007 Red Bull Air Race World Series season|2007]]
| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}}<br>6th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Brazil}}<br>10th
| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|United States}}<br>6th 
| style="background:#dfffdf;"|{{flagicon|Turkey}}<br>6th 
| {{flagicon|Spain}}<br>CAN
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Switzerland}}<br>9th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<br>8th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Hungary}}<br>8th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Portugal}}<br>11th
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|United States}}<br>12th
| {{flagicon|Mexico}}<br>CAN
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|{{flagicon|Australia}}<br>12th
! 3
! 0
| style="background:#cfcfff;"|'''11th'''
|}

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

==See also==
* [[Competition aerobatics]]

{{Commons category}}

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

{{Red Bull Air Race World Series Pilots}}
{{Aerobatics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Versteegh, Frank}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Renkum]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Gelderland]]
[[Category:Dutch aviators]]
[[Category:Dutch air racers]]
[[Category:Red Bull Air Race World Championship pilots]]
[[Category:Aerobatic pilots]]