The competition announcement for the first class of the Aeronautical Academy opens the door to important (indeed unique!) Opportunities for young people who are about to leave their family's nest and take flight from their lives.
Of course: this metaphor does not just want to talk about the career of Military Pilot, but also of all the others Specializations that serve to allow for a modern and effective air defense.
I say this as a pilot (not military, but if I were Military what I am about to say would be even more important): without engineers, navigators, technical officers and services - from meteorology to logistics, nobody excluded - military pilots are on the ground and their airplanes locked in the hangar.
As a former student of the first year of a course at the Aeronautical Academy, I can say that even just taking part in the competition is an invaluable lesson in life: it allows a teenager to understand what basic requirements those who "grow up" want be a professional and not a simple professional.
And for those who prove they have the requisites to pass the competition, a road is opening towards a new family, to which they will remain bound for the rest of their lives and which will always be close and united to you. I had written something about it some time ago (v.articolo), even if one of my previous writings that I would recommend for a young person of quality and values to convince himself to register for the competition, I would suggest him to read what I wrote about a visit to the F35 factory.
Of course, I do not want to advertise my writings, but it is the only way I have to push some young of value and quality not to surrender to a future that offers nothing to its generation.
An armed force (not exclusively the Air Force, but this benefits from a technological push certainly superior to others) still offers a possibility of future and realization that no Italian civil company today and for the next decades can and will give. And this time I say this as an employee of one of the richest and most prestigious companies in Italy.
Of course, in the Academy there will be sacrifice, because the selection is continuous and life is hard, but it is motivating and compelling as a championship of a sport, without counting that in the Academy there are educational and sports facilities available that are available and available. quality of means has no comparison in the civil field.
But since as I have let you underline, my experience as an Aeronautical Academy is distant in time, it is opportune to ask who today is involved in the training process of the cadet something specific and useful to describe current and future scenario.
I do not want my friends who do not belong to the navigators, I hope that what I have written a few lines ago proves my sincere esteem and gratitude for what they do every day, even without "film spotlight" pointed ...
Major Stefano C. of the 61 ° Stormo has been available to clarify some doubts and to update us on the procedure that will "make wings" for the boys who will pass the selection.
How has the training of military pilots changed since you were a student?
To become a pilot you need passion, dedication, ability to work hard and a strong professional ethics. All this is refined and developed by years of training at the highest levels. The search for the utmost professionalism in an era of economic hardship has forced a review of the entire military pilot training process with the aim of being able to maintain the quality of the final product high by reducing the overall cost. The result was a redefinition of the four phases, aimed at capturing the "skills" of the student in advance, specializing him better and first on the "flight line" most appropriate to him. Until the 2014 the students were directed to the different lines at the end of phase III, the one that leads to the achievement of the "eagle turrita", the military pilot's license; phase III was therefore unique for all student pilots. Today, however, the selection for the different lines is made immediately after phase II (basic training); phase III is therefore differentiated and is carried out on different aircraft depending on the line on which the pilot will carry out the rest of his operational life.
Pilot training will be based on M345 and M346. The second is already operational. Is there any news regarding the entry into service and the type of use of the first one?
the 346 (Photo) it has been operating for a couple of years and is used for phase IV, the so-called "Fighter Track", the one, to understand, followed by the use on aircraft with higher aerodynamic and avionic performances: AMX, Tornado, Eurofighter, F35. We have learned with great satisfaction the news of the purchase of the new M345 aircraft and look forward to seeing them operational for phases II and III of flight training. Surely it will be a further technological improvement for the training of future pilots of the Italian Air Force.
What are the main causes of abandonment / rejection of students at flight schools?
It is difficult to outline the causes of abandonment / rejection during the piloting course. Fortunately, thanks to the skills of those who deal with selection at source, from a statistical point of view, these are sporadic cases. In general, students who fail to complete the training have an inadequate attitude and / or motivation, which are fundamental factors for facing the flight in the best way, both from a physical and educational point of view.
How could the school system contribute to preparing a boy / girl for the training of a military pilot?
The current school system provides all the skills necessary to undertake and complete the training of a military pilot. A fundamental requirement is undoubtedly that the boys have a good propensity to study and, above all, as I have already said, a strong motivation that pushes them to proactively face the sacrifices necessary to undertake a demanding and tiring career, but certainly full of unique satisfactions .
The Air Force periodically conducts courses in aeronautical culture. Do you consider them an effective tool to involve the very young and bring them closer to the world of flight?
Yes, I believe it to be an effective tool to introduce the aeronautical world to young people, especially in particular geographical regions where the possibility of seeing military aircraft in operation is less frequent than others. In addition, these courses provide the opportunity to find direct contact points for those wishing to deepen their aeronautical knowledge, or become part of the Azzurra Weapon.
Can any flight activity before selection be positive or negative in the formation of a future military pilot?
I believe he has limited influence. In reality, the military activity of a military pilot is quite special. The formation of the future military pilot depends on far more complex training activities that are part of a specific training course. However, being able to perform some volative experience can still be a tool to allow a boy to discover, through his own feelings, the feeling and passion for flying.
Today we no longer see the large number of aeronautical events of the past: air shows but also films. Does this lack of "propaganda" among ordinary people?
The Italian Air Force participates with its valuable assets in major events and air shows, such as the one in Jesolo last August, broadcast live on national television. These events always receive certificates of satisfaction and, in these contexts, many show us their closeness and warmth. These participations have the double benefit of representing an important form of communication with the population and that of having a considerable broad-spectrum training aspect. Surely they are useful opportunities, not only to let us know, but also to make our presence felt and make citizens understand what we do and what our tasks are, first and foremost the defense of airspace. In reality there are many other occasions in which we come into direct contact with the civilian population and I refer to all the support activities for citizenship that the Air Force carries out every day, together with the other Armed Forces, placing the professionalism of its staff at the service exclusive of the good of Italy.
