As part of the training activities that the Accademia Aeronautica di Pozzuoli follows to offer visitors learning processes centered on innovative models of learning-by-doing, the participation in specific competitions conducted in the domains of strong interest of the Armed Forces acquires importance.
In particular, with regard to the aerospace field, the ASTRA training unit - "Academy Space Team for Research and Aerospace studies" - has registered for the second consecutive year in the CanSat competition, born from an idea of the American Astronautical Society with the aim of adapting all the main subsystems present in a satellite, such as power supply, sensors and a communication system, in the volume and shape of a can (in English “Can”, hence the name of the competition), so to perform certain missions during the various phases of flight.
The Aeronautical Academy, in partnership with the University of Naples Federico II, has signed up for the challenge with a heterogeneous team made up of visitors of various roles and corps of the 4th class of regular courses (course Eagle VI) and by university students graduating in the various engineering disciplines of the Neapolitan university. The project has found in the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials of the National Research Center and in Dallara Automobili, two realities that have actively supported the development of the project, demonstrating the unity of purpose between the academic, industrial and research worlds and thus realizing an important synergistic effort.
After passing the required selective steps, i.e. the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and the Critical Design Review (CDR), the Team had access to the final phase which took place from 9 to 11 June at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg during the "Launch weekend", where at the end of the final was held there Post Flight Review (PFR) with the analysis of the overall results of the three phases of the developed project and the decreeing of the winners. Of the 40 teams that arrived at the last test, only 30 actually managed to launch, of which 10 from Europe and 2 from Italy. The joint team of the Accademia Aeronautica and UNINA, which thus repeated last year's exceptional experience by comparing itself with academic realities from all over the world, finished in 7th place overall.
Activities of this kind constitute a training opportunity with a high added value for those attending the Institute, as the dynamics and processes involved speed up learning and anticipate a range of experiences (such as work according to consecutive project phases and contacts with Industry and the world of Research and Development) which will be invaluable for future leaders of the Armed Forces. Furthermore, working with different professionalisms, between roles, bodies and university students, represents a valuable result in terms of "meta-training" because it leads to addressing work problems from different angles, exploiting the 360° contribution of all available skills.
On the sidelines of the competition, the results achieved and the progress of the entire project will be discussed and shared in a dedicated day which will be held in the Academy and will be open to all the stakeholders who have contributed to the success of the project. On this occasion there will be a symbolic passing of the baton in favor of the visitors who will compete in the competition next year, thus fueling a solid cycle of continuous improvement.
The Air Force Academy depends on the command of the Air Force Schools/3rd Air Region. It is a university military institute of higher education which has the task of providing for the recruitment and training of young people who aspire to become officers in the Air Force. By attending the regular courses of the Academy, one can become second lieutenant in Effective Permanent Service of the Air Force, in the Normal Seafarers Role (pilots) and in the Normal Role of Arms, of the Aeronautical Engineers, of the Aeronautical Commissariat Corps and of the Aeronautical Medical Corps. Courses are also held at the Institute for officer cadets (complementary pilots and pre-established firm) and directly appointed second lieutenants (both in the Normal Role and in the Special Role); finally, in the Study Plan of the Academy, courses with an aeronautical connotation are foreseen, for foreign personnel and other Armed Forces.
