Yesterday, at the military airport of Galatina, in the presence of the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Hon. Angelo Tofalo, of the Chief of Staff of the General Air Force of sa Alberto Rosso and Eng. Lucio Valerio Cioffi, head of the aircraft division of Leonardo spa, held the ceremony for the delivery of the "Eagles Turrite", symbol of the military pilot's patent, delivered to six Italian students, two students of the French Armée de l'air and seven of the Kuwait Air Force.
For the first time French pilots officers have been patented in the Italian flying school, on Italian aircraft. An important event with a view to European cooperation in the field of training, which takes on a special significance if one considers that, just over a hundred years ago, Francesco Baracca - Ace of the Axes and a gold medal for military valor during the First World War - he obtained a pilot's license in France, on French aircraft.
In his greeting address Colonel Alberto Surace, commander of the 61 ° Stormo, presented the flight school of Galatina, which trains pilots since 1946 and which today can boast the presence of students and instructors from eight foreign countries. An international reality that is increasingly the object of attention by aeronautics all over the world, offering unique skills in the training sector and an innovative integrated system for advanced flight training, based on the combination of T339 and T346. "You must be proud of the goal achieved"- Col. Surace said, addressing the newly patented -"the fruit of sacrifice, dedication and hard work. It does not matter which skies you are sailing, let the values that have guided Francesco Baracca accompany you always and everywhere".
The gen. Red in his speech stressed how "the most sophisticated technology is worth little if not supported by the quality of the human element and by teamwork "and then turned an excited and sincere wish to the newly patented so that they can capitalize on the investment placed in them by the Armed Forces," with responsibility, pride and enthusiasm at the service of the country".
Undersecretary Tofalo, in his speech, highlighted how "the Italian military technology and training model are at the forefront and how these skills are recognized by everyone, especially by the nations that entrust the basic and advanced training of their pilots to the Italian Air Force. History, traditions, technology and the human element make the blue weapon one of the flagships of Italy, loved and appreciated all over the world".
