The traditional delivery ceremony took place today at the 70th wing of Latina Aquile to 57 young students who obtained their airplane pilot's license (BPA).
The event, chaired by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Force General Luca Goretti, saw the participation of the Commander of the Schools/3rd Air Region, Air Force General Silvano Frigerio and the Commander of the 70th Wing, Colonel Giuseppe Bellomo.
Symbolically represented by aAquila gold which, from today, can be shown on their uniforms, the event constitutes the first significant milestone achieved by the students who have thus become, to all intents and purposes, airplane pilots.
“Today's ceremony celebrates a fundamental stage in the career of every pilot in our Armed Forces. It is a moment that I experienced firsthand years ago as a young student, an essential step in my career and my life, of which I still retain the memory of the emotions I felt intact. I am convinced that those same sensations are present in your heart and mind today.". Thus the chief of general staff of the air force Luca Goretti, in speaking immediately after the delivery of the Aquile. Following this, General Goretti wanted to express his thanks to all the military and civilian personnel of the Air Force schools command, which with its departments has the delicate task of training and training pilots: “The absolute competence in the training sector, recognized in Italy and abroad, resides in you and must always remain in you. Thanks, in particular, to the flight instructors and all the staff of the 70th wing for the incredible team work in creating the best environmental, logistical and training conditions which allowed the student pilots to best express their potential". Finally, the chief of staff dedicated a thank you to the families of the new pilots “who have come here today from all over Italy to celebrate a unique and exciting moment in their lives together with their children”.
Specifically, 42 boys belonging to the first course's navigator role achieved the BPA Aeolus VI of the Air Force Academy (Pozzuoli), 14 additional student pilots belonging to the 129th AUPC course, and a single attendee, of Tunisian nationality, belonging to the navigator role of the second Academy course Dragon VI.
57 new pilots, out of a total of 98 students who arrived in Latina for flight selection and training, thus successfully completed training on the SF260EA aircraft in line at the 70th wing, and the golden pin depicting the Eagle, from today proudly displayed on jackets, it is the distinctive sign that fully rewards the efforts made.
The 70th wing, placed under the command of the schools of the Air Force and 3rd air region of Bari, is based at the "Enrico Comani" military airport in Latina and for over sixty years has represented the first compulsory stage in the professional training of the "military pilot", since he carries out the institutional tasks of selecting and training future military pilots of the Air Force, of the other armed forces and armed corps of the State and cadets of other Nations, through the issuing of the first pilot's license, the airplane pilot (BPA).
The training course for officer pilot students, both for normal and additional navigator roles, begins at the Air Force Academy and includes various training stages. At the end of the first phase, which ends in Latina with the achievement of the BPA, the Phase 2 in Galatina (LE), at the 61st wing. This tranche is aimed at identifying, based on the aptitudes and potential of the individual aspiring pilot, the line on which he will then be employed (fighters, transport, helicopters and APRs, i.e. remotely piloted aircraft).
Once assigned the line of employment, the pilots begin Phase 3 in the dedicated flight schools: 61st wing for the aerotactic and APR line, 72nd wing of Frosinone for the helicopter line and the newly renamed "Air Transport Training School" of Pratica di Mare for the transport line. At the end of the Phase 3 a new one is then assigned as a distinctive sign Aquila, this time with turrets, a coveted sign of sacrifice and competence and with which one becomes, officially, military pilots.
Finally, the officers destined for the aerotactic lines will continue with the next one Phase 4 at the 212th IFTS flight group in Decimomannu, Sardinia. Afterwards, the new military pilots will go to the operational conversion units (OCU - operational conversion unit) where they will transfer to the aircraft that will be assigned to them.
