A sober, but at the same time heartfelt ceremony was the backdrop today, Wednesday 16 September, at the "Enrico Comani" military airport of Latina Scalo, at the handover between the t.col Giovanni Maria P. outgoing commander of 207 ° flight group and Major Emma P. incoming commander. The event chaired by col. Michele Grassi, commander of the 70th "GC Graziani" flock, saw the participation of a limited representation of the personnel in force at the different articulations of the flock and of the entire staff of the 207 ° flight group, as well as the closest relatives of the two alternating officers, in compliance with the social distancing and the provisions in force to deal with the current emergency situation.
In his farewell speech, the t.col. Giovanni Maria P. wanted to remember the period spent in command of the 207th flight group "Like a year that is certainly not easy, but indeed perhaps too full of surprises and twists that, sometimes, have left me thoughts well beyond the hours of service" but at the same time full of challenges and important goals achieved even when "Following the global pandemic and the consequent temporary stop of flying activity, despite the many difficulties we have as a flight group continued to guarantee the on-the-fly selection activity, giving prestige to the entire 70th flock". Turning to the incoming commander, he wished her his “Good luck for this period of leadership that you are about to face. ".
Major Emma P. received delivery of the banner of the 207th flying group and expressed her thanks to the flock commander and to the superior authorities for the trust placed in them and wished to address a heartfelt thought to the outgoing group commander for the great work done. Originally from Latina, after graduating from the high school "Dante Alighieri", Major Emma P. was among the first women to enter the Air Force in 2000 with the course Eagle V successfully passing the various competition tests and the demanding on-the-fly selection for the acquisition of the Airplane Pilot License (BPA) carried out at the 70th wing. Military Pilot, Flight Instructor, qualified on different types of airplanes and thanks to a diversified experience acquired in Italy and abroad, Major Emma P. in assuming command of the 207th group wanted to express his team vision once to the achievement of a common goal on which to mark the period of command that has just begun and has continued to speak out “… Deeply convinced of the meaning of our mission: the Air Force is asking us to identify and train, in its name and on its own, its future pilots. This is no small thing! You are placing your trust in our professionalism, we continue to do our best to honor it. In saying this, I am not only addressing the pilots of the 207th flight group, but all the pilots of the flock, as well as the personnel of the other sections of the department. I believe that everyone, directly or indirectly, must be aware of the contribution they provide for the fulfillment of the same mission ".
At the conclusion of the ceremony, col. Grassi, in the course of his brief greeting address, thanked the outgoing commander for the excellent work done and wishing him every success, he said he was certain that the professional future will be able to reserve him ever greater satisfaction. Addressing Major P. he urged her to continue “… In the continuity of the path traced by your predecessor to achieve ever greater goals. The future of the new generations of AM pilots also lies in your hands, it is up to you to draw the guidelines to train not only the skills, but to be an example and inspiration for the pilots of the future. I am sure that your staff and the whole Flock will be of support to you in this charge, so onerous, but full of great satisfactions ".
The 70 ° stormo, a flight school of the Italian Air Force based at the "Enrico Comani" Military Airport of Latina, is placed under the School Command of the Italian Air Force e Third Air Region based in Bari, and for over sixty years it has performed 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.
The Pontine Flight School has issued, to date, over 15.000 piloting patents, realizing a total of about 500.000 flight hours, carried out on the following aircraft: Douglas C-47 Dakota, Beechcraft C45, Piaggio P.166M, Piaggio P.148 , SIAI Marchetti SF260AM, Cessna L.19, Dornier 228, Piaggio P.68, Piaggio P.166 DL3, Alenia Aermacchi SF260EA, SIAI Marchetti S.208M, Piaggio P.166 DP1 and Tecnam P-2006T.
