Colonel Michele Grassi takes over at the head of the “Graziani”
On Wednesday, 24 June, the change of command of the 70th Wing “Giulio Cesare Graziani” took place at the “Enrico Comani” military airport in Latina Scalo, between the outgoing Commander, Colonel Francesco Maresca, and the incoming Commander, Colonel Michele Grassi. The event, presided over by the Commander of the Air Force Schools and the Third Air Region of Bari, Air Force General Aurelio Colagrande, took place in front of the Unit's Flag and was attended by a small representation of the Unit's personnel, in full compliance with the provisions dictated by the ongoing emergency situation. Colonel Maresca, who leaves the command of the Pontine Flying School after almost two years since his appointment, wished to address a grateful greeting to the military, civilian and religious authorities during his farewell speech, who, despite not being able to participate in the event in adherence to the COVID-19 contagion prevention measures, “…they have always shown their closeness, to seal the bond between this land and the 70th Wing, which has been operating for eighty years at the Latina airport in its various operational and training capacities.”. Thanking the women and men of the Department for their continued commitment and perseverance shown, he wanted to share one of his most cherished memories “that of admiring the happiness of the attendees when they land from their solo mission or when, with pride, they receive the airplane pilot's eagle pinned to their chest. That moment of pure joy and happiness was worth the effort of so many. This is the strength of the 70th Wing; the dream and the drive of these young aviators give us the stimulus to always do our job well. It’s an energy that renews itself with every course, year after year, without ever changing over time.”. Colonel Grassi said he was proud of the assignment given to him and thanked the Superior Authorities for appointing him to the prestigious role of Commander of the 70th Wing, declaring himself “Aware of the challenge that lies before me, especially at a time when the country demands ever-greater commitment from our Armed Forces, all the more so due to the recent and still ongoing pandemic, during which an extremely high level of efficiency and professionalism, which has always distinguished the Blue Force and the Department, is still required. Addressing the department staff, he urged them to consider “Improvement and excellence as guiding principles. The adjective “Our” is not just a word; it is only as a team that we can achieve our most ambitious goals. The Wing Commander can only chart the course, but it is together that we can and must travel it. The best way to predict the future is to create it, and that is what I ask of you, to be with me: the creators of our future.”. Finally, the Commander of the Air Force Schools and 3rd Air Region spoke, who thanked Colonel Maresca for the excellent work done, and highlighted the multiple activities carried out at the Pontine Flying School during his command, such as the creation of the “Flight Training”in the English language, a platform e-learning having become a benchmark within the Italian Air Force's flying schools; as well as the celebration of the SF 260EA trainer aircraft reaching 50,000 flight hours; the simultaneous celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Military Airport and the tenth anniversary of the Wing being named after the Gold Medal of Military Valour ’Air Division General Giulio Cesare Graziani“, as well as the renewed affirmation of a leading role in the training of military pilots and armed forces of the State, both nationally and internationally. General Colagrande, confident in the precise, prudent, and intelligent action that Colonel Grassi will be able to undertake in the immediate future, has invited all personnel to dedicate an ever-increasing commitment to bring the Department to a further level of excellence.
The 70th Wing, under the command of the Air Force School Command and Third Air Region of Bari, is based at the “Enrico Comani” Military Airport in Latina. For over sixty years, it has represented the first mandatory stage in the professional training of a “military pilot,” as it performs the institutional task of selecting and training future military pilots of the Air Force, other Armed Forces and State Armed Corps, and cadets from other nations, by issuing the first pilot's license, the Airplane Pilot's License (BPA). Since its establishment to the present day, the Latina Flying School has issued over 15,000 pilot's licenses, accumulating approximately 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.
