On Wednesday 13th October, the handover with General Rossi took place, in the presence of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force. General Rossi, in his speech, highlighted the specific characteristics of the General Office, whose purpose is to regulate, certify, oversee, and control Air Navigation and General Meteorology Services. General Rossi is leaving his post to take up that of National Expert at the European Commission – Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport in Brussels (Belgium).
General De Ponti, born in Castiglione del Lago (Perugia) in 1956, entered the Air Force Academy in Pozzuoli (Naples) in 1976 as part of the ‘Sparviero III’ intake. In 1976, he obtained his Military Aeroplane Pilot’s Licence at the 70th Wing in Latina, in 1981 the USAF Military Pilot’s Licence at Reese Air Force Base in Texas (USA) and in 1982 the Italian Air Force Military Pilot’s Licence at the Italian Air Force Jet Flight School in Amendola (Foggia). From 1982 to 1993, he served with the 15th Wing at Ciampino, holding various posts including pilot with the 142nd Squadron of the 85th Group, Commander of that same Squadron, Head of the Operations Section and Head of the Flight Safety Office of the Wing. Transferred to Guidonia (Rome), from 1993 to 1995 he served first as Deputy Commander and then as Commander of the 303rd Autonomous Flight Group. From 1995 to 1999, at the 3rd Department of the Air Force General Staff, he held, amongst other posts, the position of Head of the 3rd Section of the 2nd Office and Deputy Head of the 2nd Office. From 1995 to 1999, he served as delegate and National Representative to the Bureau of the international agreement between Italy, France, Spain and Malta on search and rescue, as well as a permanent member of several Working Groups (SAR/CSARWG and ATWG) at the NATO Military Standardisation Agency. He was promoted to Colonel in 1997. From 1999 to 2001, he served as Commander of the 31st Wing at Ciampino. From 2001 to 2002, he was Commander of the Prime Minister’s presidential aircraft and Deputy Director of the State Flights Office at the Prime Minister’s Office. Upon his return to the 3rd Department of the Air Force General Staff, from 2001 to 2005, he served as Deputy Head of the 1st ’Military Policy, Doctrine and General Planning’ Office, Head of the 1st Office and Project Manager for the ‘Air Force Special Forces’ project. From 2003 to 2005, he was also a full member of the Air Force Ordinary Commission for the Promotion of Officers. In 2003, he served as a full military judge at the Military Court of Rome. From 2005 to 2008, he served as Defence Attaché at the Italian Diplomatic Mission in the Czech Republic. In July 2008, he was promoted to the rank of Air Brigadier. From September 2008 to May 2009, he served as Deputy Head of the Third Department of the Air Force General Staff, Liaison Officer with the European Air Group (EAG) and a member of the Standing Committee for technical and administrative advice on liability in accidents involving military aircraft, the State Police, the State Forestry Corps and the National Fire Brigade Committee. From May 2009 to October 2010, he held the post of Head of the Airspace Department at the USAM. He is a qualified pilot with the rank of Aircraft Commander – Crew Chief for the following aircraft: SIAI SF-260M, T37, T38, G91/T1, AB 47/G2, S/208, HH-3F, AB-204, AB-212, P166-M, P166-APH, P-166/DL-3, P-180, MB-339/A, SH3D/TS, FALCON 50, GIII, Falcon 900EX and A319CJ. He is the author of several publications and directives issued by the Third Department of the Air Force General Staff. Among the courses he has attended are the 1996 NATO Joint Warfare Course, the 1997 NATO Emergency Planning and Civil Cooperation (NATO SEP/CIMIC) Course, in 1998 the NATO Course on International Crisis Management (NATO Crisis Management) and, in 2005, the Advanced Course in ‘Methodology and Techniques of International Negotiation’ at the University of Trieste – Gorizia Campus – Department of International and Diplomatic Studies. His honours include the Air Force Long-Distance Flight Medal – Gold, the NATO Medal for operations in ’the former Yugoslavia“, the NATO Medal for operations in ”Kosovo‘, the Medal of Merit for Joint Forces Service, the Medal of Honour of King Ottokar II of the Přemyslids, ’Iron and Golden King‘, conferred by the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Grand Officer of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great, Mauritian Medal of Merit for 10 lustri of military service, and the Gold Cross with Star for length of military service – 40 years of service. He holds a degree in Aeronautical Sciences from the ’Federico II‘ University of Naples and a degree in International and Diplomatic Sciences from the University of Trieste-Gorizia. He is married and has two children.
