Public success for the festival of hot air balloons in Ferrara. The Aeronautica Militare was present with a full promotional stand. For this occasion, the Air Operations Command (COA) of Poggio Renatico curated the setup of a stand of about 100 square meters dedicated to the Navy, coordinating the static presence during the weekends of a NH-500 helicopter from the 15th CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) Squadron of Cervia.
A large area was dedicated to the virtual flight thanks to the flight simulator of the Tricolore Arrows (PAN), which projected the visitors into the cockpit of the soloist of the National Acrobatics Patrol, allowing the numerous visitors to experience, even if only for a few minutes, the excitement of being a pilot of the PAN. The youngest, on the other hand, had the opportunity to try the flight simulator for children, called “celestino”, made available by the Arma Aeronautica Association (AAA)- Ferrara Section, in collaboration with the ONLUS Association “Fly in the Heart”.
Visitors to the event were also able to admire three models of aircraft inside the stand: a 2 MB-339 PAN and an EFA 2000, complete with flight equipment, as well as a HMS (Helmet Mounted Sight) carbon fiber flight helmet, capable of providing various information to the pilot directly in front of their eyes.
As a testament to the interaction between the Air Force and sport, they were honored guests at the “Le Farfalle Azzurre” event, performing the exercises that enabled them to earn the bronze medal at the recent 2012 London Olympics.
Furthermore, on the final weekend, the COA hosted as a “Testimonial” and symbol of female speed, the athlete A.M. Manuela Levorato, a two-time bronze medalist at the European Championships and 14-time Italian champion. All the athletes, from the A.M. Sports Center in Vigna di Valle (RM), enjoyed enormous success, highlighting the image of the Armed Forces and receiving the applause of the numerous audience present.
