The crews of the 82nd C.S.A.R. and CNSAS operators trained together in Sicily for the rescue of injured people in inaccessible areas and gorges.
At Trapani Birgi air base, home to the 82nd Centre, preparatory briefings for the activity were held and two sorties were carried out with the Centre's HH-139A SAR helicopter. In the morning, the exercise took place in the Macari area (Trapani) and allowed for the training of CNSAS personnel from Palermo in winch recovery, both individually and with a double sling, simulating the rescue and recovery of an injured person from inaccessible areas, also with the aid of a winch-operable stretcher. In the afternoon, the Forra Team, accompanied by 2 national instructors, redeployed to the Mulino Drago Gorge, near Corleone (PA), to carry out training on the recovery of injured persons from gorges with steep walls and near watercourses, using both winches and stretchers. Exercises of this type are fundamental for both the Air Force crews and the agencies that cooperate with them. The use of common procedures ensures maximum speed in the event of real deployment, as well as minimising the operational risks associated with rescue operations, as already demonstrated by the numerous joint operations carried out over time, contributing to the full realisation of the dual-use capability of military helicopters.
