Numerous industry experts gathered at Pratica di Mare's Aeronautical and Space Experimental Flight Division for a seminar dedicated to aviation medicine.
Monday 30th May the Air Experimentation Department of Aeronautics and Space (D.A.S.A.S.) of Pratica di Mare RM hosted a Medical-scientific seminar dedicated to healthcare staff of Stormi of the’Italian Air Force. The focus of this important meeting, enhanced by the participation and contribution of the highest authorities in the medical and aerospace sectors of the Air Force and distinguished representatives of The scientific and academic world, , was the approach with which the aeronautical military and civilian worlds faced and overcame operational and staffing difficulties during the pandemic period of COVID-19.
Colonel Francesco Torchia, Head of Department of Aeronautical and Space Medicine, on behalf of the Commander of the D.A.S.A.S., Air Division General Mauro Lunardi, after a cordial welcome to the guests, handed over to Brigadier General Marco Lucertini, Deputy Head of the National Health Service, and to Ing. Fabio Nicolai of the National Authority for’Civil Aviation (E.N.A.C.), who after a brief introduction to the subject, began the seminar.
During the event, various topics were addressed: from’pilot operations of the Military and civilian Aeronautics during the Pandemic period, until vaccination campaign of the Air Force staff; from high biocontainment transport of Covid patients, for the effects of suborbital flight on human physiology. In particular, the aspects relating to Flight Safety, curated by Air Brigadier General Roberto Di Marco, Head of the’Flight Safety Inspectorate, and to flying fitness, with the intervention of Brigadier General Fabio Morgagni, Director of the’Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Rome. Both emphasised the rigour of scientific methodologies the regulations adopted by the Air Force in the scrupulous evaluation of the physical, psychological and cognitive capabilities of pilots during the Covid-19 period.
Altogether valuable too are all the other contributions, including that of Prof. Francesco Landi, head of Policlinico Gemelli in Rome, which highlighted the effects of Long Covid on patients who have tested negative, by Dr Serenella Corvo, of the’ENAC, who examined the impact of Covid-19 on civil aviation operations, Colonel Federico Cerini, Head of’Pratica di Mare Airport Main Infirmary, which illustrated how previous experiences gained during other epidemic periods contributed to methodological approach “in safety for transport upwards Biocontainment of Covid patients.
The seminar, therefore, represented an important Moment of comparison which aroused considerable interest among the attendees and fostered interaction between heterogeneous scientific realities from various fields.
At the end of the works, a questionnaire was submitted to the participants to facilitate the allocation of credits. ECM Continuing Medical Education (CME) and American (Aero Medical Examiner) curated by General Inspector (ret.) Enrico Tomao, president of the’Italian Association of Aviation and Space Medicine.
The Department of Aviation and Space Medicine it is one of the units of the Air Experimentation and Aerospace Division. Its tasks include both experimentation in the field of aeronautical and space medicine that the’Aerophysiological training of the flight crew.
While experimentation focuses on the body's response to the flight environment, the effects of hypoxia, spatial disorientation and night vision; in aerophysiological training the Department opera according to the international standards adopted at the aerospace medicine centres of Allied countries, with whom he maintains close contact collaboration aimed at the mutual recognition of the training programmes used and the exchange of culture and experiences.
The Air Experimentation Department of Aeronautics and Space brings together, under a single command, all of the Italian Air Force's research and experimental bodies.
The Division represents the main body of consultancy of the Armed Forces and of the’Defence Administration for the flight testing of aircraft and weapon systems, the analysis and physicochemical evaluation of structural and consumable materials, the’training and the experimentation in the sector of Aerospace medicine, software operation management and operational verification of weapon systems.
The D.A.S.A.S., furthermore, provides Technical-logistical support and operational to the Bodies of the Air Force and other Armed Forces and Armed Bodies of the State which insist on the site and manages, through The ATOC (Air Terminal Operation Center), flights destined for operations outside national borders. Pratica di Mare airport is the first Italian military air base for traffic and aircraft movements and is also the only point of National military health entry.
