A recent audit visit from the’National Civil Aviation Agency (ENAC) Press The “Angelo Mosso” Institute of Aerospace Medicine of the Italian Air Force in Milan.
The Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine, one of Italy's leading facilities dedicated to the medico-aeromatic certification of pilots and flight personnel, hosted personnel from the National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) for an introductory visit on 13 and 14 January.
The verification activity, conducted by specialised ENAC inspectors, falls within the institutional functions of the Authority which, in addition to regulating, certifying and overseeing Italian civil aviation, also supervises the application of aeromedical regulations in authorised Aeromedical Centres and Aeromedical Examiners (AMEs).
The’audit It mainly concerned organisational processes, document management, as well as compliance with the technical procedures provided for by ENAC regulations regarding aeronautical medicine, an area that concerns the issuing, renewal, and revalidation of certificates of physical and psychological fitness for the different classes of flight licenses.
The inspectors analysed the compliance of the Institute's activities with European and national standards, paying particular attention to the transparency of processes, the correct execution of the visit profile, the management of medical records in compliance with patient privacy, and the training of personnel involved in aeromedical visits. They also assessed the process for issuing health certificates and the safekeeping of health data. The audit team appreciated the high level of internal control adopted by the Institute, considering it to be in line with Best practice ENAC for aeronautical medicine services to reduce the risk of issuing certificates that do not comply with current regulations.
The Aerospace Medicine Institute of Milan, long certified as an Aeromedical Center (AeMC) by ENAC, plays a key role for the Air Force and the Italian aerospace system. Medical assessments for military and civilian aircrew are carried out here, ensuring compliance with clinical requirements set out by EU and national regulations. This audit was perceived by the Institute's staff as an opportunity for growth and improvement, as well as a moment for discussion between the regulatory authority and field operators. Within the scope of the inspection visits, aspects related to process digitisation and the use of IT tools for managing certificate data were also addressed, in line with recent ENAC guidelines on service monitoring and quality systems.
The IMAS, whose function is peculiar in flight prevention and safety, is responsible for controlling the psychophysical suitability for flight of the aircrew of the Air Force and other Armed Forces and Armed Corps of the State, as well as civilian aircrew. The Institute also promotes constant integration with the civil healthcare sector of excellence, encouraging the diffusion of aeronautical medicine, proposing itself as a point of reference in the sector, and maintaining constant and practical contact with the healthcare world in the broadest sense of the term.
