After 3 days of intense activities, the course concluded on Thursday 6 March, flight familiarisation dedicated engine to 29 students of the Vega Course, in the second year of “G. Douhet” Military Aviation School of Florence.
The course, held in collaboration with 202nd Flight Group of the 60th Wing of Guidonia, saw each student carry out a flight of about 40 minutes over the city of Florence aboard Siai S.208/M motor aircraft.
Guided by the expert instructors of the 60th Wing, the young boys and girls of the Military Aeronautics high school flew over unique vistas offered by the Tuscan capital while experiencing the thrill of carrying out the main flight dynamics and procedures.
Among the numerous civil authorities present at the event, held at the Amerigo Vespucci airport, the Mayor of Florence Sara Funaro who, in greeting the students of the Douhet, praised the Institute's long-standing training tradition, confirming the strong integration between the Tuscan capital and the Italian Air Force.
The recently completed activity represents the second phase of “Young Eagles”, a three-year programme included in the School's Educational Offer Plan, which aims to increase and consolidate young pupils' passion for flight and aeronautical culture at the Institute, and to develop their skills in planning and managing psycho-physical stress.
The first phase of “Giovani Aquile” involves a glider flight course also held at the 60th Wing in Guidonia, while the third phase of the project consists of a series of motivational flights – at one or more Italian Air Force Wings – intended for the final-year students of the Institute.
The Military Aviation School “Giulio Douhet”, Inaugurated in 2006, it is a upper secondary school that offers the final three years of study in Classical and Scientific streams, access to which is granted by public competition. The Institute's aim is to foster balanced growth in its pupils from a human, cultural, moral, physical, and character perspective, so that they possess the necessary skills to become good citizens and face the challenges of tomorrow, irrespective of each pupil's future life choices.
It 60th Wing of Guidonia reports directly to Schools Command of the Italian Air Force and, among its institutional duties, it has that of glider flight training which is carried out for the students of the “Giulio Douhet” Military School, the Student Pilot Officers of the Aeronautical Academy, the Auxiliary Student Pilot Officers as well as for pilots of other Armed Forces and Armed Corps.
