The presentation ceremony of helicopter pilot licences to fifty-six students, who successfully completed their training and rotary-wing piloting course at the Air Force flight school, took place on Thursday, 23 October, at the 72nd Wing in Frosinone.
The new pilots come from various Armed Forces and State Corps, including the Italian Air Force, Italian Army, Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza, State Police, and the National Firefighter Corps, confirming the joint and inter-agency nature of the 72nd Wing.
At the ceremony, presided over by Air Force General Francesco Vestito, The ceremony was attended by civil and military authorities from the area, as well as the cadets' families, who watched with emotion as the new pilots received the insignia symbolising their new status.
In his speech, the Colonel Alessandro Fiorini, ", Commander of the 72nd Wing, spoke words of pride and gratitude to the new helicopter pilots: “We have 56 new helicopter pilots today who, between September 2023 and July 2025, have completed over 9,200 flight hours with aircraft from the Italian Air Force, the Italian Army, and the Firefighters: a huge synergistic investment for the State. A commitment that starts with families, continues within the Armed Forces, and finds its place here, at the 72nd Wing, where the dreams of these young men and women become a reality. From today, you are part of the great aviation community of the State, united under a single tricolour flag. Be proud of the goal you have achieved: you are our pride and our future..”
During the ceremony, the General Dress has underlined the formative and symbolic value of the moment: “Today we celebrate an achievement that goes beyond the acquisition of a patent: it represents the culmination of a human and professional journey founded on the values of service, sacrifice, and competence. Being pilots means being ready to serve the country with dedication, both in operational missions and in those of humanitarian aid and rescue, with the awareness of representing the Institutions from the sky. To you, men and women in uniform, I offer my best wishes to continue flying with the same passion, responsibility, and sense of duty that have brought you this far..”
It 72nd Wing of Frosinone, it depends on the Command of the Air Force Schools/3rd Air Region, it is the only school in Italy for helicopter pilot training. The Department, which has five different flight configurations (the TH-500, the UH-139, the AB-206 VVF, the RH-206 EI and the AW-139 VVF), provides training not only for Air Force personnel, but also for attendees from other Armed Forces, State Armed Corps and those from foreign countries. The joint and inter-agency synergy, developed in the field of training at the Frosinone Helicopter School, is part of a continuous improvement in training and a concurrent optimisation of resources.
