In the margins of the change of command, between Colonel Salis and Colonel Rispoli, the inauguration of the exhibition area “Aria”
On September 15, 2022, presided over by Brigadier General Cristiano Bandini, Commander of the 2nd Division of the Air Force Logistics Command, the handover ceremony between Col. Riccardo Salis and Col. Lorenzo Rispoli took place at Sigonella in the position of Director of the’11th Aircraft Maintenance Department. The event was attended by civil and military authorities of the Territory, Combatant and Armed Associations, as well as military and civilian personnel of the 11th RMV and other national and non-national entities and organizations present at the Sicilian airport, including its Commander, Colonel Emanuele Di Francesco.
It Colonel Salis, During his speech, he reviewed his period of command and recalled the progress and consolidation achieved in the management and maintenance activities of the C-130J fleet, as well as the expected launch of a profound phase of renewal of the available infrastructure. He emphasized the deep and sincere relationship with the staff and with the territory, adding: “I thank this land, full of life and contradictions, that once again welcomed me among its intoxicating colors, flavors, and differences. I realized that Sicily is not just a geographical place; Sicily is a region of the soul, that fills you with sensations and emotions, of love and hate, like a homeland, and after a while you feel like you belong to it.“. He ended by thanking the Sigonella Airport for the constant support provided, which has enabled the 11th to fulfill in the best possible way the tasks to which it was called to comply.’.
It Colonel Rispoli, After thanking the top leadership of the Armed Forces and the Logistics Command for the assignment entrusted to him, he expressed his utmost gratitude for the trust granted and for the prestigious opportunity afforded. He invited the Department to be proud of its multifaceted and highly specialized excellence: “We will have to operate with ever greater speed in our responses, using modern support technologies. We must be, within our field of specialization, creators and promoters of a new way of doing things and provide the technical and management capabilities required by the Lines entrusted to us, in order to guarantee the Armed Forces, the Defense and the Country the operational efficiency desired, contributing to maintaining a high benchmark model, competitive and winning, an expression of excellence and efficiency.”.
At the conclusion of the speeches, the General Bandini, After greeting the Authorities and the Guests who intervened, he expressed his appreciation for Colonel Salis “who for three years gave body and soul to the Department, (…) Absolutely deserving of appreciation, both for how he continued to operate, ensuring the necessary availability of C-130J assets during a period when their demand was particularly strong for the transfer of patients into bio-containment and for the distribution of vaccines, and for the harmony and climate of constructive diligence that he managed to develop within the Department despite the difficult pandemic conditions, thus achieving absolutely ambitious goals.” Turning to Col. Rispoli, he instead said: “I am confident that he will be able to further increase the production capacity of the Department and develop its potential through the passion, motivation and inexhaustible spirit of initiative of its staff. He will be responsible for leading the Department in a year that is important and full of initiatives for the Italian Air Force, which in 2023 will celebrate the first 100 years of its history as an independent Armed Force.”
During the day, as part of the military ceremony, the exhibition area and aeronautical cultural hub named “Aria – Where Flight Begins” was inaugurated. The project, which includes various aeronautical components of the aircraft, is located in the area of the military parade ground. Atlantic And the toolmaking machines used for the repairs themselves, which wind their way along a route obtained in the workshops of the time, aim to convey sensations, memories, impressions, and smells of what revolved around the efficiency of a flying machine. The exhibition intends to convey the awareness that flight, in its futuristic common conception, is still based on the manual labor of man. In essence, a look at the past, yet one that looks to the future, in perfect synergy between technical development and the wisdom handed down. In the context of “Aria”, in the apparent contrast between the rough and manual elements of the past and the asepticness of the new environments dedicated to electronics, a pictorial and sculptural exhibition on aeronautics has also found space, featuring works by contemporary artists, including Antonio Sciacca, Serena Capizzello, and Rosario Stefano Furnari. The exhibition area, inaugurated by the 11th RMV and already open to the public, was the starting point of a larger project, which will involve and gather not only the ’memories“ and history of the entire Sigonella Airport, but which will also involve the direct involvement of schools, Research Centers and Universities for training, in-depth research and innovation activities.
Regarding the exhibition area, Colonnelle Salis, during his speech, stated: “…it was born to tell the passion of generations of aviators for flight and could only be celebrated alongside art, telling our values through different languages: the fierce and composed determination, the conscious professionalism, the spirit of brotherhood of a team, the freedom that is won and protected through respect and sacrifice”.
