2011
Air Shows
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Frecce
Tricolori rehearsal, April 11, 2011 |
Location: Cervia
ATB, Italy |
Admission: Not
open to the public |
Parking: Free |
Value: Very
Good |
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Well this was not an air show but a practice
for one of the premier aerobatic teams in Europe.
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As every year since the early 2000s the first
training session of the Italian Aerobatic Team the Frecce Tricolori
outside their home base at Rivolto took place in Cervia Air Base,
former home of the now disbanded 21st squadron of the Italian Air
Force.
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The
wonderful (no clouds and blue sky with unlimited visibility) day
started at 9:06 am with the arrival, for a touch and go, of Pisa
based C-130J-30
MM62189 46-55 belonging to 46° Brigata Aerea. After that, the
noise of 8 jets announced the arrival of the mighty Aermacchi MB-339
PAN (Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale-National Aerobatic team), which
landed on runway 12 at 9:47 am. At 10:01 am the remaining two MB-339
PAN landed as well. |
With
Italian precision, at 11:19 am the team took off to start their
training session (it was scheduled to start at 11.00 am). They
made the full vertical show; the only notable difference between
the training and the official shows is the use of white smoke only
instead of the traditional red, white and green. It's funny to
remember in these days of war against Libya, when the team was
invited by Colonel Qaddafi to perform over Tripoli on 1st September 2009, "but
only with green smoke", the official colour of the Northern
African country. Of course, immediately after take off, the Red
White and Green of the Italian flag shone in the sky over Tripoli...... |
The
demonstration over Cervia went absolutely well, the team is in
good shape and is almost ready to start the official season (traditionally
in Rivolto, their home base, on 1st May). The new pilots (usually
one or two per season) are generally assigned to the team in May
so that they can start off the aerobatic season as a "passenger".
During they first season they start to come into contact with the
world of air displays, experiencing from the rear seat of the MB-339
the same manoeuvres admired by the public on the ground. The winter
training begins in November until the end of April, and the new
pilots are to play a direct part. The winter season is also dedicated
to training all other pilots: the new recruits in fact involve
changes in position and role also for the more senior pilots who
are to follow a training course aimed at perfecting the aerobatic
techniques that are part ot their new role. The only new pilot
for the 2011 season is Captain Mattia Bortoluzzi, former 51st Wing
AMX pilot, who will fly as Pony Seven. |
The
demonstration ended at 11:48 with the landing, again on runway
12, of the last MB-339 (the solo mount, number 10 Captain Fabio Capodanno).
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After refuelling the team took off for Rivolto
at 13:55, ending another wonderful day out. It was anyway a wonderful
start of the 2011 season.
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Rating:
Not rated -- not an air show
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Review and photos by Michele Giardini for Airshowsreview. |
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