Operational availability of the TH-500B fleet remains high, with about 85% of the assigned helicopters ready for daily use.
TRAINING THE TRAINEE
Italian Air Force pilot training begins with Phase I at the 70th Stormo in Latina. Cadets receive basic flight instruction on the SIAI-Marchetti. Phase II follows as the primary flight training stage at the 61st Stormo in Galatina on the Leonardo T-345A. Phase II also can be conducted at partner bases abroad, such as at ENJJPT.
Students for the helicopter track then arrive at Frosinone Air Base, where they begin a training program that will lead to their multi-pilot military pilot license. “The process for the air force students is divided into two phases: Phase III/a and Phase III/b. In Phase III/a, approximately 100 flight hours are flown on the TH-500B, including visual and instrumental flights, low-altitude navigation over land or water, and basic and tactical two-aircraft formation flights,” the CO said. For Phase III/b, students advance to the Leonardo UH-139 and end their training at Phase IV at an Operational Conversion Unit.
“Night and mountain flights are also conducted, in addition to instrumental approaches via the instrument landing system and ground-controlled approach,” the CO said. “Furthermore, simulator missions are performed to learn the correct way to manage emergencies and for instrument flight rules training. We typically receive just over 50 candidates annually and usually about 90% of these candidates graduate. Typically, students perform around 100 training events before graduation, with their first solo flight after about 20 missions.”
The 72nd Wing also conducts flight instructor (PIT) courses. And the school has implemented procedures to certify tutors for teaching in Performance Based Navigation (PBN). “This represents the future of assisted air navigation and will completely replace conventional navigation,” Fiorini said. “To further expand our capabilities, a second simulator for the UH-139A, which includes a Flight Navigation Procedures Trainer, was acquired.”
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Nov/Dec 2025
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