L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 4 BARBARA MINAFRA NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS F ive biplanes dive down into their targets. The head of the group noses up and makes a full loop, while the others fringe off while turning upside down, only to dive down once more. Their trajectories criss cross those of other planes of the for- mation: it is the 8th of June 1930 and la bomba — the bomb, a fig- ure bound to become legendary, is performed for the first time. The Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale (PAN), was born in 1961, in Rivolto, at the very heart of Friuli Venezia Giulia and only a handful of miles from the Cam- poformido airport where, in 1928, the idea that acrobatic flight was to be part of military pilots' train- ing originated. Only through aeri- al acrobatics they could gain the mastery, sensibility and coordina- tion needed in all flying situa- tions. The first six pilots assigned to the new unit showed a Cavallino Rampante (a prancing horse) on their planes, a symbol still there today, while they sketch with green, white and red smoke the Italian flag in the sky during fab- ulous, spine-tingling perfor- mances. L'Italo-Americano inter- viewed Gaetano Farina, the 23rd Frecce Tricolori Comman- der. Born in 1979 in Puglia, more precisely in Francavilla Fontana (Brindisi), he studied at the Accademia Aeronautica di Poz- zuoli and got a degree in Political and Aeronautical Sciences. He then attended the NATO School in Sheppard (Texas), where he obtained his military pilot license. F16 pilot in the 18mo Gruppo Volo del 37mo Stormo di Tra- pani, in 2010 he joined PAN where, in only 8 years, he became the head of Italian aviation's most spectacular unit. Frecce Tricolori are a symbol of Italy. They are the 2nd of June, the 4th of November, the Altare della Patria and our Tricolore sketched high up in the sky. They are the Inno di Mameli and our most patriotic sentiments. You are not "only" extraordinary pilots… In almost 60 years of exis- tence, the Frecce Tricolori have been often called to highlight a number of significant moments in the history of our country, with their white red and green smoke. Probably, this tradition brought Italians to consider the National Acrobatic Patrol one of the sym- bols of our history. While this awareness carries with it the weight of responsibility for the role we are assigned, it also fills us with pride, as it gives us the opportunity to be custodians of a Frecce Tricolori: flying Italy's flag high Continued to page 6 Italy's Frecce Tricolori during a performance @ Aeronautica Militare Frecce Tricolori's team, led by Gaetano Farina (Centre) @ Aeronautica Militare

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