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The Italian Air Force A319CJ March 12, 2009

Posted by David Cenciotti in : Aviation , trackback

Have you ever wondered what’s the internal set up of the Italian Air Force One? Have you ever guessed if the seat of the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is comfortable?
On Apr 17, I had the opportunity to sit on that important (and comfortable) chair since I flew in one of the 3 A319CJ of the 31° Stormo, the unit within the Aeronautica Militare undertaking VIP transportation missions (among the important persons carried by the aircraft of the 31 Stormo there’s also Pope Benedict XVI, who often use the SH-3D of the 93° Gruppo). The opportunity was provided by a Media Flight organized by the Italian Air Force Press Office to bring journlists and photographers to Decimomannu to attend the Media Day of the Exercise Spring Flag (for more info and pictures search “Spring Flag” in this site using the search field in the upper right hand column). Along with other media representatives, I boarded the aircraft serialled MM62174 (the other two A319CJ of the ItAF are the MM62209 and MM62243) of the 306° Gruppo, parked in the 31° Stormo apron at Ciampino airport, Rome, and made two flights (to and from Deci) lasting slightly less than 1 hour each.
Immediately after boarding through the front stairs I gave a quick look at the “glass” cockpit with retractable HUD (Head Up Display), MFDs (Multi-Function Displays) and all the other features of a commercial A319, IFF and radio equipment aside. The standard crew is composed by 2 pilots (”I-2174″ flight had Gen. Parma, former Cdr of the 31° Stormo and current Cdr of the Comando delle Forze per la Mobilità e il Supporto, on the left seat in the cockpit), 2 flight engineers, 2 stewards…..

The rest of the article can be read here: http://cencio4.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/inside-the-italian-air-force-one/

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My name is David Cenciotti and I was born in Rome in 1975. I'm a private pilot, a former 2nd Lt. of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force, ItAF), a journalist and graduate in Computer Engineering (I'm a Project Manager with many professional certifications in the Information Security field). I've been writing since 1996 for major aviation magazines such as Air Forces Monthly, Revista Força Aérea, Fighter Tactics. In Italy, after working for Aeronautica & Difesa and Airline for many years, I write exclusively for: RID, the most important Defense magazine, Rivista Aeronautica, the magazine of the ItAF, and Airplanes, the magazine of the the Italian airshows. Find out where to read my latest articles and reports published monthly on magazines all around the world here: http://cencio4.wordpress.com/newsstand/ As an expert in aviation, I was interviewed by newspapers, televisions and radios and I write also some of the texts of the documentaries of the Troupe Azzurra, the ItAF "combat camera" team. I also contribute to many web magazines, portals and forums. My pictures have been used not only to illustrate my articles, but also for magazine's front covers, squadron and air forces' calendars, websites, brochures and books. During my career as a journalist, I have had the opportunity to fly with many aircraft: from supersonic fighters, large transport planes, combat and rescue helicopters and I'm one of the few civilians proudly wearing the “1 flight hour on the TF-104” patch to witness my flight with the Starfighter back in Y2000. I'm the author of "F-104 Storia di un mito", the only official book published by the Italian Air Force to celebrate the retirement of the Starfighter in 2004. This weblog is a place to talk about aviation, flying, defence, Information Security, photography and much more.
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