English translation by Mara Ciarini

The Accademia Aeronautica was established on 5th November 1923, eight months after the establishment of the Regia Aeronautica, its first headquarters was at the Accademia Navale of Livorno.
In 1925 the Institute was transferred to Caserta in the Bourbon Palace of Vanvitelli, and the new autonomous headquarters were inaugurated on 10th December 1926.
In August 1943, because of the war, the Accademia was transferred to the Aeronautical College of Forlì, but with the armistice of 8th September all activities were suspended.
On 7th November 1943 the institutional functions resumed at the Naval College of Brindisi, where in the meantime the Accademia Navale had been reconstituted.
In November 1945 the Institute was moved to a new structure located on the small island of Nisida, part of the Flegree Islands archipelago (NA).
In December 1961 the Accademia was transferred to the current structure, specially built on the overlooking promontory of Pozzuoli’s Gulf, with a beautiful view of the stretch of sea that includes the islands of Ischia, Nisida and Capri.
The Accademia complex develops on several levels adapting to the conformation of the terrain. In the main building, which stands on the promontory, there are 20 classrooms, the laboratories, the auditorium, the conference room, the library, the recreation rooms and the church.
The structures that extend towards the sea are mainly used for the students accommodation.
The central part, at the road level, is occupied by the sports facilities and the square of the flag, the fulcrum of the end-of-course ceremonies.
In the building located to the north of the main one, overlooking the square of the flag, there are the command, the permanent framework offices with its housing and the canteen.
The Accademia Aeronautica (AA) of Pozzuoli (NA) is a training institute that has as its main purpose the initial military, moral and professional training of young students who want to become Officers of the Aeronautica Militare.
The Higher School, or "Highest Institute", provides for: the completion of the competition and recruitment phases of young students; the moral and military training of students who aspire to become officers in SPE (Servizio Permanente Effettivo - Effective Permanent Service) in the expected roles, or Officers Special Roles and direct appointment; the specific professional education; the university teachings, preparatory to the exercise of managerial duties; the development of pre-flight courses for students Officer pilots of the Air Force, other Armed Forces or State Corps.
The role played by the Institute is also highlighted through the technical terms: "Mission - what we must do", represented by the concept: "choose, train and inspire commanders and exemplary professionals, determined to serve our country with excellence and dedication" and "Vision - what we want to be", in turn expressed as: "a cohesive team of military and civilian personnel, aimed at continuous improvement, which for capacity, commitment and ethical sense of each produces training of excellence admired by the world".
Admission to the Accademia Aeronautica provides participation in different types of courses: the "regular courses" of the so-called "normal role" are the main ones; then there are those directly appointed (normal role where the candidate to enter the Corpo del Genio aeronautico - Aeronautical Engineering Corps, or the Corpo di Sanità Aeronautica - Aviation Medical Corps, must already have a specific degree); application courses (for special roles Officers who intend to be admitted to the SPE); the AUPC courses (Allievi Ufficiali di Complemento – short service commission officer pilot cadets) for the Aircrew Special role (A.a.r.n.s.), in quality of navigating staff to supplement the activities carried out by the Operating Units with a voluntary stops of 12 years; finally there are AUFP courses (Allievi Ufficiali in Ferma Prefissata - Students Officers in Fixed Stop) with a voluntary stops of 30 months.
From 1928 specific courses were also organized for foreign students.
More than 700 students, coming from about 40 countries, were able to participate in the courses both as rates of the Regular Courses and ad hoc training course.
Recently they took part in pilot courses of Kuwait and Qatar, those of Saudi Arabia.
Taking into account the "regular courses" of the "nomal role" they are divided into: Naviganti (Aircrew) (A.a.r.n.n.); Ruolo normale delle armi (Armi roll) (A.a.r.a.n.); Corpo del genio aeronautico (Aeronautical Engineering Corps) (G.a.r.n.); Corpo di Commissariato (Commissariat) (C.c.r.n.); Corpo Sanitario Aeronautico (Aviation Medical Corps) (C.s.a.r.n.)
Since the establishment of the Accademia the Regular courses are called with an alphabetical sequence composed of 19 names that refer to classical mythology and air figures: Aquila (Eagle), Borea, Centauro (Centaur), Drago (Dragon), Eolo (Aeolian), Falco (Falcon), Grifo, Ibis, Leone (Leo), Marte (Mars), Nibbio (Kite), Orione (Orion), Pegaso (Pegasus), Rex, Rostro (Beak), Sparviero (Sparrowhawk), Turbine (Whirlwind), Urano (Uranus), Vulcano (Vulcan), Zodiaco (Zodiac). To these names follows a number relative to the sequence, that currently is the 5th: the course after the Zodiac 5th will be the Eagle 6th.
A single exception concerns the courses marked by the letter R, which in 1936 were called Rex but from 1956 they were renamed Rostro; for this reason they are characterized by a sequence number less than the other courses of the same period.
The selection process generally begins in February with pre-selection tests, in March-April medical tests are carried out, in May there is the Italian exam, in June and September there are psycho-aptitude/ behavioral internships.
After the internship, it is compulsory to take a Math and English exam, while the foreign languages and computer tests are optional.
During the first selective phase there is a reduction of the aspiring students for a greater share to 50%.
Over the years, the numbers of students who have been selected as winners have drastically reduced, currently the annual competitions provide for the incorporation in the regular courses of 40-45 allievi piloti, about 10 in the ruolo normale delle armi, about 16 in the Corpo del genio aeronautico, about 8 in the Corpo di Commissariato, and 7 in the Corpo Sanitario.
The academic year begins in the August-September period and lasts for five/six years according to the specific tasks: the degree of Course of Studies in "Aerospace Systems Management for Defense" and "Engineering" is divided into a three-year degree and a two-year specialization, while the achievement of the Master’s degrees for the Course of Studies in "Law" and “Medicine and Surgery", consists of a single cycle.
In this period students are provided with a university, professional, military and leadership education with particular attention to the "pyramid of values" that from the base to the top sees: the man, the citizen, defense personnel, the military and the staff in "blue".
The university education benefits from the historical collaboration with the University Federico II of Naples (UNINA).
In particular for the aircrew is expected a degree course in "Management of the Aerospace systems for the Defense", located into the Department of Industrial Engineering of UNINA.
The course also includes disciplines of a legal – economic nature and specific aeronautical interest.
Also in the Ruolo normale delle armi the achievement of a degree in "Management of Aerospace Systems for Defense" is provided, with a process similar to that dedicated to the aircrew but without the related flight activities, replaced by training modules for the specific Role specializations (Air Traffic and Defence Controller; information and security; intelligence; surface forces; raiders; logistics; telematics; human resources management).
The Corpo del genio aeronautico is expected to obtain a Master’s degree in Engineering, Civil, Structural and Geotechnical (STReGA), Aerospace, Electronics and Telecommunications. The courses are carried out for the first two years in the Academy, while the next three at the Faculty of Engineering of the University Federico II.
For the Corpo di Commissariato there is a Master’s degree in Law with a process identical to the Corpo del genio aeronautico (the first two years in the Accademia and the subsequent at the faculty).
Finally, for the Officers who attend the course to access the Corpo Sanitario there is a Master’s degree in Medicine and Surgery, the first two years of attendance are in the Accademia and the next four at the UNINA.
The military students training also includes the attendance of various courses: survival at sea and in the mountains, escape, "Helo Dunker" course (leakage of a cabin of an aircraft crashed into the sea), shooting course dynamic, orientation course, training in force protection and personal defense techniques and tactical marches.
In addition to purely military training, great importance is given to sport activities aimed at strengthening team spirit. As well as the intensive study of English.
The academics path within the Institute is indicated by the appointment of student in the first and second years, as aspirant in the third year and second lieutenant in the fourth.
Students who obtain the highest score for incorporation are appointed "Capocorso - head of course", a title that can be renewed for the following years, while the student who demonstrates particular aptitudes is defined as the "Scelto - chosen one".
These elements also contribute to the formation of individual and group leadership, as a new reference training model, which has the following objectives/benefits:
-understand and practice behavioral attitudes required in complex organizational reality such as that of the Armed Force;
-achieve dynamic training through initial and progressive empowerment;
-developing leadership and management skills in the various organizational planning, implementation and de-briefing phases;
-enriching aerospace skills.
Participation in the Regular courses in the aircrews obviously also consists of flight training, regulated by the following Phases.
Phase I - Achievement of BPA (Brevetto Pilota d’Aeroplano - Airplane Pilot License) - during the first academic year, the flight activity is carried out at the 70th Stormo (Wing) of Latina on the aircraft SF 206EA (T-260B). The achievement of the BPA is a binding stage, if passed, allows the candidate students to be incorporated into the Armed Force and to really be part of the Academy course.
Also as Phase I there are flight activities that continue for the remaining academic years, all perfomed in the summer periods.
Between the first and the second year the students will have to obtain in Guidonia, near the 60th Stormo, the habilitation on the glider G 103 Twin Astir. Every year, between October and May, in Guidonia, Grazzanise or Dobbiaco, the activity IAVA (Incremento dell'Attività di Volo degli Allievi dell'Accademia) also called "maintenance airmanship" is accomplished.
From the third to the fifth year students will return to Latina to perform an airmanship maintenance phase on the SF 260EA.
At the end of the course, in the fifth year, students will move to Phase II that can be carried out at 61st Stormo of Lecce Galatina on the MB 339A (T-339A), or at the RAMi (Rappresentanza Aeronautica Militare italiana) of Sheppard AFB (Air Force Base) in the United States on the aircraft T 6A Texan II, of Kalamata in Greece always on the T 6A.
During Phase II, students will be assigned to the different Armed Force flight lines, according to acquired skills and operational needs; usually the subdivision takes place with these percentages: 40% aerotactical line, 30% conventional line, 15% line helicopters and teleguided aircraft.
In agreement with the assignment, the student will move onto the Phase III, final phase, which if completed, provides for the acquisition of the Brevetto di Pilota militare – Military Pilot Licensed and the coveted Aquila Turrita, distinctive symbol of the military pilot.
Phase III is carried out for the Aerotactical Line and unmanned aircraft at the 61st Stormo in Lecce-Galatina, on aircraft MB 339CDII (T-339C), for the helicopter line at the 72nd Stormo in Frosinone on helicopters NH 500E (Phase IIIA) and AW 139 (Phase IIIB) for the conventional line at the CAE MC (Centro Addestramento Equipaggi Multi Crew) of Pratica di Mare on the P 180, or from March 2018, also at the EAT 319 of Avord of the French Air Force on the twin engine EMB 121 Xingu.
In about six years from the entry into the Accademia military pilots will be assigned to the operational units, where they will perform the operational conversion on the aircraft attached, except for pilots selected for the aerotactical line, because they will have to carry out a further Phase (IV) named LIFT (Lead In Fighter Track), at the 61st Stormo on the aircraft M 346 (T-346A).
From this moment on, for pilot officers, the mandatory stop in the Air Force is 16 years. It is customary for some pilots with the rank of Lieutenant or Captain to return to the Accademia as Commanding Officers, or with the rank of Major and Lieutenant Colonel as Course Commanders.