Lt. Col. Stefano Vit
Commander, when we talk about Frecce Tricolori we are talking about a unique Italian excellence: the national team of the sky, the “Tricolored-Ambassadors” around the world. What do Frecce Tricolori mean for you?
From a personal point of view, Frecce Tricolori are a dream that slowly came true. When I was a boy I just wanted to be in the Military. Later I discover it was possible to be a military and a pilot too. Frecce Tricolori have represented a wonderful challenge in my career as an operational pilot. I have been in Rivolto (Frecce Tricolori HQ) since 2012 and during these ten years Frecce Tricolori have given me unique experiences: I’ve visited so many places; I’ve met lots of people; the emotions felt by our public but mostly the ones I have felt.
Thinking about a younger myself and the man I am today, I know that I have to be thankful for the years I’ve spent with Frecce Tricolori for everything I had the chance to learn.
How would you define the aerobatic flight?
Aerial acrobatics is a flight that expresses the most unique combination of pilot and aircraft. It is based on a constant attention to detail and pursuit of perfection.
But be careful not to assume that it is a personal challenge between the pilot and his plane: what we perform is a collective aerobatic flight.
A definition of aerobatic flight used in the Thirties which can be viewed at the entrance of our HQ states: “the formation is a set of aircraft where individuality disappears”. Everyone puts their skills at the service of the formation to make that wonderful aerial dance of ten aircrafts possible.
In 2020, with the "Abbraccio Tricolore” (Tricolored-Hug), Frecce Tricolori flew over Italy which was harshly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic giving hope to the Italian people. Recently your team was the protagonist of the “Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics” video broadcasted worldwide during the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in China. What does it feel like to bring up, so high, the colours of your flag?
As military pilots who have took an oath of allegiance to the Italian Republic and as members of Frecce Tricolori, representing the abilities of the Air Force, the Armed Forces and the entire country, it is an honour for us to raise and bring up the colours of our flag, as well as a huge emotion.
The Abbraccio Tricolore gave me a particular strong emotion. It allowed us to show closeness and to give a beacon of hope to Italians affected by the pandemic. Flying over the deserted cities spreading a very long tricolour with our green, white and red smokes was a unique emotion that none of us will easily forget. It brought the whole Italian peninsula together.
The passion for flight and aerial acrobatics often comes at a young age, when boys and girls look up to the sky enchanted to see planes flying. Especially in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, the land that hosts the Frecce Tricolori, people grow up with lots of military airplanes flying over their heads. We know you are from Friuli. How does it feel flying with Frecce Tricolori in your home skies?
Actually, although I was born in Friuli, I grew up in the Veneto region, which I feel I belong to. My connection with Friuli however is very strong. I have some relatives here, I understand the dialect quite well, but above all, my wife (my partner for almost twenty years) is from Friuli and it is where our children were born. Friuli Venezia Giulia is now home for me and my family, as well as the cradle where the Italian aerial acrobatics was born over a century ago. Flying in my home skies, knowing that we are carrying on a long tradition, is always a strong emotion, which I don't think I'll ever get used to.
The winter period has always been the focus of Frecce Tricolori training activity. Every year, between one season and another, there is a new entry and some pilots change their position within the formation. The type of flight you perform is based on visual reference and in some cases it’s almost like starting from scratch. How do you deal with all this?
Our pilots, including the new ones, are jet pilots coming from ITAF operational flight squadrons, with a great experience gained in over ten years of flight. Nevertheless, every year, during the winter period, training starts over, at a steady but gradual pace. It starts with small formations, performing the simplest manoeuvres, gradually increasing the number of aircrafts and the difficulty of the program. Experienced pilots help the young ones, handing down a wealth of knowledge consolidated in over 60 years of history. The debriefing after each session helps us correcting the mistakes.
In May, with the beginning of the aerobatic season, we are ready to debut with the whole team and to perform the entire acrobatic program.
Let's talk about your brother in arms: the MB.339PAN, now in its fortieth year of service in the Italian aerobatic team. What makes this jet particularly suitable for the flight of the Frecce Tricolori?
Our manoeuvres are conducted entirely by sight. That is why a technologically unsophisticated aircraft is more than suitable for this task. That makes the MB.339 the ideal aircraft: an operational trainer still used by the Air Force to train pilots in the early stages of their career; an older generation aircraft, with entirely mechanical controls. It is devoid of the avionic systems that characterise modern military aircrafts and that would prevent us from realising those unusual flight conditions necessary for our manoeuvres. In addition, it is a two-seater aircraft, a feature that allows us to optimise the training of new pilots taking advantage of the know how of the most experienced pilots sitting in the back seat.
In the future, when it comes to replacing the 339, how do you think the handover will take place? The transition from the G.91 to the 339 in the 80’s required a few months training at the flying school in Lecce and only afterwards, step by step, it was possible to start flying in formation again. Do you believe that with the new technologies, the experience gained in the past and a more modern aircraft the transition will be easier?
The transition to a new airplane is never a routine step, regardless of the amount of technology and the experience of the test pilots. In the future, when a new aircraft will enter into service, a preliminary study and a phase of experimentation will be necessary before being able to use it for our task. The program will probably need to be partially adapted to the characteristics of the new aircraft. As in any of our activities, the path will be gradual.
Today, during the exhibitions of Frecce Tricolori, you are no longer in flight but on the ground performing a role similar to that of the conductor. How does the Frecce Tricolori performance look from this perspective?
It’s a new challenge. After ten years you might think you know everything but actually I keep learning something new every day. Now my job is to direct the flight from the ground and ensure its safety, timing and spectacularity. But there is much more besides the flight itself: the ten pilots are only the actors going on stage. Every day, behind the scenes, a massive job takes place. Maintenance, operations, materials and equipments, administrative organisation, public relations and so on. As Commander, I have the responsibility for the work of about a hundred people (Officers, NCOs and privates) without whom nothing you see in the air would be possible.
A curiosity. During the celebrations of Frecce Tricolori 60th anniversary, on Sunday, there was inclement weather. There is an amazing picture of you and the former Commander Farina in which you are scanning the sky (see photo). What did you say to each other in those moments?
The weather was definitely uncertain. It had rained until a few minutes before and there were still several clouds in the sky. Commander Farina and I consulted trying to estimate which was the "flyable" acrobatic program, sharing the latest and most valuable information provided by the meteorological service. Then he told me: “take off, look around and take a decision". I think this summarises pretty well the relationship of mutual trust that is consolidated between the pilots of the Frecce Tricolori. This trust is based on the awareness of the hard and constant work done by everyone of us and on the strength of the values and the skills we hand down. Once we got airborne I decided to go with the full program. A little bit later the sky opened and our tricoloured-fumes joined the wonderful red light of the sunset in Rivolto. The memory of that day still excites me.
One last question: what would you say to a teenager with the passion for flying who would like to pursue a career as a pilot?
It seems obvious, but there is nothing more true: you need to be committed to the most of your abilities in everything, even in those things that may seem less important. Being a military and a pilot is wonderful, but behind what everyone sees there are years of hard work, discipline, personal sacrifices. Never get discouraged and keep the goal in mind. In the end, I assure you it’ll be worth your while.
