On Tuesday 28th November 2023, Lieutenant Colonel Massimiliano Salvatore became commander of the 313th Aerobatic Training Squadron (Frecce Tricolori), during a change of command ceremony at Rivolto Air Force Base.

Military and civilian authorities presided as Lieutenant Colonel Stefano Vit relinquished command after serving as Pony0 (Frecce Tricolori commander) since November 2021.

It’s the first time ever in Frecce Tricolori history that the former soloist (Pony10) becomes the new Commander (Pony0), since is usually the formation leader (Pony1) to be appointed as the new Pony0.

Lt. Col. Salvatore left the team as “Team’s Training Supervisor” in early 2023.

After the tragic loss of Maj. Ghersi (Pony5) in May 2023, Lt. Col. Salvatore re-joined the team as soloist causing the recently appointed soloist Maj. De Cecco to move back to the main formation as Pony5. This allow the team to display in a 10 ship-formation during the entire season.

The greater seniority of Lt. Col. Salvatore than the formation leader Maj. Pierluigi Raspa explains why he has been nominated as the new Commander.

The event was also the occasion to celebrate another great milestone for Frecce Tricolori. One of the MB-339PAN was adorned with a dedicated writing to celebrate the 100’000 flying hours of the so called “Macchino” (MB-339PAN).

As per tradition, the ceremony was preceded by the symbolic “in-flight handover”. Under the grey sky of a typical November day in northern Italy, the two pilots, with the rest of the formation, displayed some basic aerobatic manoeuvres and some flypasts in very close formation till Lt. Col. S. Vit broke away from the rest of the formation with the white smoke on leaving the team under the command of Lt. Col. Salvatore.

Lieutenant Colonel Massimiliano Salvatore joined the Italian Air Force in 2001 and has more than 3200 flight hours. He is rated on SF260, Twin Astir, T-37, T-38, MB339CD, F-16C, F16ADF, Eurofigther and MB339PAN. He has been a pilot of the Frecce Tricolori team since 2013. He has held the role of Pony7, Pony4, and Pony10 before becoming the team’s commander.

Some changes in the formation are expected as the new season approaches. The lack of a pilot due to the transfer of Commander Vit to a new assignment in the ItAF means a new one will join the formation soon. Only the best pilots from the Italian Air Force can join the Frecce Tricolori: each year one or two new members are chosen strictly among those who have more than 1,000 flight hours, and once they are selected they must follow a gradual insertion training program from October to April.

The 2024 formation of Frecce Tricolori will be annunciated during the traditional Christmas ceremony held in Rivolto’s Maintenance Hangar.