Lecce Galatina Airport

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The military airfield Lecce Gala Tina is on the Salento peninsula in Puglia region of Italy, about 15 kilometers south of Lecce and less than 10 kilometers north of Gala Tina. According to the provincial capital, he is often referred to only as " military airfield Lecce ", or also named only after something closer Gala Tina. The term " Lecce Gala Tina " corresponds to the geographical conditions and also distinguishes it from the civilian airfield Lecce San Cataldo and some other airfields in the area.

Use

The airfield is home to the 61 ° Stormo, a squadron, the aspiring jet pilots of the Italian Air Force and air forces of friendly forms. The Squadron 61 has two flying squadrons, the 212th and the 213th Gruppo, equipped with Jettrainern type Aermacchi MB -339. Add to this the 214th Gruppo, which is responsible for training periods on the ground and for the training of instructors.

Budding Italian military pilots usually have to attend in Latina on propeller aircraft type Aermacchi SF -260 their basic flying training. If they are selected there for training as a jet pilot, they go after either the Sheppard Air Force Base in the U.S. or to Lecce Gala Tina. In Lecce you will receive a ten-month training, then the six-month advanced training follows on at the 212th season as a lead - in fighter trainer used MB - 339CD at the 213th Season on the MB - 339A. Upon completion of training in Lecce fighter pilots coming to retrain on their use patterns to Grosseto ( Euro Fighter Typhoon ), Ghedi ( Tornado ) or Amendola ( AMX ).

The employed in Lecce MB -339 ground attack aircraft still have as little a second contract in the close air support. As so-called Slow Mover Interceptor they serve as part of the airspace control the interception of civilian light aircraft, one of which terror threat could come. For these and other purposes MB -339 were stationed at other Italian military airfields.

In Lecce is located next to the 61 ° Stormo also a maintenance association (10 ° Reparto Manutenzione Velivoli ), which is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all MB -339 Italian Air Force, where this is not covered by the task forces itself or by the industry.

History

The military airfield Lecce Gala Tina was born in 1931 as a simple airstrip. After finishing work here a bomber squadron ( 37 ° Stormo ) was stationed, among other things at the Battle of Punta Stilo fought in 1940 against the Royal Navy. The airfield served in World War II as a base for operations in the Balkans. After the armistice of Cassibile and the division of the Italian armed forces of the airfield Lecce Gala Tina end of 1943, one of the main points of the Aeronautica Italiana Cobelligerante who fought on the Allied side was. Also several allied associations use the airfield.

Since November 1945 Military pilots are trained in Lecce Gala Tina. First, the local flight school with the North American T-6 took the beginners training. In 1962, one a jet trainer type Aermacchi MB -326, on which some time even beginners received their basic training until they did these things back on propeller aircraft. In Lecce then you took the first part of Jetausbildung. The second part ( advanced training) took place on the also located in Apulia airbase Amendola on the Fiat G.91T.

Having to 1982 over 400,000 flight hours had been completed with the MB -326, the flight school was gradually new aircraft type MB - 339th 1986 named to the training unit in Lecce in 61 ª Brigade Aerea or " 61 Air Brigade " to, as the Air Force leadership also the flight schools awarded a squadron status. Squadron with more than two flying squadrons and additional special units can be raised in Italy on brigade level. Because of its three flying squadrons and their other training institutions, the school in Lecce Gala Tina Brigade received this status. End of 1995, followed by reductions in the renaming be 61 ° Stormo. In 1997, a squadron of the 61st Squadron new aircraft type MB - 339CD, with which one could take over from the Amendola advanced training. In the coming years, the squadron will gradually be converted to the Aermacchi M -346. With these aircraft, the Italian Air Force wants to pilot training in Lecce modeled after the Euro - NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, which is carried out to date in Texas Sheppard internationalize.

Pictures

Coat of Arms 61 º Stormo