(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 25 - The Italy Pavilion at t Expo 2020
Dubai on Tuesday hosted an event entitled "The Flying Society",
organised by the Italy-headquartered global aerospace and
defence company Leonardo.
Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum, the first member of the
royal family to fly as a qualified commercial pilot for Emirates
Airlines and the first woman to be appointed as First Lieutenant
Pilot of Dubai Police, was among the participants.
"Expo 2020 Dubai confirms the attention of UAE to new
technologies, with a focus on those related to aviation. I
believe that the three key themes of this Expo - 'Opportunity,
Sustainability, Mobility' - perfectly encompass the promises and
challenges of aviation that we want to highlight in today's
event" explained Valerio Cioffi, Leonardo General Manager.
"Leonardo - and Italy - have been part of the history of flight
from the beginning, aiming, throughout the decades, at
maintaining its technological edge. We have the ambition to
continue as a leader in the next era of aviation and we are
investing to meet this commitment".
Sheikha Al Maktoum shared her experiences and vision
"I was only 12 when I tasted the freedom of flying, the
exhilarating feeling of soaring up in the sky: it was a chance
encounter and love at first flight," she said.
"I truly hope my journey could serve as inspiration and
encouragement to all young women still searching for a path, and
prove to them that there is space for them in serving our
country.
"It is time to tell the stories of the women who paved the way,
so that the next generation grow up knowing the names of those
women, their stories, dreaming of equal achievements and being
inspired by their legacy.
General Luigi Casali of the Italian Air Force, explained that
one of the challenges for now and the coming decades was the
capacity to adapt our selection and training processes in order
to maintain the technological ecosystem boost that we are
witnessing.
"We need a modular flexible system that will be able to adapt
rapidly to the new technologies and social development of the
younger population meeting the training needs of tomorrow," he
said.
"A deep analysis of what roles, the skills and the training
pipeline of the future generation pilot needs to be a priority
in order to recruit, train, and deliver the future aviators of
our air forces."
Leonardo's vision on the future of aviation is part of the
company's contribution to the Italy Pavilion, which is
displaying a nacelle of the Leonardo's AW609 tiltrotor.
It is the only aircraft of its kind set to receive civil
certification and revolutionise, among others, point-to-point
transportation, thanks to its capability - that enables the
changing of the position of the two nacelles and rotors in less
than 60 seconds - it can take-off vertically like a helicopter
while flying with the performance of an aeroplane.
As part of the company's strategic vision for urban aviation in
the near future, Leonardo has built - with its Emirati partner
Falcon Aviation Services - a new concept helicopter terminal at
the Dubai Expo site. It represents the latest frontier in
vertical mobility: travellers' spaces are designed to house
showrooms where commercial and cultural activities can be
offered, within a structure built with sustainable materials,
which can be easily remodelled or reallocated as the needs of
the city changes.
Leonardo's technologies have been present in the Emirates for
over 50 years and the company continues to work - via its local
branch in Abu Dhabi - with the UAE government, armed forces and
partners. Leonardo high-tech platforms in the UAE include more
than 100 helicopters, naval systems, secure communications
applications, space technologies and training aircraft,
including the Aermacchi MB-339 jet trainer, chosen for the
Emirati national aerobatic team Al Fursan. Leonardo is proud
that the Al Fursan pilots have trained in Italy, using the
company's aircraft and Italian teaching systems. (ANSA).