The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)
Alenia Open Day 2005 at the Turin/Caselle Plants
For the third consecutive time, on November 6, 2005, Alenia Aeronautica organized an Open Day in all their major Italian plants, including Aermacchi in Venegono and Aeronavali in Venice and Naples/Capodichino. The company work force had the opportunity to give their families an insight of the places where aircraft are conceived, manufactured and tested. The events, particularly devoted to stimulate the interest of the young ones, confirmed the success of the previous editions.
In particular, more than 11,000 people crowded the Alenia Aeronautica Turin/Caselle plants. In the “North” section (western side of the runway), it was possible to visit the Eurofighter production shop (left wings and rear fuselages) and the assembly line for the Italian Air Force aircraft, where half a dozen fighters stand in various completion phases.
Final production of the C-27J transporters is in full swing. Many Hellenic and Italian Air Forces aircraft were on display in different assembly stages. A number of AMX and Tornado fighter bombers were also present, to receive their respective upgrades aimed to extend service-life with the IAF. The Caselle North plant also hosts the assembly line of the Dassault Falcon 2000 rear fuselages; the 300th unit has been delivered at the end of 2004.
A freshly restored vintage G 91, destined to be put on static display in a square downtown Caselle, was also on display, and very well supported by a photographic display, prepared by ASA 2000 (Associazione Storia Aeronautica), describing the “made in Turin” aircraft designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli (1903-1987) during his long aeronautical career.
The Alenias’ Caselle South plant, on the Eastern side of the airport, is mainly devoted to the flight test and pre-delivery activity. An interesting static display was lined up, consisting of the Alenia’s only G 222 AAA, with new prototype serial MM X 616, the third C-27J for the Hellenic Air Force ready for delivery and a C-27J for the IAF highlighting a prominent air-refuelling probe. Other aircraft included the AMX previously used for SICRAL communication system experimentation, shown with pylon-mounted Mk 83 JDAM dummy bombs, and the prototype AMX single seater with initial ACOL upgrade, flown for the first time on September 30, 2005.
IAF aircraft on display included also a Panavia Tornado MLU, a two-seater EF 2000 and DA 3 EF 2000 prototype. As usual, the Turin branch of the Gruppo Amici Velivoli Storici put on display the SVA biplane owned by Alenia, with various mock-up of WW1 armaments and accessories, plus a pioneer-age flight-simulator awaiting restoration by the private association.
The flight display programme included an EF 2000 two-seater series aircraft (two flights), a Tornado MLU for the Italian Air Force, a company demo C-27J and parachute precision jumps.
In the picture: Panavia Tornado IDS IS078 MM7079, prototype for IAF Mid Life Update. Caselle Open Day 2005. (Aeromedia)
(Aeromedia, November 2005)