AEROMEDIA
The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)

News from Naval Air Station Luni

Not far from the Italian Navy’s important base at La Spezia, the Luni/Sarzana airport – besides a small flying club – hosts a number of Navy and Coast Guard units. The Italian Navy air component at MariStaEli (Stazione Elicotteri Marina) is formed by the 1st Gruppo Elicotteri, 5th Gruppo Elicotteri and 6th Gruppo (Centro Sperimentale Aeromarittimo).
The 1st Gruppo is the unit destined to employ all the AgustaWestland EH 101 helicopters ordered by the Italian Navy so far, including EH 101 AEW, EH 101 ASVW/E (ASW/ASUW as referred by IN) and EH 101 Utility versions. At the beginning of September, 2006, the 20th EH 101 (an Utility item) was delivered, with 21st and last EH 101 due to arrive in the coming months.
Also based at Luni, the 5th Gruppo Elicotteri is equipped with the remaining AB 212ASW helicopters. This unit is destined to be the first one to re-equip with the new NH Industries NH 90 NFH – NATO/Naval Frigate Helicopters. For that matter, fom the beginning of September 2006, the 6th Gruppo (Air-Sea Experimental Center) - third flight unit based at Luni - hosts the first series production NH 90 NFH helicopter for the Italian Navy, undergoing flight tests performed by AgustaWestland, the Italian member of NH Industries. Todate the Italian Navy has 56 NH 90 NFHs on order.
Another asset at MariIStaEli Luni is the so called “Heli Dunker”, an important training facility aimed to simulate emergency evacuation from sinking helicopters. It’s formed by a covered pool where an helicopter cabin mock-up is dipped with full crew inside. The training team personnel checks airmen to safely resurface by using the proper procedures.
The Luni heli-station is also famous for its collection of historical helicopters which made the recent history of the Italian Navy. It includes Agusta/Bell AB-47G (code 1-01), AB 47J-3 (2-03), AB 204AS (3-10), Sikorsky SH-34J (4-14) and – stored – the EH 101 PP6 prototype (MMX-605).
The other air units of the Italian Navy are 2nd Gruppo based at MariStaEli Fontanarossa (Catania, Sicily) and equipped with AB 212ASW helicopters, 3rd Gruppo – also at Fontanarossa - with SH-3D/H Sea Kings and 4th Gruppo at MariStAer (Stazione Aeromobili Marina) Grottaglie (Taranto) with a mix of AB 212ASW and SH-3D/H helicopters. The same base is the seat of GrupAer (Gruppo Aereo Imbarcato) equipped with AV-8B and TAV-8B Harrier II Plus VTOL fighters for the Garibaldi IN’s aircraft carrier.
The facilities of the 1st Sezione Volo Elicotteri of the Italian Coast Guard (Guardia Costiera) stand at the opposite side of the airport, near the town of Sarzana. The unit, equipped with nine Agusta/Bell AB 412 helicopters, performs patrol and rescue missions as well as training and line maintenance activities. In 2005 the 1st Sezione Volo totalled 1,417 flight hours.
All the Piaggio P.166-DL3 twin-turboprop aircraft of the Italian Coast Guard are assigned to 2nd Nucleo Volo which is based at Catania/Fontanarossa airport, in Sicily. The two recently delivered ATR 42MP patrol aircraft are based at Pescara, on the Adratic coast, in the ranks of 3rd Nucleo Volo. No plans exist, at the moment, to replace the P.166-DL3s. At long term, the preferred replacement for the AB 412 could be a mission-tailored version of the NH 90 medium helicopter.

In the picture: Italian Navy’s AgustaWestland EH 101 Utility 2-19 MM81634 checked before flight at MariStaEli Luni (2006). (Aeromedia)

(Aeromedia, September 2006)