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

Turin’s Aero Club and Politecnico Seals a Partnership Agreement

The collaboration between the Turin’s Politecnico and the “Aero Club Torino” dates back to 1950, thanks to Piero and Alberto Morelli, both teachers at the Politecnico and founders of CVT (“Centro Volo a Vela Politecnico di Torino”). After WW2, the brothers were prominent protagonists of the reconstruction of the sailplane sector in Italy. Between the ‘Fifties and ‘Seventies of the past century, they designes and manufactured a series of wood-structure gliders, including the successful M-200 two-seater. At the end of their activity, the collaboration between the two institutions was suspended till the beginning of the new millenium, when new and promising joint-projects were set up.
At the moment, “Poli” and Aero Club Torino are engaged in a total of seven common initiatives. Pilot training for students of the Aerospace Engineering Department (professors Marco Di Sciuva, Salvatore D’Angelo, Giorgio Guglieri and Gianfranco Chiocchia) – Experimental programme with DigiSky SkySpark electric-powered aircraft in collaboration with the Aerospace Engineering Department (prof. Paolo Maggiore) and the Electric and Energy Departments – Meteorologic data gathering on behalf of the Electronic Department (prof. Valter Ferrero) - Experimental programme of an electric generation system based on eolic energy provided by high-altitude kites, in collaboration with the Automation and Information Technology Departments (prof. Mario Milanese) – Testing of a kit-model powered by solar-energy with the Aerospace Engineering Department (prof. Giulio Romeo) – Experimental programme to develop Micro Aerial Vehicles Technology (prof. Fulvia Quagliotti) – Testing of an experimental SAE-Formula vehicle developed by the Politecnico Racing Team (prof. Andrea Tonoli).
As a logical consequence of the above mentioned activities, Turin's Politecnico and Aero Club decided to sign a five-year open agreement to improve coordination between the two Institutions aimed to pave the way for new projects in the aeronautic field. The Aero Club offers also a building in the East side of the airfield, large enough to host some offices and a laboratory, perfecly suited as a permanent Politecnico on-site facility. On November 25, 2009, the details of the agreement have been announced to the press.
In the last years, and in particular after the success of the World Air Games 2009, Aero Club Torino "Edoardo Agnelli" enhanced significantly its relationship with the surrounding community. The Turin/Aeritalia airport is also the traditional seat of important air races such as the “City of Turin Trophy” for gliders and the “Italian Helicopter Championship”. Besides the active "motor" Flight School, the association has a large and dynamic Sailplane section. In the last months, some new gliders have been added to the fleet, both for training and leisure flights.
The Turin/Aeritalia airport is also the seat of a number of private enterprises including a maintenance shop, an Heilicopter Flight School and an aerophotogrammetric company. It is also the base of about fifty private aircraft, gliders and motor-gliders. Their number increases steadily, with new-entries such as a new Cessna Cornvalis and an UK-registered Piper Turbo Lance.
The wide, grassy area of the second Turin airport has been under constant scrutiny for a long series of urbanization projects. In the early 'Seventies, the toughtless construction of a Ministry of Finance office-building made unusable the Aeritalia's former main runway, depriving forever Turin of an ideal city-airport, few kilometers far from downtown.
The greater part of the Turin/Aeritalia airport area is included in the Municipality of Collegno. In the past months, the Regional Government announced new plans to build a large hospital in the area. From his side, the Turin's Mayor announced his intention to authorize another 150 m-tall skyscraper not far from the runway threshold! We simply note that announcements are free-of charge but, especially in these times, real-money is not so abundant.

In the picture: The control tower of the Turin/Aeritalia airport during the Italian Helicopter Championship in June, 2008. (Aeromedia)

(Aeromedia, November 2009)