He left. The Boeing KC767A of the 14th Wing of the Italian Air Force this morning at dawn detached the wheels from the runway near the Roman coast to head towards China.
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After about 11 hours, the aircraft will land in Wuhan to carry out a delicate mission that will bring about 30 Italians home in just over 67 hours overall. The crew consists of 20 people, 4 pilots, 6 medical and 10 military. On Monday our compatriots will land in Pratica di Mare to be transported to the military city of Cecchignola. In the military city, in a suitably dedicated building, our compatriots will have to remain in quarantine for 14 days.
The operational details of the mission
The plane will depart with full tanks and after about 11 hours of non-stop flight, it will land in China. 4 are the pilots of the giant of the skies who will alternate at the helm station resting in special spaces close to the mother cabin of the plane. The 4 soldiers piloting the plane will not be able for any reason to have contact with the rest of the crew. The Air Force's Boeing was configured in three distinct areas, green, yellow, and red. In the red will be placed the Italians to bring home. The red area is located in the tail of the aircraft and is independent as regards the ventilation system. The medical staff will sit close to the cockpit. In the intermediate yellow area, the dressing and decontamination of the personnel will take place, who will have access to the red area to assist our compatriots. The giant of the skies of our Air Force after 3 hours of technical stop will leave to return to Italy with the precious cargo: just under 70 Italians who wish to be brought home. Those who have a fever, however, cannot embark. The baggage will be returned in sealed plastic bags and loaded into the belly of the aircraft.
After 13 hours of flight, the Military Boeing will land again in Pratica di Mare where the soldiers of the 3rd Wing of Villafranca have set up a safety area for disembarking passengers to follow further health checks.
The organization of the mission
Under the coordination of the crisis unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, through the General Staff of Defense - COI - Operational Command of Vertice Interforce - together with the Ministry of Health and the National Institute for Infectious Diseases " Spallanzani ”organized the flight.
A unique capability of the Air Force
The Arma Azzurra has an exclusive capability in the sector: its transport aircraft are the unique in the world, together with Great Britain and the USA a have a very special ability, safe air transport in bio-containment. A capacity offered byair Force which since 2006 has started a series of courses and exercises with the Spallanzani hospitals in Rome and Sacco in Milan. The air transport activity with bio-containment structure is one of the excellence of our military aviation, little known and which should instead be a reason for pride and above all gratitude for those who in the past thought and then implemented an indispensable ability , which has become necessary today.