 |
| The Aero Club Como operate the only water flying school in Europe. The school train student pilots to obtain the JAR-PPL license many of them will continue with the carrier as professional pilots.
Many ex student pilots trained at our school are flying for airlines like Alitalia, Meridiana, air Europe and other small charter companies. The license obtained at the water flying school of Como is valid for all aircraft and the seaplane ratings included.
 In this image is possible to see the typical water flying situation that is not usual on land planes the "glassy water". When the water surface is perfectly flat it creates a glass effect to all what is around. The result is that from the seaplane is impossible to judge the height from the water, is invisible. In this situation is possible to land on water using instrumental flying technique. These special technique that allow to fly the plane using only instruments without any outside references are thought to "land" student pilots after hundreds of hours of flying experience. Water flying pilots must learn these technique during basic training. This is one of the reason to understand the famous American saying "If you have to have an accident, have it with a seaplane pilot"
|
 Director of school
Head of training
RENATO CARNABUCI
Born in Lecco on December 29th 1971
I 'm active at the Aero Club Como since 1988 when at the age of 16 I joined the club to obtain the private pilot license. After a short time I was able to solo and after I continued with the private license.
At 17 I obtained the license and I finished high school with a degree as aeronautical consultant.
I continued with my university studies n administration engineering but after 4 years almost at the end, I abandoned university with many disappointments of my relatives and dedicated my whole time after my aeronautical formation.
I 1997 have obtained the commercial pilot license and during the same year I worked as teacher in the same high school where I graduated, at the end of the school year I was nominated commissioner by the ministry of instruction. It was very difficult to find a job as an airline pilot therefore I obtained my Instructor license. I was contacted by the Aero Club Como that kept joining and hired as instructor where I worked for two years. Meanwhile I obtained the type rating on the ATR 42 and 72 through Alitalia and shortly after was hired as first officer at Gandalf Airlines on the Dornier 328 turboprop.
Now days I work as first officer at Alitalia Express on Embraer regional Jet 145.
I'm in charge also of the direction of the flying school of the Aero Club Como and in particular I follow the application of the JAR rules.
|
|
Our club Instructors train new pilots, rates for seaplanes licensed pilots and perform check rides if a pilots didn't fly for a while to meet the minimum flying requirements of the Club. The same instructors are in charge of the classroom training that are held on a weekly bases.
Instructors, following the new JAR rules must have a precise internal structure. |
Chief Instructor |
|
|
 |
Francesco Cereda
Born in Como on June 15th 1953
He is our chief instructor. His aeronautical formation begun at our Club has thousands of hours on seaplanes and land planes. He has been director of school from 1992 until 2002 when JAA rules begun. |
Istruttore
|
E-Mail
|
|
 |
Paolo Buscajoni
Born in Cantu' on March 25th 1974
A newly instructor at our club but has a lot of experience and flying time on seaplanes because he started flying in Como. Licensed in 1992 he achieved the professional licenses as VFR instructor CPL in 1999 at the Aero Club of Milano (Bresso). He collaborated to form the new flying school of the club of Milano on the Bresso airport but preferred seaplanes activity at our club. |
Istruttore
|
E-Mail
|
|
|
Gabriele Ermecini
Born n Sesto S.Giovanni on July 25th 1972
Never flown seaplanes but he was very quick on obtaining the rating and started right away teaching. Gabriele speciailzed on ground training and seaplanes ratings for licensed pilots. Recently he has obtained the type rating on the Cessna 208 Caravan amphibious.
|
|
 For a good turn around of planes to the members of the club, the Aero Club Como is using a computerized booking solution, all aircraft reservations are entered in a system visible to the instructor, reception and the pilot. Maintenance can stop a plane for inspection with the same system and the reception will advise the pilot of the necessary changes. Instructors can access the flight planning of the club inetrcatively in order to manage at best school activity. members can visualize the flight booking from home and select the date and time best for their activity. For security reason this can be done only in reading, the final reservation must be made by telephone directly with our reception. To have access to this service membership to the Aero Club Como is required and to login to the system.
For additional information please read the aircraft rules.
|
|
 Student pilots are trained not only on flight procedures but on all necessary land tasks and necessary briefings. Pre flights cheks are a very important phase of flying to avoid possible inconvenience that can happen during flights.
Here a sudent pilot is checking engine oil level. |
|
 Training on the specific machine, student aquire the necessary skills on the aircraft on which he will be trained. Instructor is explaining plane instruments and the specific use of the aircraft. Flying concepts are the same on all aircrafts but instruments and controls are positioned based on the aircraft type.
Student is getting familiar with the instrument panel together with the instructor. |
|
 It's important that between student pilot and intructor trust and respect is established. An istructor is assigned to the student pilot, he will follow all with him all the instruction phases from the first lesson to the final exam. Any doubt and deepen subjects are approached together. If the results of training are not sufficent the instructor will deepen the training on missed subjects and procedures that are not perfectly acquired with specific training.
The instructor is explaning istruments functions. |
|
 Before the flying mission the instructor is explaning the manuvers that will be executed during flight. The primary course teaches the fundamental of flying. Level flight, turns, climbs, descends. When student is sure and secure in these manuvers will be going to the next level, visual navigations.
Instructor is showing student pilot on how to perform a steep turn with the simple gesture of hands. |
|
 An affascinating part of flying is the planning of a flight. In flight you cannot stop and ask for direction, flight must be planned. Reporting points to be radioed to the proper flight service to confirm position. Necessary fuel with reserve, estimated time of enroute from poit to point (waypoints). Thsi is the visual and estimated navigation flight. On board there are existing radio navigation instruments (VOR'S and ADF) and now the more modern GPS but student must learn to navigate without the help of these instruments to be ready on any events.
Table planning of a navigation mission. THe instrument that you see in this image is the aeronautical plotter with which is calculated the bearing to the waypoint and the distance in nautical miles.
|
 Mission begins, the instructors make final arrangements for the mission to be done with the student pilot. The plane is ready and preflight checks are done, fuel on board for the necessary time and takeoff.
|
|
 Student pilot is trained to radio communication, seems easy to speak in a microfone, but in flight situations are happening rapidly and the knowledge of the use of radio is a must in the succesful result of a flight.
"Como radio India sierra alfa alfa bravo water taxi" .... "Alfa bravo roger runway in use is zero one"..."Como radio alfa bravo line up and takeoff runway zero one"..."Alfa bravo roger at your discrection no traffic reported..."
|
|
