“L'Aeronautica Militare, in considerazione dell'emergenza dovuta a Covid-19, comunica che la manifestazione aerea programmata per il 19 e 20 settembre 2020 presso la base aerea di Rivolto, per celebrare la 60ª stagione della Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale, è stata rinviata al 2021 in data da destinarsi.” (Eng.: "In consideration of the emergency due to Covid-19, the Air Force communicates that the air event scheduled for September 19th and 20th, 2020 at the Rivolto air base, to celebrate the 60th season of the Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale, has been postponed to 2021 on a date to be assigned")

With this announcement yesterday 09.04.2020 the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI)-Italian Air Force announced the cancellation for this year and the postponement to 2021 of the air show that would have celebrated the 60th year of airshow of the italian Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale (PAN): the Frecce Tricolori.

At the end of the 1950s there was talk of grouping the various military aerobatic patrols, which up to that time made a particular shift, and giving birth to a single flight group which in 1961 under the name of the 313º Gruppo Addestramento Acrobatico (313rd Acrobatic Training Group) saw the birth of the Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale (PAN) "Frecce Tricolori" and which have since become the best known military acrobatic patrol in the world.

Composed of 10 Aermacchi Mb339PAN aircraft since 1982, while from 1961 to 1963 it had the North American F-86 "Sabre" replaced by the Fiat G.91PAN, it delighted the eyes of fans for 59 seasons, but unfortunately reached its 60th birthday he had to bow to one of the most dramatic emergencies that is affecting the whole world in these sad days. The AMI is committed daily 24/24h to cover the needs of the Italian population in this serious medical situation, the Italian Defense is working with all its departments to support the work of all the medical, logistic and organizational staff involved in the emergency Covid-19.

With the words of the press release: “per contrastare il diffondersi del virus e per garantire la tutela della salute come bene fondamentale” (to counter the spread of the virus and to guarantee the protection of health as a fundamental good), words that spread the sense of duty of the committed departments and that suggest such a tough decision motivated by the difficult moment that is suffering the land of pilots, poets, saints and navigators.

The desire to see the thrilling acrobatics of PAN is thus postponed to 2021, in the hope that this emergency ceases early and leave all of us free to shake embrace that now we are prevented to avoid the contagion of Covid-19.