NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Italy -- The Inter-European Air Forces Academy and experts from the U.S. Air Forces in Europe- Air Forces Africa Safety Office successfully concluded a two-week Inter-European Aviation Safety Program Management course focused on strengthening alliances and building partnerships, May 7, 2021, on Naval Air Station Sigonella.
“The IEAFA class gave us a bridge that spanned cultural, language, and career field gaps, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Nate Meyers. “These gaps are possible to span on an individual basis but IEAFA did in two weeks what it normally takes an individual three years to accomplish.”
Representatives from the diverse communities contributing to the aviation safety culture at NAS Sigonella, the U.S. Navy, Italian Armed Forces, NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and Spanish Armed Forces attended the course. IEAFA’s Aviation Safety Program Management course develops a common safety culture and a cadre of NATO and Partnership for Peace aviation safety professionals who together improve the safety of air operations in Europe.
“What I found most interesting about this course was the possibility to relate in an open and relaxed way to other officers and NCOs from other countries,” said Italian Armed Forces Senior Master Sgt. Allesandro Stoli. “Each one of them had something extremely valuable to share in order to work together to improve the Aviation Safety realm.”
Students completed blocks of instruction on risk management, air safety, and mishap response, all with the aim of developing individual skills, performing national missions, developing interoperability with allies and partners, and setting the stage for future work in multi-national exercises and operations. The course featured guest speakers from USAFE-AFAFRICA and the Air Force Safety Center.
Since its first course in 2016, IEAFA has trained and educated over 1,000 students from 43 allied and partner nations across the European theater. Through its direct organizational alignment with the USAFE-AFAFRICA’s Warfare Center, A3/10, and its close ties with A5/8/9, IEAFA remains an agile and responsive tool to support COMUSAFE priorities and to develop interoperability of the theater’s only common weapons system: its people.