8 October 2001 is a significant date for Italian aviation that will be difficult to forget and has represented a "year zero" since it is considered a starting point for all organizations engaging in the field of aeronautics. How has the Foundation, of which you are president, contributed towards the construction and general growth of Safety?

The accident that occurred in Linate, deeply shook Italy, upsetting the nation's population for the size of the tragedy. This incident led to an immediate reaction by the relevant authorities and institutions (Regulators, Service providers, Aviation safety agencies), entailing the reorganization and revision of the internal chain of responsibility of individual organisations including a reform of the aeronautical part of the navigation code. After the accident, the 8 October committee and successively the 8 October Foundation were established. Both have made a continuous and significant contribution to the aforementioned transformation process. The route undertaken includes debates, meetings, assemblies, personal contributions etc.. has always involved volunteering professionals and has been the driving force of this moment of innovation. This effort culminated in the organisation in Milan - for the first time in Italy - of a world FSF seminary in November 2012 that was attended by over 650 delegates and 52 countries.

What changes have taken place within the culture of national aviation safety 12 years from that tragic event?

At first we thought that significant measures had been implemented, however the accident in Palermo, in 2010 and the following one in Rome Fiumicino, in 2013, invited us to reconsider this opinion and acknowledge that, perhaps, the modifications that had taken place had been more of a cosmetic exercise. We persevere in striving to ensure that a flight safety culture becomes part of the modus operandi of managers and commercial aviation employees.

A few years ago you became part of the Board of Governors of the Flight Safety Foundation, an international organization of aviation safety. What results have been achieved so far and what is yet to be improved in order to increase Safety performance on a European level? Are Nations cooperating towards aviation safety?
Surprisingly, the results we have achieved have been more effective and appreciated on an international level than on a national level. The work processed by our Technical Task Force (TFT) and presented to the top safety departments worldwide, was received with great interest and included within the topics of the objectives to be achieved by the FTF board of governors, in terms of Just Culture and the protection of safety information (Anonymous Report). Despite cooperation amongst nations is a fundamental issue for the implementation of safety, there is still a lot of work to be done to create common databases in order to exchange essential information for improvement. Radini, director of the Technical Task Force of the 8 October Foundation was invited as an observer at ICAO's recent general assembly, held in Montreal last October, to which I also took part as an observer. part of the ACVFG group (Air Crash Victims Family Group). The foundation is also part of the FSF EAC (European Advisor Committee) and regularly takes part in their meetings. The international effort of the Foundation in this direction is continuous, constant and accurate, despite being onerous.

The 8 October Committee in November 2010 awarded ENAV for "having changed the Company into a model of progress, efficiency and professionalism that has been acknowledged on an international level". What are your thoughts on ENAV today?

We would like to confirm the appreciation shown for ENAV and still today we would reward a Company that has continuously supported the Foundation to organise all of its initiatives, especially the IASS 2010 in Milan. During my trips abroad I have always heard people talk positively about ENAV.