Alenia Aermacchi Recognizes Winners of its “Name the M-346” Competition
Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, recognized yesterday the three winners in its “Name the M-346” competition. Over 4,000 entries were received and analysed by a special committee, which met in December 2008 and unanimously chose the name “MASTER”.
Mauro Petrolati (an airport worker at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci intercontinental hub), James Szabadics (a former Royal Australian Air Force pilot) and Giovanni Covella, (an Italian Air Force Tornado crew chief at Piacenza air base) respectively placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd. the three winners, all total aviation enthusiasts, lived a full day with Alenia Aermacchi engineers and executives, witnessing the programme activities of the M-346 which they helped name “Master”.
Mauro Petrolati, who placed first, won a flight in the M-346 with Alenia Aermacchi Chief Test Pilot Quirino Bucci. This was also Mr Petrolati’s first flight ever in a military jet.«Naming the M-346 was already something to be proud of, but I had never dreamed I would fly in such a sophisticated and powerful aircraft. I am at a loss to describe this very emotional flight,» commented Petrolati immediately after the M-346 landed.In the afternoon Alenia Aermacchi CEO Carmelo Cosentino presented the winners with certificates and congratulated them for choosing the name “Master”. Cosentino underscored that the competition was conceived «through the desire to share the choice of the name with the aviation community. And the great response to our idea proved the great global interest in our company and our products.»
At the end of the ceremony, there was a comment of the second and the third winner of the competition: «A Company with very advanced technologies which has produced an aircraft with very sophisticated technological characteristics will definitely represent an international commercial success» said the Australian James Szabadics.
Marshal Giovanni Covella affirmed: «In this particular moment for our Nation, Master, synthesis of the highest researches and best technologies, colud help to shed the culture of Made in Italy, that means quality and excellence. I wish to this technological jewel, to whom I will feel bundled forever, a future at “high quota».
After visiting the Venegono factory, in the evening the winners departed for Rome for the second part of their prize, a visit to the Italian Air Force Museum at Vigna di Valle.
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