A news that marks a turning point for the Associazione Nazionale Paracadutisti d’Italia: the Army General Staff has approved circular 7044, officially reopening parachuting activities of military interest for the ANPDI.
After a halt that lasted since 2020, a situation that had left thousands of paratroopers in suspense is finally unlocked, returning to the Associazione Nazionale Paracadutisti d’Italia the possibility to operate in the skies again.
Crucial was the extraordinary work carried out by President Gen. C.A. (res.) Marco Bertolini and the entire leadership of the Association, who with commitment, continuity, and institutional credibility led a long and complex path to this result.
A milestone that takes on an even deeper value precisely on the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ANPDI, born on January 11, 1946. A coincidence with strong symbolic significance, linking the memory, identity, and tradition of the Association to a new operational phase projected towards the future.
A Long Story: From Suspension to Return
To understand the significance of this decision, it is necessary to retrace the main stages of the story.
Already several years before 2019, the ANPDI was engaged in a complex dialogue with ENAC regarding parachuting activities with hemispherical parachutes.
On July 12, 2019, what seemed like a point of balance was reached: ENAC liberalizes the use of the hemispherical (“round”) parachute, officially recognizing its safety. However, in a short time, the regulatory framework became uncertain again, with a change of orientation that reignited the dispute between the civil entity and the ANPDI.
In September 2020 came the hardest blow: the parachuting activities of ANPDI schools across the national territory were suspended, pending regulatory clarifications and certification requests from ENAC.
From that moment, a long and complex phase began, made of appeals, institutional dialogues, and legal battles.
In 2022, the TAR of Lazio clarified a fundamental point: ENAC's measures do not prohibit ANPDI's parachuting activities, which remain distinct and recognized as activities of military interest.
In 2024, the issue reached the Council of State, with the ANPDI committed to defending the historical and regulatory legitimacy of its activities, carried out under military control since the 1970s and regulated by specific provisions of the Army General Staff.
A complex path that required determination, competence, and a clear vision.
And Now?
After years of waiting, a new operational phase opens for the ANPDI.
In the coming weeks, the process of adapting to the new circular will begin, necessary to fully align both organizationally and technically-operationally.
The Association is ready, with the goal of progressively returning to full operational capacity.
The technical times will be there, but this time with a certainty: they are truly returning.
The direction is clear. And the sky is there again, waiting.
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