Born: Italy
Primarily active in: United States of America

Paolo Dal Pozzo, Helicopter Pilot and Safety Advocate
Noted Leonardo AW139 helicopter pilot Dal Pozzo entered the Italian Naval Academy as a naval cadet in 2004, then learned to fly airplanes and helicopters at the US Navy flight schools in Florida and Texas. Over the course of his career with the Italian Marina Militare, he flew helicopters such as the AB212 and NH90, before separating from the military at the end of 2016; he then began flying for the AW139 for Babcock International/Avincis.

Dal Pozzo was also a contributing member of the international Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST), where he produced articles and posters focusing on flight, equipment and weather. For the past several years, he regularly posted illustrated and easy-to-follow safety tips on topics like mountain flying, night-vision goggles and winter operations. Last year, Dal Pozzo self-published his 400-page illustrated guide, Helicopter Pilot’s Survival Manual: More Than 750 Tips on Helicopter Operations.

James Viola, president and CEO of Vertical Aviation International (VAI), stated, “Paolo made a significant effort to improve safety throughout our industry, sharing lessons he’d learned. He knew and appreciated the value of sharing information that could help others prevent accidents. While he will be sorely missed by those who knew or worked with him, his safety legacy will live on through his promotional work.”

Paolo Dal Pozzo was tragically killed on May 25, 2024. A co-pilot with Avincis for the helicopter rescue service in L’Aquila, Italy, he was struck by a tanker truck at Parchi di Preturo airport, on the first day of an air show being held there.

VFS Updates: Vertiflite, July/August 2024