Coptersafety’s new flight instructor
Coptersafety has appointed Donatelli Gerardo as a new full-time flight instructor to strengthen Coptersafety’s training operations.
Coptersafety has appointed Donatelli Gerardo as a new full-time flight instructor to strengthen Coptersafety’s training operations.
Gerardo brings with him 27 years of professional aviation experience and has a comprehensive background as a flight instructor in the air force and as a civilian. He has also flown different rotorcrafts for the past 22 years, including the AW139.
“In 2015 I started as a freelance instructor at Coptersafety. Soon after that, in 2016, I also found another job flying offshore and also training on the AW139 again,” explained Gerardo. “Not long after I had started, I was the only TRI/TRE on the line at the time. Training the pilots was one of the most completing experiences of my flying career. When I was preparing the pilots, who were doing their initial training in the real AW139 helicopters, I was able to apply and teach things I had already been teaching in the simulator at Coptersafety. This duality between Sim and real Helicopter really brings up the level of teaching.”
He has an extensive career as a pilot – he spent 16 years serving in the military and then around seven years (2008 to 2015) working for companies such as Westar Aviation and Abu Dhabi Aviation, gaining experience in SAR, HEMS, and offshore operations around the globe. He also has a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Sciences from the University of Naples Federico II.
“Being a helicopter pilot has been, to date, the most fantastic adventure that life could gift me with. It took me from one side of the world to the other; round and round, over and over. I’ve been able to and continue to get to know so many new and amazing people. These people have helped me grow as a human being and as a professional. From every company I worked for and from every person I worked with, I’ve always managed to gain more information to put in my backpack. Moreover, I hope that I can leave them feeling the same,” Gerardo said.
During Gerardo’s military career he also worked as a Safety Officer and Operation Manager. He commented: “I got to spend a bit of time in the office as well. This taught me a great deal about how to deal with people and how to manage them to get the best out of everybody so we could reach our targets.” Gerardo will also be supporting the sales department at Coptersafety to utilise his diverse background and professional skills.