Born in Catania, on May 21st 1961, Capt. Fabio Consoli joined the Italian Air Force in 1980, when he attended the Air Force Academy with the Zodiaco III Class. He started his career as military pilot firstly on the Siai Marchetti SF260, on which he soloed in January 1981, continuing on the T-37 and T38 aircrafts of the Euro Nato Joint Jet program at Sheppard AFB, Texas, where, in 1995, he gained his American and Italian Military Pilot Wings.
After completing his training on the G-91T and TF-104G aircraft, in 1996 he was assigned to the 28th Squadron “Witches” of the 3rd Wing, Villafranca di Verona AB, where he flew the F/RF 104G and was declared combat ready in the recce and fighter bomber roles.
Selected to join the Reparto Sperimentale Volo ( The test outfit of the Italian Air Force), he attended the USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, California, where he obtained the Test Pilot qualification with class 90B. In this role he was assigned to the Eurofighter program and he was the first Air Force pilot to fly the Italian Typhoon prototype DA3.
In 1997, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he assumed command of the 14th Squadron of the 2nd Wing, on the AMX aircraft, at Rivolto AB. During his command he participated to several war missions during the NATO operations over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Capt. Fabio Consoli left the Air Force in 1999 with more than 2,500 flying hours on more than 50 different types of aircraft.
In Alitalia he flew more than 14,000 flying hours on MD80, A320 Family and B777.