After working as training as a civilian nurse for four years in Nottingham, Lt Pizzoni undertook a significant career change and joined the Regular Army in April 2014. She spent just over a year at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as a badly broken leg forced her into rehabilitation for several months. Despite the severity of the break, she fought very hard to get back onto the course and commissioned into the Army Air Corps (AAC) in August 2015.
Following her commissioning, Lt Pizzoni began the Army Pilots’ Course in September 2015. The course is long: students must first pass a series of aptitude tests, a stringent medical and a four week Army Flying Grading course designed to test their ability to pick up new skills quickly in a high pressure environment. Upon successful completion of these three elements the students’ progress onto RAF Cranwell where they are first taught to fly a small Fixed Wing aircraft before moving into the Rotary world at RAF Shawbury. The Army Pilots’ Course culminates with a six month period at AAC Middle Wallop where students learn to fly tactically; operating at low level by day and by night. After two years and three months of gruelling and mentally demanding effort, Lt Pizzoni gained her Army Pilot Badge and was recognised as the third best pilot on the course. She is one of very few active female pilots in the AAC.
Lt Pizzoni was selected as the Army representative to be attached to the RAF and fly the Puma; she is due to begin training in September 2018. In the meantime, she is working at HQ Regional Command (HQRC) in the Civil Engagement branch. She was selected for this job because she has a passion for female inclusivity and equality, something that initially drew her to the Army. She hopes to use her time at HQRC to engage with young women across the UK and act as a role model for females in both the Army and aviation in general.
During her spare time Lt Pizzoni enjoys sports and always seeks out a challenge. A keen runner and swimmer, she represents the AAC in both and also completed her first Half Ironman in 2017. However, her favourite sport is skiing and she is a ski instructor for the Army. It was while training to improve these instructor skills that she sustained her current injury, rupturing her ACL. The implications of this injury are acute and will almost certainly interfere with her ability to fulfil her commitments to flying the Puma. Rather than let this hinder her, she has thrown herself into rehabilitation in preparation for surgery and used her new desk-job status to run the Engagement Events for the Ice Maidens; continuing to advocate women in the Army, albeit from a less mobile position.
In the immediate future, Lt Pizzoni hopes to recover from surgery well enough to pursue her position on the Puma fleet and to get back to skiing after a season out. Long term, Lt Pizzoni hopes to achieve a full career in Military aviation, primarily as a Qualified Helicopter Instructor; where she will be responsible for the tuition of new pilots at the basic rotary stage.