MILTON — Twins spend much of their lives growing up, going to school, and hanging out together.
1st Lts. Matteo and Andy Occhipinti, however, took it to the next level. Through luck and a bit of effort, the fraternal twins managed to go through flight school at the same time, and soared through the skies together.
TEMPORARILY PARTING WAYS
Matteo and Andy were born five minutes apart from each other Aug. 16 in Italy, with Andy as the older of the two. Ever since they were young, aviation influenced their lives.
Matteo recalled holding an F-14 Tomcat model while on their flight to America. They worked hard to discover programs that would give him the best grades and athleticism needed to be Marine Corps officers.
However, while both knew they wanted to be Marines, Andy and Matteo took separate paths after high school.
Andy was accepted to the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Marine Option at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Matteo went to the University of Illinois in Chicago, where he spent the summer of his junior and senior years working on earning his commission through the Platoon Leaders Class.
It wouldn’t be long, though, before they’d come back together.
BROTHERS, STUDY BUDDIES
Matteo commissioned September 2013; Andy commissioned May 2014, both with air contracts to be pilots for the Marine Corps.
The twins were then sent to The Basic School, but they were in different classes and platoons from each other. After completing TBS, they checked in to Naval Air Station Pensacola School’s Command for flight school one month apart.
Although Andy was ahead by one week during Aviation Preflight Indoctrination, the two studied together to pass rigorous exams during the first four weeks of the curriculum.
“It’s kind of like having both your best friend and your best study buddy here with you,” Matteo said. “We know how we each study, and we know how the other thinks.”
The twins passed their exams and celebrated their right to wear flight suits for the first time on a day nicknamed “Flight Suit Friday.”
Following that day, two weeks of API remained.
By chance, on the final week of API, Andy had a bout with food poisoning that caused a delay in his training. When he recovered, he was able to join his brother’s API class and graduate together with him.
‘NOTHING ELSE’ LIKE IT
When the twins checked into Training Air Wing FIVE for Primary Flight Training with the T-6B Texan II aircraft, they requested to be in the same squadron. With Training Squadron SIX, the brothers received the opportunity to go through the formation phase of Primary together.
“There was nothing else like flying really close and up next to my brother in formation," Matteo said, “To practice, we would ride next to each other on motorcycles to practice our maneuvers. We had ICS (Intercommunications Systems) rigged in our (bike) helmets, and that was the best way to practice forms!”
Andy and Matteo spent almost 100 hours in the practice T-6B simulators, and doubled their hours in the simulator compared to the actual plane.
“Primary was awesome!” Andy said, “It was more intense academically, but all this flying, learning, and doing formation together — it was way cooler than just riding together.”
Their teamwork, effort and determination paid off when the brothers were selected to be jet pilots for the Marine Corps. They transferred to Training Squadron SEVEN in Meridian, Miss., to learn how to fly the T-45 for their Advanced Flight Training.
“We’re excited about it,” Matteo said. “I can’t wait to practice dog fighting with him.”
TWINS WITH DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES
The brothers plan on using study strategies that have given them much success so far in flight school. Their Advanced Flight Training will start in August; in the meantime, Andy is sitting in on ground school classes and passing information to Matteo.
In between studying, Matteo and Andy spend much of their free time working out, spear fishing, and learning to surf together. Though they may seem inseparable, the brothers like to hang out on their own at times.
“I like to go out and party, while Andy usually stays home and watches Lifetime and Oprah,” Matteo joked.
“Hey, it saves me money that I can use to take my bike to the racetrack at Barker Motorsports in Birmingham,” Andy said.
Though they described their relationship with each other as similar to an annoying marriage, the brothers have enjoyed their adventure through flight school together.
“I know we’ll be separated at some point when we get out to the fleet,” Andy said. “We’ve done the separation thing in college, so I know we’ll be fine.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Twins soar through NAS Whiting Field Flight School together