The Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio (FIDAE) is an important trade show, well estabished and arguably the premier such venue on the Southern hemisphere. Therefore, there is always a good international attendance. Let us start with the Peruvian delegation and their C-27J 329. The last of the quartet was delivered in October 2017.
Another Peruvian attendee was the KT-1. Sixteen of these were built by the Servicio de Mantenimiento del Perú (SEMAN) after the first four were assembled from kits supplied by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Some are in white/orange training colours; others, like 445, in this truly stunning camouflage pattern. Grupo 51 at Pisco operates them.
More distinguished guests were the Americans, regular visitors to the FIDAE again bringing the mighty and impressive F-22A Raptor. In this light it looks like diamond, in other circumstances like a gold bar...
Obviously, being a trade show, airliners, business jets and helicopters constitute a fair proportion of both static and aerial display. Seen moments before touchdown here is Airbus A350 F-WWCF.
You will find this either a hideous scheme or pleasantly colourful, in any case the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX is quite popular in Latin America.
Brazil has by far the largest helicopter-fleet in its register in Latin America. NOTAR MD600N was previously used to fly tourists over the Iguaçu falls, but now belongs to Platinum Taxi Aéreo.
As always, the hosts from Chile were present in abundance. All branches of the armed forces showed their equipment in static, like this Fuerza Aerea de Chile Grupo 12 F-5E Tiger III 807...
...and in the aerial display, another FACh F-5E Tiger III, 813, turns sharply and tops a looping here in the hazy Santiago sky.
Most numerous jet in the Air Force is the F-16 though. The ones that were sourced in the Netherlands are MLU-ed like this F-16AM 747 operated by Grupo 7.
Chile just received six more of the very potent EMB314 Super Tucano. One of the original batch of eighteen such aircraft from Grupo 1, 454, is seen here.
During the Airshow, regular traffic from co-located Grupo 10 continues at A.M.Benitez Intl. Gulfstream IV 911 lands here. It is the second Gulf to bear this identity, the previous one was a III-model.
On the other end of the luxury spectrum, this L-19A Bird Dog is operated from Vitacura-Las Condes as a glider tug.
You may recall our blog on the Chilean Army (see: Ejercito de Chile) and they turned up with no less than three Super Cougars. Two of them, H-288 and H-283 from Rancagua's Batallón de Helicópteros pass by the lens.
Agile, nimble and ideally suited for reconnaissance is the MD530FF. This attractive helicopter was put through its paces at FIDAE too, H-195 stars.
The Armada showed off their Naval Boarding and Search and Rescue capabilities. This is a very important asset given the 6000km+ coastline. AS332L 80 is one of two obtained second hand to augment the fleet already operated. Here it shows Fast Roping a Marine.
The fleet of Dauphin shipborne helicopters is used to increase the range of the Navy's eyes and ears. During the SAR demonstration, a frogman is being lowered from one of HU-1's HH-65s.
Latest acquisition of the Armada de Chile is the Partenavia P68. It is captured here while dropping a rescue raft.