Commercial

During its twenty-third edition, FIDAE occupied 15,604 square meters and managed to overcome 420 exhibitors, 115 exhibition aircraft, more than 50 participant countries, over 600 official and trade delegations, more than 1,500 national and foreign accredited press, as well as spotters who covered the show, added to the approximately 100,000 attendees of the event.

During the trade fair, technological advances and innovation of the six categories covered by the exhibition –Civil & Commercial Aviation, Defense, Airport Equipment and Services, Homeland Security, Aircraft Maintenance, and Space Technology– were appreciated.

The Trade Show started on Tuesday, April 9 and ended on Friday, April 12. At the Fair, professionals from different categories showed their portfolios of goods and services, instance where various commercial agreements were established and about 1,500 meetings were scheduled.

The air demonstrations were shown on the weekend dedicated to general public, which enjoyed aerial and static exhibitions, such as the Technology Fair of the Chilean Air Force, where attendees had the opportunity to learn about state-of-the-art technology that FACH is equipped with. Similarly, the Air Force stand dedicated to the Forces Schools, Exhibition Team, and Space Direction was also set up.

Within the air demonstrations, aircraft such as the USAF F-22 Raptor, and the FACH F-16; F-5; Super Tucano; DHC-6 Twin Otter; and MH-60M Black Hawk, UH-1H and Bell 412 helicopters stood out. Moreover, the aerobatics of the Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB) dazzled the audience thanks to the “Esquadrilha da Fumaça’’; the Escuadrilla de Alta Acrobacia ‘’Halcones’’ belonging to the Exhibition Team of the Chilean Air Force; Team Villarica; RV Team and the Chilean pilots, Mijali Proestakis and Felipe Tapia, among others.

Moreover, the parachute teams formed by the FACH Boinas Azules Parachute Team; the Wings of Blue from the USAF, and the Colombian Air Force team Águila de Gules captivated those who enjoyed their spectacle.

The International Air and Space Fair, FIDAE, organized by the Chilean Air Force, ended its twenty-third edition with great success. Among other areas, it allowed to generate greater aerospace awareness in the inhabitants of the country, brought the Institution closer to the people, especially to children, and reaffirmed the importance that this recognized exhibition represents for Chile.

We look forward to seeing you in FIDAE 2026!

Within the framework of the twenty-third edition of the International Air and Space Fair, FIDAE 2024, locals of the commune of Pudahuel were able to meet the aircraft present in the air exhibition of biggest trajectory and recognition in Latin America.

Thanks to the joint work between FIDAE, Latam and Delta airlines, la Ilustre Municipalidad de Pudahuel, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), locals representing technical schools, in addition of children and the elderly, had an entertaining day. Among other activities, they were able to board a modern Latam  Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner commercial airliner.

In the activity were present the Mayor of the Municipality of Pudahuel, Ítalo Bravo; General Director of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), Lieutenant General Carlos Madina Díaz; the Vice President of Latin America for Delta Air Lines, Alex Antilla; and the Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at LATAM, Juan José Tohá.

The objective of the visit was, in the context of FIDAE, to bring locals closer to airlines and create new common spaces to host partnerships between both communities. The idea is to keep on promoting activities with the Municipalidad de Pudahuel, following this line, that allows to be a contribution and keep opening spaces for the community based on dialogue, mutual cooperation and new ideas.

The sophomore students of Commercial Pilot and Commercial Aviation Engineering visited the International Air and Space Fair, FIDAE 2024.

The tour was guided by the University professor, Jaime Campos, who said “the purpose of this visit is that students acquire an aeronautical culture. Aviation has different areas, such as the civil or commercial ones, and this seeks to create awareness in the students about the wide world of aviation”.

In addition, he also said that “the course is composed of 28 students, where six are women, and it is in FIDAE where they have the possibility to learn about the different edges that they will face during their professional life”.

It is worth mentioning that the Department of Aeronautics of the institution also presented a flight simulator of the Cessna 172 aircraft in FIDAE, which served as a support to promote the different programs they teach in relation with aviation.

With the launch of the Chilean Air Force Innovation Program and the non-profit organization Know Hub Chile, named Ad Astra, on Friday, April 12, the third version of Space Summit ended, which was developed since Tuesday, April 9 within the framework of the execution of FIDAE 2024.

The activity counted with the presence of the Undersecretary of Defense, Ricardo Montero Allende, accompanied by the FACH Space Director, Major General, Luis Sáez Collantes; the Know Hub Chile President, Javier Ramirez; the Italian Astronaut Roberto Vittori; the Shield AI President and Co-founder, Brandon Tseng; and the Chilean miner, Mario Sepúlveda. The purpose of the launch was showing how important it is for the Chilean Air Force to have an ally such as the Know Hub corporation that could serve as a bridge to connect it with innovation.

“The objective of this program is to highlight the innovation as a tool to come up with new ideas to improve specific problems of the Institution. Thus, it becomes a much more efficient and developed body, which will be able to better fulfill its functions and mission in pursuit of national development” said Major General Saez. Besides, he pointed out that it is a company expert in innovation which will help to achieve these challenges.

“It will put us in touch with the ecosystem of science, technology and innovation so that it is the scientific or academic community itself that will enable us to overcome the challenges that we are going to set ourselves in this program, such as the development of artificial intelligence or the use of satellites with new materials. These constitute innovative ideas that allow us to keep doing the same, but in a better way”, he said. Besides, he pointed out that this program seeks to resolve challenges in both defense and civil world areas, by working with universities, research centers, startups, and civil and defense companies both domestic and foreign.

After the launching period, and as an example that innovation is such a broad bridge which may go from saving lives to the progress of humanity, the audience attended a panel discussion integrated by one of the 33 buried miners in the San Jose Mine, Mario Sepúlveda; the European Space Agency astronaut, Roberto Vittori; and the Shield AI President, and Co-founder, Brandon Tseng. They all told their story and let know how innovation shaped a part of their lives.

On Friday, April 12, the closing of the III° version of Space Summit was held at the Conference Center of FIDAE 2024, attended by the Undersecretary for the Armed Forces, Galo Eidelstein Silber; Major General and Space Director, Luis Sáez Collantes; Major General (A) and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Roberto Vittori, and Mario Sepúlveda, surviving miner of the San José mine.

The final day included the launch of the innovation program “Ad Astra”, as well as a meeting with the Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori and the miner Mario Sepúlveda, in addition to various talks on artificial intelligence and air power in security and defense.

Finally, Major General (A) Luis Sáez Collantes said that the III° version of Space Summit was a great success due to the participation of distinguished guests and companies that presented great topics to generate interesting debates on space matters.

The International Air and Space Fair has the particularity of being the first event of its kind organized entirely by an Air Force, which requires the deployment of thousands of Military Aviators from different Air Brigades throughout the country. Several weeks in advance, they began the work of support in logistics, food, security, maintenance, and a long list of work areas that require excellence.

The logistics of operations, from planning to implementation, is an extremely complex task in an event of this magnitude and must meet the needs of international delegations and companies during the first stage of the Fair and family audience during the weekend. Among the personnel that provides services in these tasks is the Airman First Class Barbara Alarcón, recently graduated from the Escuela de Especialidades “Sargento 1° Adolfo Menadier Rojas” as a Systems Mechanic. Since the beginning of March, she has been at the FIDAE premises.  “It has been a very nice experience, I have been able to meet many comrades, and I have learnt more about FIDAE itself and also more about my occupational specialty,” says Airman First Class Alarcón.

During the preparation of the event, she supported in the movement, assembly and installation of the aircraft and once the exhibition was inaugurated, she has been working in the Access Gate N° 1. She is responsible for receiving the national authorities, special guests, international delegations, the press and the general public. “It has been a very pleasant experience, people have not had problems and have felt comfortable, and we also bring the Air Force closer to the people and make them interested in it,” she says.

One of the most expected exhibitions by the public, the air shows are the ones that generate the most expectation. But in order for the aircraft and their pilots to get applause, on the ground there is a whole human team taking care of the safety standards and maintenance of the air material. Master Sergeant Fernando Castillo is a mechanic on ground fuel installation of the II° Air Brigade. His attention was focused on fuel quality control and delivery it to the aircraft, from reception, certification, and load of the product with the refueler trucks. “For us, during the phase prior to FIDAE, we do the planning of operations, but during the Fair itself, there is an increase in the load, and we must increase performance,” says Sergeant Castillo. They provide 24-hour service and during the show they receive support from the personnel of the I° and V° Air Brigade, he added.

This is his ninth time in FIDAE, instances in which he has had the opportunity to get up close to aircraft that are unusual on the apron, such as the F-22 Raptor and the Airbus 350, along with the logistical preparation required to meet the requirements of these aircraft. “It is not the same to load an aircraft with 2,000 liters of fuel, than one like the KC-10, which on Sunday loaded 70,000 liters, so more personnel are needed to support the maneuvers. This group of people we work with has a very strong link with the occupational specialty and we generate a pleasant cohesion, forming a great human team, the times are well managed according to the planification and we can successfully execute the mission”.

Given the large arrival of personnel at Pudahuel Air Base, the Base’s own work must be strengthened, as is the preparation of food. In that sense, Airman Jenifer Cisternas, cooking as  occupational specialty, has a responsibility to all his comrades. Used to working at the Garrison Casino, this is her first exhibition and since February, she has been providing services. “We have formed a very united team, supporting us constantly. Here the demand has been high, there are thousands of rations that must be prepared, so we must come ready to deliver everything so that all goes well, and people can receive a meal of excellence,” she says. She also recognized that the workdays are very exhausting. “We are cooking from 7:30 in the morning to eight at night sometimes, all day here, we arrive at the house, sleep and come back, because food is super important. Comrades require strength and that depends fundamentally on us”, she said.

Nevertheless, they managed to organize themselves to be able to tour the Fair, “The air shows are what I like the most, especially the Halcones and the foreign aircraft. I would be very happy to work again in another FIDAE, getting to know and supporting other areas where work needs to be done”, says Airman Cisternas.

Like them, there are thousands of Military Aviators who are part of this great organization, who work every day to give the best of themselves, guaranteeing the public that they will witness an event of the highest level, being able to learn more about aviation and the Chilean Air Force.

On Saturday, April 13, the public visited the Technology Fair in FIDAE 2024, an exhibition in which you can appreciate some of the technology and innovation that are part of the Air Force.

In the fourth edition of the event, the public interacted with different platforms related to four areas: space, maintenance, defense, and education.

Regarding the aspects related to space technology, the Space Operations Group (GOE by its acronym in Spanish) presented some software which are used to know the position of satellites and the National Satellite System mission was revealed.

GOE also presented the labor developed by the SAF (Aero Photogrammetry Service) and the SAR (Search and Rescue (SAR).

One of the attractions were the virtual reality simulators of the División de Educación and the F-16 which was one the most demanded platforms, both by children and adults.

Sebastian Pizarro, who attended along with his child and wife, said that “it is interesting to see how they are using the technology and how they are presenting what the Air Force is at a space research level or with the flight simulators they have in the Fair, especially the F-16 simulator. In this way, people can be more aware and can learn about what it feels like to be inside of an airplane and also this can connect military aviators with the civilians in a better way”.

The Technology Fair counted with the participation of the of the Aviation School “Capitán Manuel Ávalos Prado”, which presented a flight simulator, use by the Sub-Alféreces to prepare in their area of flight in the T-35 Pillán aircraft. Meanwhile the School of Specialties “Sargento 1° Adolfo Menadier Rojas” surprised the public with a virtual firing simulator. On the other hand, the Academia Politécnica Aeronática revealed its work in the scientific and technological areas.

In the aeronautical matter, the attendees interacted with the technology used by different FACH’S Units oriented to aircraft maintenance, such as the 52^nd Group of Maintenance, which exhibited a Bell 206 helicopter engine. The 51^st Group of Maintenance and the 5th Air Brigade Training Center. Meanwhile they presented a flight simulator with an aircraft F-16 Block 50 fighter aircraft engine, used for instruction of both the students and engine mechanics.

In the weapon system area, the Anti-Aircraft Artillery and Special Forces Regiment “Tactical School” presented Oerlikon anti-aircraft warfare systems and MANPADS stations.

In addition, the company de Desarrollo de Tecnologías y Sistemas (DTS), a subsidiary of the ENAER (National Aeronautical Company of Chile), exhibited models, engines and the Bellum Virtuale aeronautical simulator.

Official Delegations are the State Representatives that attend FIDAE during the Trade week, such as high executives belonging to the Government, Armed Forces, Space Agencies, Embassies, among others. On the other hand, Trade Delegations are made up of companies’ representatives and executives, Government Institutions, and the Armed Forces, trade associations, chambers of commerce, commercial and cultural attaché offices of embassies, universities and institutes for professional formation, institutions for research and development of technology and innovation, among other agencies that have a direct or indirect professional interest in the areas of FIDAE.

At this point, Official and Trade Delegations had the opportunity to learn about new technologies, explore new markets, establish protocol and commercial contacts, as well as to create new chances for what is related to the fields of ivil & Commercial Aviation, Defense, Airport Equipment and Services, Homeland Security, Aircraft Maintenance, Space Technology, UAV (RPAS), and Cybersecurity areas.

It is in this environment that FIDAE 2024 has already confirmed the attendance of representatives of governmental organizations of Defense, Armed Forces, Embassies, Governments, Order and Security of countries such as Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Honduras, Italy, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, among others.

The organizers of the International Air and Space Fair, Kallman Worldwide, the United States Pavilion in FIDAE 2024, the U.S. Embassy, Make a Wish Chile and the foundation Fundación Tantauco joined together to organize a visit to the Aerospace Show with a group of children from the Teletón and the Corporación de Amigos del Hospital del Río (COAR).

The visit took place on Friday, April 12, and the objective was that the children along with their parents could live a magical experience and make their dreams come true. They were able to learn about the aircraft and attractions of the Aerospace Exhibition in a day full of emotions. During the tour, they shared with the astronaut and Former Space Shuttle commander, Mike Bloomfield.

Claudia Cornejo, the CEO of COAR, appreciated the experience: “It is gratifying being here because we can give a present to the families of the foster home, along with the children who are looked after at the Hospital Roberto del Río. They are happy!”.

Meanwhile, Bernadette M. Meehan, the U.S. Ambassador to Chile, said that it is always good for her country to collaborate with FIDAE: “For the children of the foundations, it has been an unforgettable experience. They were able to tour and explore in a different way”.

On the other hand, Tom Kallman, President of Kallman Worldwide, emphasized that “The children of these foundations are so brave, they live very challenging situations, and everybody likes airplanes and enjoy parachuting. We hope they had a great time because we had too”.

The International Air and Space Fair together with Turbus, official transportation company of FIDAE 2024, will have itineraries from April 9 to 14, with the aim of facilitating the transfer of those visiting the Fair.

During the week of the Trade Show, from Tuesday April 9 to Friday April 12, buses will depart from the Terminal Turbus Alameda (Universidad de Santiago Metro Station) and from the Terminal Metro Pajaritos, from 08:00 to 15:00 hours, every half hour.

During the weekend of the Air Show, from Saturday April 13 to Sunday April 14, buses will only depart to FIDAE from the Terminal Turbus Alameda (Universidad de Santiago Metro Station), from 08.15 to 15:00 hours, every ten minutes. For the return to Santiago, a point of sale will be set up at the FIDAE boarding area.

Tickets can also be purchased through www.turbus.cl (Santiago-FIDAE) and will cost $2,700 (CLP) each way. Meanwhile round-trip tickets will cost $5,000 (CLP). Children under 1.20 meters tall are free of charge.