During this new edition of FIDAE, the “Wings of Blue”, from the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) will be present. The group was founded in 1962, when cadets performed several jumps in Colorado. In 1976, they decided to change the name of the team to a more appealing one; being the current name. In this version there will be the demonstration team, which have carried out jumps in important sporting events such as Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, NFL Monday Nights Football Games, NASCAR races, and civilian air shows.

Each year, the U.S. demonstration team performs in more than 50 special events in front of more than two million spectators. They can jump from altitudes ranging from 762 to 4,572 meters above the ground. Usually, parachutists carry smoke grenades so the crowd can better visualize them. They can also carry one or more flags through a deployment system.

Another novelty will be the first presentation of the Colombian Aerospace Force team “Águila de Gules” during FIDAE. The team members perform free-fall parachuting in UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, from a great height. Some of the paratroopers are part of the “Special Air Commandos”, men qualified and trained to carry out different operations against drug trafficking and kidnapping. They also participate in aeromedical evacuations and rescuing people affected by natural disasters.

One of its main attractions is the “smoke demonstration” where each member jumps alternately at 1,500 meters of altitude. Once they get close to the land, near 600 meters, they start throwing grenades with the colors of nations. There is another demonstration that includes using flags.

On the other hand, the “Boinas Azules (Blue Berets) Parachute Squadron”, of the Chilean Air Force Presentation Group, will be the home team. The origins of the Squadron date back to 1970 at the El Bosque Air Base, when a group of enthusiastic Officers and Non-Officer Personnel started the hard work of recovering the pilots’ parachutes, used in the aircraft, which after being modified were used for free jumps by the members of the emerging Boinas Azules Parachute Team.

To this date, they have performed more than 25,000 jumps inside and outside Chile, developing a constant outreach work. The Squadron also contributes with the development and improvement of free jumping techniques to the Special Forces Units of the Institution, as well as helping in the research and scientific development in flight physiology.

These three experimented parachute teams will perform an amazing show with the aim of delighting the public that will be part of the Fair, performing a variety of aerobatics and free falls.