FIDAE (2008): Always surprising!

Critics may continue to argue that “there will be no other FIDAE like FIDAE 1998” or that “the Yankees ultimately saved the day”, while pessimists may appeal to a battered regional common place: “that’s just it!”. Quite on the contrary, to us FIDAE will remain a fascinating event, one shaking our innermost aviation enthusiast fibre, exhausting us both physically and mentally on an intense six-day marathon (both inside and outside the fair ground) leaving us in need of “just a couple more days” to see, photograph, film or research this or that aircraft, booth or industry personality… paraphrasing Chile’s nation brand motto (“Chile always surprising”), FIDAE is always surprising!

And FIDAE 2008 was no exception to the rule. In spite of the flaws many will uncover, the fair was able to recruit over one hundred different aircraft from 14 military operators and 20 or more civilian users. Even though this was 20% less aircraft than in 2006, diversity was the name of the game as 15% of the aircraft on display where showing up at the fair for the first time ever. Compared to what the organizers and other sources were forecasting before the show begun, the only relevant missing items where the F-22A Raptor (in spite of its generous contribution, USAF was reluctant to show it abroad), the B-52 Stratofortress (our greatest frustration!) and the Dassault Falcon 7X (the first biz jet employing fly-by-wire flight controls).

The main attraction was, without the slightest doubt, the gigantic Airbus A380 commercial air transport. But novelties didn’t end up there. In the military field, there was an impressive USAF delegation contributing two B-1 Lancers, three F-15E Strike Eagles, three F-16 Fighting Falcons, one MQ-1B Predator and several supporting aircraft. Also noteworthy were the first appearances by the Chilean Air Force F-16AM Fighting Falcon and the Chilean Carbineers A-109E Power. Additional military novelties to the show included a German Luftwaffe Airbus A310 transport/tanker, a Brazilian Air Force EADS C295 transport and an Argentine Air Force IA-63 Pampa Serie II (showing up abroad for the first time). And though it was not entirely new to the show, we also found notorious the presence of a British Royal Air Force Sentry AEW.1 airborne early warning and control platform.

Several foreign manufacturers contributed with another bunch of newcomers: Italy’s AleniaAermacchi exhibited a full-scale mock-up of their M-346 advanced trainer, Australia’s Gippsland did so with the GA-8 Airvan utility transport, Cessna and its local representative Aeroservicio displayed the Model 400 and Citation Encore+, Israel Aircraft Industries presented their Hermes 450 reconnaissance UAV while Raytheon Beech showed the Hawker 400XP jet and Kingair C90GT turbo-prop executive transports. Local general aviation firm Aerocardal exhibited the first two Chilean-registered Cirrus composite two seaters, University Adolfo Ibáñez showed its Cormorán ultralight prototype and octogenarian Santiago Flying Club demonstrated one of the Vans RV9-A recently built in its Tobalaba facilities and a Bellanca Decathlon rebuilt after its June 2002 accident.

The air exhibitions programme turned out to be a little bit “conservative” but nonetheless interesting (the worldwide hike in fuel prices was evident!). The demonstration grid was ostensibly dominated by the Airbus A380 and its fly byes over Greater Santiago, the evolution of USAF B-1 bombers and F-15 fighter bombers and aerobatic routines by four Chilean Air Force fighter types (A-37, F-5, F-16AM and F-16C). As it has been the case in many (if not all) FIDAEs, Chilean “Halcones” and Brazilian “Fumaça” aerobatic teams were also a frequent attraction. Local dealers and foreign manufacturers also exhibited their wares in flight: Enaer entered the T-35 Pillán piston trainer, Embraer their Super Tucano trainer/attack turboprop and Lockheed Martin Argentina their Pampa Series II jet trainer. Eurocopter, aided by its large local customer base, showed the EC-130, EC-135 and AS-350; while Bell reached out Argentine operators to demonstrate the Model 205 Huey II (an Argentine Army “Hornero”) and the Model 412EP. Raytheon Beech also flew the Premier I.

Aircraft on display

Below, we make available our list of aircraft noted in and around the show between press day (Saturday 29 March) and closing day (Sunday 6 April). In addition to being grouped by owner, operator and model, aircraft participating in flight displays are marked with a cardinal sign (#), visitors carry an asterisk (*) and supporting fleets are denoted by a plus sign (+). Links on the “Model” column are our best effort to illustrate one example of each type, operator and owner on the show (a few are missing, though!).

Sources: Airliners, Aviation Corner, JetPhotos, MyAviation, Scramble, War2Hobby and Wikipedia.

Acknowledgements: Pista 18 special correspondents traveling to Pudahuel (Jean Charles Barroux, Esteban Brea and Mauricio Chiófalo) as well as Alejandro Drigani, Michael Flebbe and Diego Rojo contributed to this report.

The original story was published only in Spanish language by Pista 18; while this translation was produced in February 2012 specially for Gaceta Aeronáutica. An effort was made to keep the spirit of the story intact in spite of the time lapsed between both editions.