Military Aviation: Patriotic celebration

Chile’s bicentennial air power on display

Chilean traditions and official schedules get this South American nation in a festive mood in mid-September every year. Schools take a week-long holiday and the entire nation can get up to four consecutive non-working days to commemorate the beginning of Chile’s independence movement in 1810. Chile’s four armed services (Army, Navy, Air Force and Carabineers) usually get their greater public exposure on 19 September, as they march through O’Higgins Park in downtown Santiago during the “Gran Parada Militar” (great military parade).

For the first time in a Great Military Parade and a Naval and Maritime Review, FACH’s Grupo 1 exhibited its recently delivered lead-in fighter trainer, the EMB-314 Super Tucano. Nine aircraft deployed to Santiago and eight of them took part in the Sunday 19 and Monday 20 ceremonies over Santiago and Valparaiso. With an exotic jungle cammo departing from the predominant low-viz grey scheme now dominating FACH’s fleet, two of the type can be seen approaching Santiago’s airport on Sunday 19.

Military bicentennial ceremonies, however, were planned to outstand over celebrations in previous years. And indeed they did, because not one but two large-scale ceremonies (and countless minor exhibitions) where held in the “long week end” starting on Thursday 16. Army was the leading organizer of the great military parade held in Santiago, while Navy was innovative holding its second Independence “Revista Naval y Marítima” (naval and maritime review) in Valparaiso. Not to be outdone, Air Force played a prominent part in both large ceremonies and was noted displaying in several other minor events; while the Carabineers (a militarized and highly respected police force) was also part of the main parade.

Undoubtedly the most colorful aircraft in the September parades were three Grupo 19 Twin Otters. Headquartered in Puerto Montt, Grupo 19 operates most of the year from Teniente Marsh air base in the Antarctica, hence their distinguishing red livery.

As a large part of the capital’s population moved out to holiday destinations, air action began in earnest with the great parade’s preparatory review, a rehearsal held mid afternoon on Thursday 16 involving subsets of the forces that were to take part of the Sunday event. Friday 17 recorded additional air activity at midday, when a huge national flag weighing 200 kg. (441 lbs.) was raised for the first time in front of the presidential palace. Mid-afternoon, in turn, the Air Force aerobatic team and paratroopers performed over Father Hurtado Park in Eastern Santiago. Saturday 18, usually a “quiet” day, saw Air Force aircraft dropping leaflets containing poems, lyrics, historical speeches and popular phrases. Closing down an unforgettable week end, the two main courses took place on Sunday 19 (great parade) and Monday 20 (naval review).

Four Grupo 9 Hueys carried stickers representing the yet-to-be-formed flying wing of the bi-national “Cruz del Sur” (Southern Cross) combined rapid reaction force that Chile and Argentina are assembling for the United Nations. The special marks purportedly lasted less then 48 hours: First noted on Sunday 19, they were apparently gone by Monday 20 (Antonio Segovia R. photo).

Approximately 120 aircraft were involved in the celebrations. Chilean Air Force entered their most recent acquisition, the EMB-314 Super Tucano lead-in fighter trainer, into the military parade roster for the first time ever. The Navy displayed their first C-295 Persuader (delivered in June) at the naval review. And the Army put seven of its eight new AS532AL Cougar helicopters up in the air for the Sunday parade. Yet probably the most eccentric exhibition was that of four Air Force UH-1H Hueys participating in both events, which were decorated with Chilean and Argentine flags and United Nations stickers to represent the yet-to-be-formed flying wing of the bi-national “Cruz del Sur” (Southern Cross) combined peace force parading on the ground.

With the background of HSL-49 “Scorpions” SH-60B Seahawk BuNo 162136, US seamen salute the authorities from the flying deck of destroyer USS “Jarrett” while parading in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar (Chilean Navy photo).

The remainder of the participating aircraft comprised a number of “veteran” participants in these ceremonies. Several Air Force Extra 300s, Pillanes, Fighting Falcons, CitationJets, Twin Otters, JetRangers, Bell 412s, Hueys, Learjets and Hercules; as well as unitary Boeing KC-135, 707 and 737 and were noted over Santiago and Valparaiso. Army also paraded its Defenders and a lone Puma on Sunday 19; while Navy did so with several Turbo Trainers, Orions, Cougars and Dauphins, plus two JetRanger camera ships and their sole Persuader, on Monday 20. The Carabineers did not take part in any of the flying parades, but one of their AgustaWestland A-109Es was noted at O’Higgins Park on Sunday. Rounding up this memorable celebration, several foreign naval helicopters were noted in Valparaiso during the naval review; while a number of supporting transports also transited through Santiago’s international airport at Pudahuel during the long week end.

Santiago de Chile, December 14^th 2010

Parading for the first time was FACH’s most recently delivered tanker, Grupo 10’s KC-135E serial number 981. Shortly after taking off, the tanker would form up with two F-16C from Grupo 3 before heading into their fly-byes over O’Higgins Park and Valparaiso Bay.

Grupo 9 was exhibiting Bell 412 helicopters for the second time in “patriotic celebrations”. Serial number H-47 was radiant in its bright gray livery and full-color nation and unit marks.

Mexican troops participating in the Sunday parade were flown in by Boeing 737-200 serial number 3520. Just like the Argentine contingent, which was flown in by Herk and F.28, all transited through Pudahuel, Santiago’s international airport.

Three CitationJets, now duly and fully marked by Grupo 5, flew into the capital from Puerto Montt to participate in the two main events.

Headline photo

The final approach path to Santiago’s airport runway 17L is probably the best spot for picturing parading aircraft. Noted here are two F-16Cs from Grupo 3 coming in fast and about to touch down.

Acknowledgements:
Mauricio Chiófalo, Carlos Hirigoyen, Katerin Jara G., Carlos Jara N., Gustavo Lepez, Luis Quintana A. and Antonio Segovia R. contributed to this report.

Sources:
Fuerza Aérea de Chile, Ejército de Chile, Armada de Chile and Carabineros de Chile (official web sites) plus Air Fighters, Aviation Corner, La Tercera, Scramble and Ship Spotting.