Mighty block 50M F-16D over the stunning Andes mountain range in Chile.

Cees-Jan van der Ende (www.alfakilo.nl)

Antofagasta/Cerro Moreno (SCFA)
Base Aérea

RWY 01/19     POS 23°26'40"S 070°26'42"W     ELEV 455 ft

Brigada
V Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Grupo de Aviación Nº7 F-16AM Hostem Repellas Acriter
(Repulse the enemy fiercely)
Grupo de Aviación Nº8 C212-300DF
F-16AM
F-16BM
UH-412 (Bell 412EP)
SR22T
Predominio
(Predominance)

Casa aviocars are still in use as transports and proved invaluable in disaster response to remote areas.

Erwin van Dijkman

The Chilean Air Force is probably the largest military user of Twin Otters. Grupos 5 and 6 operate them as well as Grupo 19 in support of the Chilean Antarctic mission.

Erwin van Dijkman

Colina/Base Aerea Colina (MIL) (SCIN)
Brigada
II Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Grupo de Aviación Nº9 UH-412 (Bell 412EP) Audax Omnia Perpeti
(Always bold in everything)
Centro de Mantenimiento de Helicópteros Maintenance on UH-412
Iquique/Diego Aracena (SCDA)
Base Aérea Los Condores

RWY 18/36     POS 20°32'07"S 070°10'53"W     ELEV 156 ft

Brigada
I Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Grupo de Aviación Nº1 A-29B Super Tucano Per Adua ad Astra
(Through Adversity to the Stars)
Grupo de Aviación Nº2 C212-100
UH-412 (Bell 412EP)
Q900
SR22T
Hic et Passim
(Here and everywhere)
Grupo de Aviación Nº3 F-16C-50M
F-16D-50M
Parate ad Bellum
(Prepare for war)

The SR22T is the successor to the PA-28 in the training and liaison role.

Graham Evans

The successor to the A-36 is the A-29B.

Ad Jan Altevogt

Isla Rey Jorge/Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martín (SCRM)
Base Aérea (Antártica Chilena)

RWY 11/29     POS 62°11'27"S 058°59'12"W     ELEV 147 ft

Brigada
IV Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Grupo de Exploración Antártica N° 19 DHC-6-300
UH-412 (Bell 412EP)
Conquista, Soberania
(Conquest, sovereignty)
This base on King George Island, Southern Shetlands (or Bahía Fildes, isla Rey Jorge) is part of the "Base Antártica Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva", a permanent scientific research station.
The Grupo de Exploración Antártica Nº19 is controlled by the IV Brigada Aérea at B.A.Chabunco.
Isla de Pascua/Mataveri (SCIP)
Brigada
II Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Escuadrilla SAR Isla de Pascua O-2A
Puerto Montt/El Tepual (SCTE)
Base Aérea

RWY 17/35     POS 41°26'20"S 073°05'38"W     ELEV 294 ft

Brigada
III Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Grupo de Aviación Nº5 CJ1
DHC-6-100
DHC-6-300
UH-1H
S-70A-39
Combatir, Apoyar, Servir
(Fighting, supporting, serving)

Five Bell 206 helicopters are operated from Santiago by Grupo 9.

Ian French

Although the Bell 412 and S-70 came along, the UH-1H is still used.

Ian French

Punta Arenas/Pdte. Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (SCCI)
Base Aérea Chabunco

RWY 01/19, 07/25, 12/30     POS 53°00'10"S 070°51'17"W     ELEV 139 ft

Brigada
IV Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Grupo de Aviación Nº6 DHC-6-300
UH-412 (Bell 412SP)
Princeps Polaris Iteneris
(The great polar journey)
Grupo de Aviación Nº12 F-5E Tigre III
F-5F Tigre III
Nocte Dieque Promptus
(Ready day and night)
IV BA also controls Grupo de Exploración Antártica Nº19 (at B.A. Teniente Marsh), Grupo de Defensa Antiaérea Nº23 and Grupo de Communicaciones y Detección Nº33.

Not just your ordinary Tiger but highly upgraded 'Tigre III', with beyond visible range missile capability, are operated by Grupo 12.

Erwin van Dijkman

The Chilean Air Force operates a large fleet of former RNLAF F-16 MLUs.

Raymond van Dijknhuizen

Santiago/Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez Intl (SCEL)
BA Pudahuel

RWY 17/35     POS 33°23'35"S 070°47'09"W     ELEV 1555 ft

Brigada
II Brigada Aérea
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Grupo de Aviación Nº9 Bell 206B
UH-1H
MH-60M (S-70B)
UH-412 (Bell 412EP)
Audax Omnia Perpeti
(Always bold in everything)
Grupo de Aviación Nº10 EB-707-385C Cóndor
B737-330QC, B737-58N
B767-300
C-130B/H
KC-130R
KC-135E
E-3D
G-IV
UH-412 (Bell 412EP)
Orbis Terrarum Percurri
(Travel over the world)
Servicio Aerofotogramétrico (SAF) DHC-6-100
G-IVSP
LR-35A
Some parts or Grupo 9 are based at BA Colina and BA Quintero.
II BA also controls Regimiento de Artillería Antiaérea Nº22 at Colina and Grupo de Communicaciones y Detección Nº32.

Seen at homebase A.M.Benitez is one ot FACh's former USAF KC-135Es.

Ad Jan Altevogt

One of the two B737s operated is painted grey, 922.

Geurt van den Berg

Santiago/El Bosque (SCBQ)
Base Aérea

RWY 02/20     POS 33°33'42"S 070°41'18"W     ELEV 1844 ft

Brigada
Escuela de Aviación 'Capitan Manuel Avalos Prado'
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Escuela de Aviación SR22T
T-35A
T-35B
T-35B(E)
Grupo de Presentaciones
Escuadrilla de Alta Acrobacia
Extra 300L
GB1 Gamebird
Los Halcones
Escuela de Especialidades
Sargento 1º Adolfo Menadier Rojas
various i/a Alis, Scientia et Subtilitas
(Wings, science and subtlety)
Grupo de Abastecimiento various stored aircraft
(A-37, Elkan, Halcón, Hunter, Pantera, PA-28, T-37)
Sustineo
(Sustain)
Santiago/Los Cerrillos - closed (SCTI)
Base Aérea

RWY 03/21     POS 33°29'36"S 070°41'52"W     ELEV 1678 ft

Brigada
Base Aérea Los Cerillos
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio (MNAE) The official FACh museum with a large collection of preserved aircraft.
Santiago/Municipal de Vitacura (SCLC)

RWY 07/25     POS 33°22'50"S 070°34'55"W     ELEV 2250 ft

Brigada
Escuela de Aviación 'Capitan Manuel Avalos Prado'
Grupo Aircraft Type(s) Name / Motto Badge
Escuadrilla Vuelo Sin Motor Janus C
L-23 Super Blanik
Nimbus 3DT
L-19A

On the outskirts of Santiago you will find Vitacura were the FACH gliders are based. This Janus C is seen soaring past.

Erwin van Dijkman

The L-19 Bird Dog is still used as glider tug.

Leonard van Teeffelen

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