F-AIR Colombia – Finance Colombia

Sweden Named Guest of Honor Country at F-AIR Colombia 2025

Editorial Staff — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 22:47:07 +0000

The countdown has already begun for the International Aeronautics and Space Fair – F-AIR Colombia 2025, and Sweden, the guest of honor for this edition, presents details of its participation in this event, which is another example of the deep and broad bilateral relations between the two countries.

The first thing to highlight is that the Minister of Defense of Sweden, Pål Jonson, will arrive in Colombia, will be the head of the Swedish delegation and will participate in the inauguration ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Minister Jonson will be accompanied by a delegation consisting of other high-ranking officials and business executives, who will be in the guest country area (stands 136, 234A, and 336) and will participate in the programming.

Academic Agenda

It’s not solely about technology or aircraft. For Sweden, future aeronautical solutions also play a crucial role in areas such as environmental sustainability, human rights, economic development, gender equality, and collaborative research and innovation. To share more about this vision, here are the confirmed talks that the guest country will offer:

Thursday, July 10 – 10:00 am
Condor Room
Conference: Challenges of modern air power; a credible and sustainable offensive air posture for your nation. Talk with Gripen pilot, the Swede Jussi Halmetoja.
Thursday, July 10 – 10:40 am
Condor Room
Conference: The first woman to fly a Gripen. Gender equality in the aerospace industry. Presentation of the Swedish pilot Anna Dellham.
Friday, July 11 – 9:00 am
Condor Room
Panel: Aviation Industry and Sustainability. Participation of Christer Fureby, head of the Transfer Division in the Department of Energy Sciences in Sweden and director of CESTAP (Center for Sustainable Fuels for Turbines in Europe).
Friday, July 11 – 2:00 pm
Colibrí Room
Conference: SAF and the aviation of the future. Presentation by Christer Fureby.
Friday, July 11 – 2:00 pm
Condor Room
Panel: Aeronautical Innovation Ecosystem: Connecting Government, Industry, and Academia. EAFIT Experience, KTH University of Sweden, and Saab: Allies of the drone that fights climate change.
Friday, July 11 – 2:45 pm
Hummingbird Room
Conference: What is the aviation of the future? The Swedish vision. Executive SAAB.

The Swedish Astronaut Who Will Land at F-Air 2025

From Sweden will come Marcus Wandt, a Swedish astronaut and a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut reserve. Marcus joined the European Astronaut Corps in June 2023 as an ESA project astronaut for the Muninn mission, a commercial spaceflight with Axiom Space. He flew to the International Space Station on the Axiom 3 mission in January 2024, spending 20 days in orbit, conducting educational and research activities in microgravity. Currently, he is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Swedish Air Force.

At F-Air, Wandt will share his experience and vision of the aerospace industry and research, serving as an inspirational reference for the attendees.

Business Delegation

Sweden is proud of its innovation, quality, and sustainability, which is why #TeamSweden, under the leadership of Business Sweden (Swedish Trade and Invest Council), will showcase this with the participation of seven companies and two universities, who will share their offerings in the aerospace and aeronautics industry with attendees. These include Scama, Securitas, Ericsson, Midsummer, Saab, Kreab, and Scanform, which will be accompanied by Lund University and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) of Sweden. There, visitors will be able to approach the drone exhibition by Securitas, a Swedish global leader in intelligent security solutions. With its innovative offering of aero-vigilance and anti-drone technology, through its UAS Unit (Unmanned Aerial Systems), the company will conduct a prominent showcase of its integrated technology, aimed at companies specialized in aviation and cargo operations.

Attendees will also be able to learn more about high-tech systems for stopping aircraft in military units that will be presented by the Swedish company Scama.

At the same time, they will be able to detail Midsummer’s advanced solar solutions, which have been specially designed to meet the demands of the aerospace and
defense industries. Their patented technology of flexible and ultralight thin-film solar panels allows for efficient integration into high-tech platforms such as stratospheric balloons, UAVs, nanosatellites, and mobile observation or telecommunications systems.

The guests won’t want to miss the exhibition of the drone that combats climate change. It is a successful collaboration project between EAFIT University of Colombia,
The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) of Sweden and Saab have resulted in a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of collecting data for monitoring
climatic.

For its part, Saab will share its wide range of high-tech products and systems for air, land, and sea. Visitors will be able to experience through a simulator how
The Gripen incorporates maneuverability, performance, communication, navigation, and electronic warfare.

Additionally, they will be able to see the full-scale replica of the Gripen E, as well as the Giraffe 1X, an aerial surveillance component in the field of Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD).
That provides air defense commanders with quality data on targets, drone detection, and detection and warning against artillery, rockets, and mortars (C-RAM) in
a single solution. Saab will also feature a demo of the R-TWR, digital towers that allow for the remote use of air traffic services (ATS) from anywhere.

Cultural Agenda

On Sunday, July 13, Sweden will offer a program of workshops for children and families. There will be three spaces where, through techniques like origami and scientific drawing, visitors will be able to approach the world of aeronautics in fun and educational ways. Each workshop will last an hour and a half, and they will be held in time slots in the morning, beginning and end of the afternoon. Participation in these workshops is open to the public and does not require prior registration.

Photo credit: F-AIR Colombia/Facebook.

United States Air Force Thunderbirds To Perform at F-AIR 2019 In Medellín, Colombia

Loren Moss — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 17:34:13 +0000

The 11th edition of F-AIR Colombia 2019, the main military aviation trade event in Colombia and one of the most important in Latin America, is returning and set to take place July 11-14 in Rionegro, Colombia. At this semi-annual event entrepreneurs from the civil and military sector, aircraft manufacturers, aviation enthusiasts and the general public meet to both conduct business and interact with other professionals and aficionados. This year, Colombia brings as guest of honor country the United States, with the largest military and economy in the world, and a pioneer in scientific and technological advances for the aeronautical sector.

During F-AIR Colombia 2019, The United States will present its air show of the Thunderbirds, known as the aerial demonstration squadron of the US Air Force, made up of eight pilots aboard Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The US participation highlights the close ties and collaboration between the Colombian and US militaries.

Over the four days of F-AIR, attendees can enjoy static displays of American aircraft, with the arrival of four F-16 from the South Carolina Air National Guard (SCANG). In addition, just as at the last F-AIR in 2017, there will be a fly-by of a Boeing B-52 strategic bomber (picture below from the 2017 F-AIR). The B-52 is the US Air Force’s heavy bomber created in 1960 and still in active deployment, an enduring emblem of US military air power.

Additionally, the air show will have eight commercial exhibitors from the USA as well as representatives of companies from other countries, for example: Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation, a world leader in the design, manufacture and sale of combat aircraft and commercial aircraft; Gulf Coast Avionics Corporation, the major supplier of avionics and aviation services; and Milex Inc, a company that has been offering innovative products for the personal protection for the world’s defense forces for 125 years.

Colombia has become a nation with strong potential in the aviation industry, has a qualified workforce and proven knowledge in engineering. For example, during the last several years, the CIAC (Corporation of the Colombian Aviation Industry) has excelled in the manufacture of spare parts for aircraft and recently has demonstrated advances in maintenance of US manufactured Sikorsky Black Hawk multi-role military helicopters.

The 11^th F-AIR Colombia Air Show takes place at the José Maria Córdova International Airport just outside Medellín, Colombia from July 11^th to the 14^th, 2019. The 11^th and 12^th are industry-only days and closed to the public. The weekend days off the 13^th and 14^th are open to the public and when most of the exciting aerial displays and demonstrations. Tickets are available for purchase via Tuboleta.

Thunderbirds photo credit: USAF Staff Sargeant Ned T. Johnston.

US Air Force B-52 photo credit: Loren Moss, Finance Colombia

F-16s, Smoke Squadron, and Helicopter Feats Thrill Antioquia at F-AIR Colombia 2017 Airshow

Jared Wade — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 02:06:55 +0000

Once again this year, Colombia’s military and aviation authority have come together to host the nation’s largest aerial showcase, a four-day event featuring incredible feats by fighter jets, helicopters, and other advanced aircraft flying through the Andean skies.

The F-AIR Colombia 2017 airshow, now in its eighth edition, in Rionegro outside of Medellín kicked off on July 13 and will last through the weekend until July 16. The stars of this year’s show are the F-16 “Fighting Falcon” jets brought by the United States and the “Smoke Squadron” of Brazil. Both came to join the Colombian Air Force fleet, which among other aircraft is showing off its AH-60 Arpia helicopters and C-130 Hercules turboprop transport plane.

“For us, it is important that the fleet of F-16 aircraft of the Aerobatics School of the United States be present at the eighth edition of the fair, due to the recognition they have in the air industry for being the first airplane specialized in air combat and the first fighter plane built to withstand turns of 9-Gs, attack objectives on the ground, and play the double-role of fighter-bomber,” said Colonel Edgar Sánchez, subdirector of Colombia’s aviation authority Aeronautica Civil (Aerocivil).

Sanchez, who is also the director of F-AIR Colombia 2017, also sang the praises of Brazil’s contributions to this year’s event. The Smoke Squadron (Esquadrilha da Fumaça), made up of turboprop Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucanos, is a fan favorite for its signature sky-writing with emblematic smoke that can be exhausted in various colors by the planes burning off lubricating oil.

“This aircraft is used mainly by the Brazilian and Colombian Air Forces in the monitoring of operations in the Amazon Basin, as well as the interception of illegal aircraft flights, smuggling control, drug trafficking, and patrolling the boarders of Brazil,” said Sanchez.

In addition to the aerial shows, F-AIR Colombia, which is operated by Corferias, also gives visitors the opportunity to get an up-close look at the many aircraft on display. Some of the other aircraft in Rionegro this weekend include the Boeing KC 767 Jupiter, Cessna T-37 Tweet, Kaydet PT-17, Bell 206 JetRanger, AC-47 Fantasma, and Kestrel K-350.

The following is a gallery of photos from F-AIR Colombia 2017 taken by Loren Moss of Finance Colombia. All images are copyright protected and are the property of Loren Moss.

F-AIR Colombia 2017 airshow. (Credit: Loren Moss)