Madrid - Cuatro Vientos

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ICAO Code LECU/
Last Validated
City Madrid
Position 40°22'14"N 003°47'07"W
Runway(s) 10R/28L, 10L/28R
Elevation 3322 ft

General

Cuatro Vientos is the oldest airport in Spain as it was built in 1911. It is not only the general aviation airport of Madrid, it also houses some military aviation units and a helicopter maintenance facility of CASA. In 2005, there were 64,657 flight operations. LECU is the ICAO code for the civil part; the military part has code LEVS.

Layout

The layout is very simpel: civil on the south side and military at the north side of the runway. The grass runway wil only be used by military traffic. On the east side a couple of former Spanish Air Force Caribous are stored and on the west side a trio of civil ones are also stored.

Getting There

Driving to Cuatro Vientos is not that difficult as it is located next to the A-5 highway and the M-50, which are both part of the E-90 route. When driving at the M-50 take exit 30 to arrive at the civil part. To visit the military part, take the exit on the A-5 towards Cuatro Vientos and follow the Avenida de la Aviacion. There is an train/metro station at Cuatro Vientos with a colocated busstation. From here you will have bus lines towards the museum.

Around the Airport

1East Apron

Here you have a general overview of the east side of the airport. Also parked up here are some stored aircraft, like a couple of Caribous and a Catalina. At the very left of the airport, the helicopter maintenance facility is located. If there is something outside doing test runs, very nice photographs can be taken. To get to this spot you have to take the second entry to your right after leaving the motorway. The spot can be easily found as the name of the Real Aero Club de España is written in high letters on the wall here.

2Main terminal and West Aprons

If you drive from spot one back in the direction of the motorway, you have a second entry to the airport. This one leads to the main terminal via very narrow roads, with parked cars all over the place. If you follow this road all the way to the back you can peek between the hangars and even have a view of the military apron at the opposite side of the airfield.

3The Museo del Aire

This is rather hard to find as it is not on the airfield itself but at the military compound at the southside, at the other end of the highway. To get there you have to take the E-90/A-5 in the direction of Madrid (it is not possible from the other direction) and take a sharp right turn at the museum sign. Beware, after the turn is a very narrow, high bridge over the railway line and it's a very sharp turn! From there, just follow the signs to the museum, pass the gate and enjoy the great aircraft on display here. Openings hours are 1000-1400LT, closed on Monday and Holidays.

4View onto the ramp

Don’t make the turn to spot 1, but continue to follow the road. At the 1st roundabout take the fourth exit and drive into the Calle de las Flautas. Follow the road to the end, and continue in the right turn. Take the second left onto the Calle de la Sinfonia and follow the road. In the right turn park your car just before the turn and walk into the turn onto the higher ground. Here you can stand on a rock wall that gives you the opportunity to read the helicopters and aircraft on the platform.

5View onto stored Casa aircraft.

From spot 1, take the first entry on your left and follow the road until it goes into a left turn. Park your car along the road and you have a great view onto the stored Casa aircraft.

A visitor to the helicopter maintenance facility of CASA is this Armada AB212SW. Photo by Mark van der Molen

Photo possibilities at Spot 1 are not to bad, as shown by this Puma shot by Cristian Schrik.

Frequencies

121.8Ground
118.7Tower
139.3Tower - Mil
139.7Tower - Mil
257.8Tower - Mil

Based Operators

402 Esc ( Ala 48 )AS332B, AS332M1, AS532UL, code 402-xx
803 Esc ( Ala 48 )C212-100, C212-200, AS332B/B1, code 803-xx
403 EscC212-100, C212-200, Ce560, code 403-xx
AerotecPA-34
AirmanPA-23, PA-34
CoyotAirAS350, AS355, EC135
HIFSACe402, Ce404, P68
Hispánica de AviaciónBell 206, PZL W-3
IntercoptersEC120, EC135
TRAGSABell 212, UH-1

Preserved

VariousMuseo del Aire has numerous preserved aircraft.
HE.7-11This AB47G is preserved at the military base
T.9-29Caribou, preserved at the military base, it can be seen from the civil side.

More Info

Museo del AireOfficial Website
Fundiación Infante de OrleansCollection of warbirds known for its regular shows at this airport

Other Airfields

Albacete-Los Llanos
Bétera  
Córdoba
El Copero  
Granada - Armilla  
Madrid - Barajas  
Madrid - Colmenar Viejo (Coronel Maté)
Madrid - Cuatro Vientos
Madrid - Getafe
Madrid - Torrejón  
Morón de la Frontera  
Rota  
Salamanca - Matacán  
Sevilla - Helipuerto Isla de la Cartuja
Sevilla - San Pablo
Talavera la Real  

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