Madrid - Torrejón

1East View onto Apron

While driving on the A-2/E90 from Madrid to Zaragoza, take the exit towards Daganzo onto the M-100 to the north. At the first roundabout take a left. At the next roundabout take a right and drive towards the airbase. The road will lead towards the East Gate. Nearby the East Gate you will have a view into the dome shaped hangars. Best view will be in the morning. Also a view onto the dumped Phantoms will be possible.

2Westerly Landings till 1600LT

While driving on the A-2/E90 from Madrid to Zaragoza, take the exit towards Daganzo onto the M-100 to the north. The situation has changed as the M100 now is a fully-fledged dual carriage motorway. Look for the layby from the M100 that leads to the Finca Noria road to the east of the M100. From Finca Noria, you can cross the M100 via a bridge leading into the Canada Real Galliana. This is the road/dirt track leading to spot 2. Follow this road towards the runway along a dog sanctuary. Park your car on the topside of the ridge and follow the ridge. You will see the runway onto the small hill in front of you. You can now position yourself along the upwards ridge to be at the same height as the runway. The ridge almost begins at the landing lights and extends to the south. At the most southerly point you have to use a 400mm on a digital camera for a good edged shot of a CL-215. Moving along the ridge towards the landing lights will help you customize to your equipment.

3Remote spot after 1600LT

To get here you have two options. The first one is from spot 4, continue driving after the white house along the dirt road towards the bridge. Park your car under the bridge, cross the small creek (there are rocks in it, and a makeshift bridge over it furter on) and walk uphill along the R-2. Once on the hill, you have a perfect position for landing-photography. The based EF-18s are still in the turn for short finals here. The second way to get here is to drive towards Daganzo, from spot 2 (or after leaving the R-2 at exit 24) via the M-100 and M-118. The M-118 starts just after the tollroad. Where its two separate lanes merge, take the U-turn to the left back towards the base. As soon as the long left turn ends, take a sharp right onto the unpaved track, at the end of which spot 3 is.

4Westerly landings after 1600LT

After 1600LT the sun will be better at this position. Drive from spot 2 back towards the M-100. Drive underneath the R-2 tollway and take the first right towards Daganzo. Keep the right lane passing a bridge on your left over the M-100. Take the next left, which is indicated by the NO LEFT turn sign and drive over the M-100 via a bridge. Drive along the dirt road bypassing a sign stating this is a road for trucks only to pass a small farm. Be carefull as the road can be very muddy. Take the road towards the white house and park your car staying clear of the road. Now walk towards the white house along the ridge towards the landing lights untill you will arrive at the fence separating the R-2. Position yourself at the bench shaped rock to be at the same height as the runway. Be carefull not to damage any crops when trespassing!

5Alternate spot after 1600LT

After around 1600LT you will have to move due to the position of the sun. While driving on the A-2/E90 from Madrid to Zaragoza, take the exit towards Daganzo onto the M-100 to the north. At the first roundabout take a left. At the next roundabout take a right and drive towards the airbase. Continue past the gate onto a dirt road to follow the perimeter. When passing the runway lights park your car at the right into the small dirt road and walk along the gate to a good spot for photography. Be alert as the Guardia Civil will certainly interrogate you. Walking or driving along the fence to the west will give you a view onto the apron, do mind there is a large sand levelling site. Never park the car on the road adjacent to the runway.

6View onto Ala15 apron

From spot 5, drive a little bit further along the dirt road until you drive along the soil retrieving yard on your left hand side. Park your car at the end of the soil retrieving yard and walk towards the fence onto a hill. Here you have a perfect view onto the Ala 15 platform and into the QRA shelters. This place offers a good photography opportunity on the runway after 16:00LT.

7View onto Main Apron

From spot 6 continue to follow the dirt road, until you reach the 1st bridge that crosses the R-2 highway on your right side. Park your car on the bridge, and you have any perfect view onto the main ramp of the airbase. This spot is perfect for reading numbers off the main ramp.

8View onto Guardia Civil Apron

Cross the bridge at spot 7 by foot and go directly left when you crossed the bridge onto higher ground. From here you will be able to read the helicopters parked outside in front of the Security Civil hanger.

9Distant view onto the Ramp

Driving north from spot 11 along the M-108, at the second roundabout, take a right onto a dirt road. This is just before the R-2. Drive onto this road to an elevated position. From here you will be able to spot the aircraft on the east side of the ramp with a 45x binocular.

10Distant view onto the Ramp

Driving further north onto the M-108, after passing the R-2, you will see two bridges for pedestrians which are painted red. From here you will be able to read codes of the parked aircraft with a 60x binocular. Mind the heatwaves.

11View from the North

Leave the A-2/E-90 towards Ajalvir via the M-108. After the turn you will see a large shopping centre at your left with ample parking space and a view onto the airport. Unfortunately, trees and shrubberies could totally block your view.

12West View onto the Apron

When driving along the A-2/E90 you will have a look onto the smaller apron on the taxitrack towards the previous runway beginning. To be somewhat closer to the aircraft you have to drive towards the Main Gate. At the A-2 take the exit towards the Base Aerea and just before the traffic lights take the exit to the right to be perpendicular to the road facing the Air Traffic Building. Now cross the road taking a left turn onto a dirt road. Drive along the houses keeping right to arrive at the spot to overlook the apron for the private planes. Walking along the fields via some dirt tracks will enable a view onto the apron for spotting of the Canadairs and General Aviation ramp. Best spot is in the middle of the field to your right, just follow the track ahead of you and then turn right along another track.