The aircraft that could not fly in the Spanish National Day air parade

Once again this year, Spain celebrated Hispanic Heritage Day on October 12th with a civic-military parade in Madrid.

The striking reduction in the number of planes at the October 12 air parade in Madrid
The PC-21 aircraft of the Formación Mirlo are now creating smoke trails with the Spanish Flag

If you missed this parade or if you want to see it again, the Royal House broadcast it on its Youtube channel giving the RTVE signal without any kind of commentary, only with the ambient sound and the instructions of the organization, which is very much appreciated, because once again this year there have been complaints about the RTVE broadcast and in particular about its commentators, who did not let us hear what was happening in the parade:

In 2024, rain forced the cancellation of the air parade. This year a smaller parade was planned, with 45 planes and 29 helicopters belonging to the Air Force, the Navy, the Army, the Military Emergency Unit (UME), the Civil Guard, the National Police Corps and Maritime Rescue.

However, cloud cover forced the air parade to be drastically reduced: only 19 planes flew and no helicopters. The parade organizers announced this over the PA system: "Due to weather conditions and for flight safety reasons, the number of participating formations has been reduced."

In the press kit released by the Ministry of Defence (see PDF) 18 air formations were scheduled but only five flew: four from the Air Force and one from the Navy. All other air services were left without representation.

The air parade was initiated by Formation 1, with two EF-18M Hornet fighters from Wing 12, based in Torrejón, as the parade's command group. Formation 2 flew next, and this is where the announced reductions began: only four Eurofighters flew instead of the seven planned, all of them belonging to Wings 11 and 14, based in Morón and Albacete, respectively. After them, Formation 3 was also reduced: four EF-18Ms instead of the seven announced, all of them belonging to Wings 12 and 15, based in Torrejón and Zaragoza, respectively.

Fortunately, Navy's 4th formation flew with the four Harrier IIs from the 9th Squadron that were scheduled. It was the only formation in the air parade not belonging to the Air Force.

The air parade closed with the 18th formation, the Blackbird Formation, with five Pilatus PC-21s from the San Javier Air Force Academy. There has been criticism of the smoke trails in the colors of the National Flag, but it should be noted that weather conditions influence these colors, as was already the case with the Eagle Patrol.

Quite a few aircraft were left unflyable. Formation 5, made up of 4 F-5BMs (above these lines) from Wing 23, based in Talavera La Real, was unable to participate.

We also did not see the 6th air refueling formation, made up of three aircraft: an Airbus A330 MRTT multipurpose tanker aircraft (above these lines) and two fighters, an EF-18 from Wing 12 and a Eurofighter from Wing 11.

Formation 7 also did not fly. It was planned to have two Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft (above these lines) from the 31st Wing.

The 45th Wing was also left without representation. It was going to fly in formation 8 with an Airbus A310 (above these lines) and two Falcon 900s, in addition to a Cessna Citation from the Cartographic and Photographic Center (CECAF) of the Air Force.

Many of us especially miss the amphibious aircraft of the 43rd Air Force Group (above these lines), which was going to fly with three of its CL-215T and CL-415 aircraft.

The 10th maritime surveillance and rescue formation also did not fly. It was made up of two CN-235s from Wings 48 and 49 and a CN-235 from the Civil Guard Air Service (above these lines).

Formation 11 was going to be dedicated to tactical transport for the Air Force, with a CN-235 from the Matacán School Group (GRUEMA) and two C-295s from the 35th Wing (above).

Formation 12 was to be the command group for the helicopter parade. It was made up of Wings 48 and 49, with a Super Puma, two NH-90s and two S-76 Spirits (above).

Formation 13 corresponded to the Aspa Patrol, the Air Force's helicopter acrobatic unit, with five Eurocopter EC-120 Colibri.

Formation 14 corresponded to the Army's Airmobile Forces (FAMET). This formation was scheduled to include two CH-47F Chinook heavy transport helicopters (above), one EC-665 Tigre attack helicopter, two AS-532 Cougar medium transport helicopters, one NH-90, and two EC-135s.

Formation 15 corresponded to the helicopters of the Navy's Aircraft Flotilla (FLOAN). It was going to fly with an SH-60F Seahawk, an SH-60B Seahawk and for the first time an NH-90 (above these lines).

The Air Service (SAER) of the Civil Guard was going to fly in formation 16, with an EC-135 (above these lines) and two AS-365 Dauphin.

Formation 16 included various State resources, specifically three EC-135s from the National Police Corps (above these lines), an EC-135 from the UME and a Leonardo AW139 from Maritime Rescue.

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Images: Casa Real / Ejército del Aire / Airbus / U.S. Air Force / Guardia Civil / Elentir / Deutsches Heer / Armada / Policía Nacional.