{"id":58874,"date":"2025-03-03T19:02:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T18:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=58874"},"modified":"2026-03-03T00:35:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T23:35:39","slug":"one-of-the-first-pilots-of-the-casa-c-101-aviojet-tells-us-about-this-spanish-aircraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2025\/03\/03\/one-of-the-first-pilots-of-the-casa-c-101-aviojet-tells-us-about-this-spanish-aircraft\/","title":{"rendered":"One of the first pilots of the CASA C-101 Aviojet tells us about this Spanish aircraft"},"content":{"rendered":"

We recently learned the news that this summer we will see the withdrawal from service of the CASA C-101 of the Patrulla \u00c1guila<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Patrulla \u00c1guila, the second aerobatic team to change jets for turboprops<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe details that we can see in a CASA C-101 Aviojet aircraft seen from very close up<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

As in the training flights of the San Javier General Air Academy (AGA), the C-101s of the Patrulla \u00c1guila will be replaced by the Pilatus PC-21 turboprops<\/strong>. This will bring to an end a 45-year history of Aviojet service in Spain, since this aircraft entered service in 1980 at the AGA<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
A CASA C-101EB Aviojet (the E.25-23 \/ 79-23 \/ \u00c1guila 1) of the Patrulla \u00c1guila at Torrej\u00f3n de Ardoz Air Base, Madrid, on October 11, 2014, during the Aire75 airshow (Photo: Elentir<\/a>).<\/div>\n

Spain came to operate a total of C-101EBs<\/strong>, being used by the AGA, by CLAEX, by the Matac\u00e1n School Group (GRUEMA) and by the Patrulla \u00c1guila. Furthermore, the aircraft was exported to three countries: Chile<\/strong> (35 units, 12 C-101BB and 23 C-101CC), Jordan<\/strong> (16 C-101CC) and Honduras<\/strong> (4 C-101BB). Today, these three countries have long since retired their C-101s from service, so this aircraft is now only used in Spain.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
The first prototype of the CASA C-101 Aviojet (XE.25-01) outside Hangar 1 of the Cuatro Vientos Air Museum (Madrid, Spain). It was used by CASA for underwing and shooting load tests of the planned ET-25 light support and shooting training version. It first took off from the CASA hangar in Getafe (Madrid) on May 28, 1977, and made its maiden flight on June 27 of that same year (Photo: Elentir<\/a>). <\/div>\n

Today there are two C-101s on display next to Hangar 1 of the Museo del Aire de Cuatro Vientos<\/strong>, in Madrid: the first prototype (XE.25-01), with which this model made its maiden flight on June 27, 1977, piloted by Colonel Gabriel de La Cruz Jim\u00e9nez, and one of the C-101EBs of the Patrulla \u00c1guila, the E.25-23. This Monday, the Association of Friends of the Air Museum<\/a> has published an interesting video on Javier D\u00edaz<\/strong>, in which one of the first Spanish pilots to fly with this aircraft, explains the history of the C-101 and some curiosities about it<\/strong> (the video is in Spanish, you can activate automatic English subtitles in the bottom bar of the player):<\/p>\n