Madrid–Cuatro Vientos Airport Explained

Madrid–Cuatro Vientos Airport
Icao:LECU/LEVS
Type:Public/Military
Operator:Aena
Hub:Flylink Express
Location:Madrid
Elevation-F:2269
Elevation-M:691
R1-Number:09/27
R1-Length-F:4,900
R1-Length-M:1,494
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:09L/27R
R2-Length-F:3,698
R2-Length-M:1,127
R2-Surface:Grass–Earth
Stat-Year:2016
Stat1-Header:Movements
Stat1-Data:35,640
Stat2-Header:Movements change 15-16
Stat2-Data:11.5%
Footnotes:Sources: Aena[1]

Madrid–Cuatro Vientos Airport, also known as Cuatro Vientos Airport, is the oldest airport in Spain, established in and one of the three civil airports of Madrid along with Madrid–Barajas and Madrid–Torrejón Airport. The airport is located 8km (05miles) southwest of the city centre. The name "Cuatro Vientos" pronounced as /es/ translates into English as "Four Winds".

Cuatro Vientos was originally an air base, which later became also a civil airport. Thus, there is a military section located on a separate apron of the airport, opposite to the civil one. It is also used as the Madrid base for aircraft of the Spanish Police, as well as for the road traffic surveillance helicopters.

History

On 31 July 1919, an English aviator James Arthur Peters made the first non-stop flight from the UK to Spain. He flew an Alliance aircraft, a Seabird P1 that he had designed, from Hendon airport to Cuatro Vientos in 9 hours. His navigator was named as Curtiss.He carried a letter for the Queen of Spain from Mr Gillow the owner of the company that made the aircraft.Peters later flew back to the UK and named his house in Kings Langley, Herts. ‘Cuatro Vientos’.

Emilio Herrera Linares created an aerodynamics laboratory.In 1936, he tested there his stratonautical space suit, a precursor of the space suit to explore the stratosphere.The start of the Spanish Civil War cancelled the planned balloon trip to test it.[2]

Infrastructure

This airport is mainly used by general aviation aircraft, Flight Training Organizations and flying clubs. Due to the runway length and surrounding buildings it is only possible to operate helicopters, piston engine aircraft, medium size turbo-props and small business jets. The only navigational aid is a non-directional beacon.

The Museum of Aeronautics and Astronautics, an air and space museum mainly dedicated to the Spanish Air and Space Force, is located on the southern side of the airport.

Accidents and incidents

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Madrid - Cuatro Vientos.
  2. News: Martínez Ron . Antonio . La capa 'perdida' de Emilio Herrera: “Esto es lo único que nos queda del primer traje espacial de la historia” . 17 May 2024 . elDiario.es . 16 May 2024 . es-ES.
  3. Web site: T.3-57 Accident description . Aviation Safety Network . 15 August 2010.
  4. Web site: Crash Cuatro Vientos Hispania 200D . NBCNEWS . 5 May 2013.