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In the early planning stages for a day-trip to Madrid, it was decided to avoid the long drive south so many options were looked at including flying

from Liverpool via Palma with EZY and RYN.

However, the more we investigated the Madrid area, the more desirable it became to spend an extra day around the city and the cheaper option

meant flying from Luton with easyJet on an early Sunday morning departure returning late on Monday evening. The prospect of some Biz at Luton softened the blow.

It was hoped that our arrival on a Sunday would see quieter road traffic in Madrid (and so it was to prove) as we intended to visit the Spanish Air Force

base and museum at Cuatro Vientos followed by Getafe and Torrejon before returning to Madrid for the close of play. Monday would be number-crunching at Madrid.

In the week before our departure, Luton had been closed 3 times as the snowy conditions descended on the south-east. Luckily for us we set off at

midnight on the Saturday with clear skies in freezing conditions for the crash gate on the north side of East Midlands. We didn't loiter in -4 degrees!

EAST MIDLANDS (8th February 2009)

As we arrived, Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 D-ALCN departed. The DHL ramp had 3 UK-reg'd B757F's and across at the terminal night-stopping

Bmibaby, easyJet and Ryanair's were logged. A drive round to the maintenance hangers provided a Flyglobespan B737 - nothing unusual there

except for the reg; SU-MWC, belonging to Midwest Airlines. A nice start to the trip.

LUTON (8th February 2009)

Upon arrival it was apparant that the South had indeed had more snow than us - we gingerly toured round the biz-ramps

BD100

G-KSFR

BD700

M-GBAL

N171JJ

N451CS

N887WS

VP-CVU

VP-CVV

C.510

G-NGEL

CL605

TC-SAB

CRJ850

G-CJMB

EMB135J

G-RRAZ

VP-BVS

FA50

P4-JET

FA900

N435T

Gulf 200

OE-HFC

Gulf 300

A6-RJA

Gulf 350

HZ-KSGA

Gulf 4

G-EVLN

G-MATF

HZ-MS4

N305TC

N450JE

Gulf 5/550

CS-DKD

G-GSSO

N650PL

VP-BLA

XA-CHR

LJ45

G-CDSR

On the DHL ramp, A300F's OO-DLG and OO-DIJ swapped positions.

We departed on G-EZJC for the 2 hour flight to Madrid. Once nearing final approach, our arrival took us to the west of the city and right round to the

south before lining up for runway 33L. Whilst turning on finals, the clear skies afforded views of the ramps at Torrejon (if you sit on the starboard side)

and what we could expect later in the day. Photos can also be taken of the Iberia maintenance area with it's stored aircraft just before touchdown and

parked amongst the trees in between runways 33L and 33R you can glimpse DC-3 EC-ASP.

Whilst taxiing in, 3 Gulf 1's can be seen parked on the old runway 36, see: http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=N19TZ&distinct_entry=true

General spotting information about Madrid can be found at the following link: http://krayzeekris.110mb.com/spain.htm

Once the hire-car was collected, it was our intention to log what was parked up before heading to Cuatro Vientos. We eventually found a spot along the road M-110

which can be found on the satellite version of Google maps for Madrid airport near the southern entrance to the tunnel of the M-111 that runs underneath the airport.

Aircraft parked up at the new terminals can be read off including those on roll-out having landed on 33L.

On our arrival back here later in the day, the runways had changed and the aircraft were landing from the north meaning this location is excellent for seeing all moving aircraft.

MADRID (8th and 9th February 2009)

The following log includes both lunchtime and late afternoon visits on the 8th and a full day (0930-1730) on the 9th.

Our hotel was the airport Holiday Inn Express and from here once breakfast was over, we drove up the hill on the east side of the airport from where superb views of the whole airfield

can be obtained including the stored aircraft at the Iberia maintenance area. On the descent towards Terminal 4 the zig-zag road has the occassional pull-in point where aircraft

can be read off. It is worth noting the IB A340's are stern-on and difficult to read off. With the time of year, heat haze wasn't an issue - it would be in summer.

We drove back through the aforementioned tunnel on the M-111 and took the M-110 road once again, this time looking for 'the mound' (see photo). This can be found @500m up the road

on the right where it levels off and the terminals come into view. Here a dirt track can be accessed and you can follow this adjacent to the perimeter fence. Eventually the track becomes

a path but a car can be turned around quite safely when the time to leave comes. This area can be seen on the satellite image at Google maps.

Once again landings were from the north so for the rest of the day we logged and photographed until late in the afternoon when the Police arrived. They politely asked us to move and

park alongside the road (M-110) which we did and that was the last we saw of them. For the photographers amongst you, be advised that a lot of road-signs, lights and fences

can get in the way of your pictures but with time you soon learn where the best areas are to take pictures.

AeBal

B717

EC-HUZ

EC-KHX

Aerlingus

A320

EI-CVD

Aerolineas Argentina

A340

LV-BMT

B747

LV-AXF

LV-ALJ

Aerosur

B747

CP-2525

Afrijet

MD83

EI-CIW

ex Meridiana parked near IB maintenance hanger

Air Berlin

A320

D-ABDE

D-ABDM

Air China

A330

B-6090

Air Comet

A310

EC-GOT

A320

EC-KJG

EC-KBM

A330

EC-KIL

EC-KIM

EC-KUO

EC-KXB

EC-KYC

A340

EC-KAJ

EC-KCF

Air Europa

A330

EC-JPF

EC-JQG

EC-JZL

EC-KOM

B738/W

EC-HBL

EC-HBM

EC-HGO

EC-HJP

EC-HKQ

EC-HKR

EC-HZS

EC-IXO

EC-JBK

EC-JHL

EC-KCG

EC-KEO

E195

EC-KRJ

Air France

A318

F-GUGC

A319

F-GRHH

F-GRHM

F-GRHU

A321

F-GTAT

CRJ700

F-GRZL

F-GRZM

Air Nostrum

ATR72

EC-HCG

EC-HEJ

EC-HJI

CRJ200

EC-GYI

EC-GZA

EC-HHV

EC-HSH

EC-HYG

EC-HZR

EC-IAA

EC-IBM

EC-IDC

EC-IKZ

EC-JCG

EC-JCO

EC-JNX

EC-JOD

CRJ900

EC-JNB

EC-JTS

EC-JTT

EC-JTU

EC-JYA

EC-JYV

EC-JZT

EC-JZU

EC-JZV

DHC8

EC-IBT

EC-ICA

EC-IDK

EC-IIA

PH-DMU

PH-DMW

Air One

CRJ900

EI-DOU

EI-DVP

Alitalia

A319

I-BIMA

I-BIMF

I-BIMI

A321

I-BIXF

MD80

I-DACS

AMC

B738W

SU-BPH

American

B777

N774AM

N790AN

Avianca

A330

N967CG

B767

N986AN

Benin Govt

B727

TY-24A

Blue Air

B737

YR-BAF

Brussels Airlines

B737

OO-VBR

OO-VEJ

OO-VEN

Bulgaria Air

B737

LZ-HVB

CSA

A319

OK-NEM

OK-NEP

Delta

B767

N175DZ

N178DZ

N843MH

easyJet

A319

G-EZAK

G-EZAN

G-EZAV

G-EZAY

G-EZBB

G-EZBH

G-EZBJ

G-EZDF

G-EZDR

G-EZDV

G-EZEP

HB-JZG

HB-JZP

B737

G-EZJK

Egyptair

B738W

SU-GCM

Finnair

A321

OH-LZB

Gadair

B757

EC-JRT

TF-LLY

Gestair

B757

EC-KLD

Hola

B737

EC-KBO

Iberia

A319

EC-HGR

EC-HGS

EC-HGT

EC-HKO

EC-JAZ

EC-JDL

EC-JEI

EC-JVE

EC-JXA

EC-JXJ

EC-JXV

EC-KBJ

EC-KDI

EC-KEV

EC-KFT

EC-KHM

EC-KJC

EC-KKS

EC-KMD

EC-KME

EC-KOY

A320

EC-FDA

EC-FDB

EC-FGH

EC-FGR

EC-FLQ

EC-FNR

EC-HAF

EC-HDK

EC-HDO

EC-HDT

EC-HGZ

EC-HQK

EC-HSF

EC-HTA

EC-HTC

EC-HUJ

EC-HUK

EC-HUL

EC-HYC

EC-IEF

EC-IEG

EC-ILQ

EC-ILR

EC-ILS

EC-IZD

EC-IZH

EC-IZR

EC-JFG

EC-JFH

EC-JFN

EC-JSB

EC-JSK

EC-KNM

EC-KOH

A321

EC-HJI

EC-HUH

EC-HUI

EC-IGK

EC-IIG

EC-IJN

EC-ILO

EC-ILP

EC-ITN

EC-IXD

EC-JDM

EC-JDR

EC-JEJ

EC-JGS

EC-JLI

EC-JMR

EC-JNI

EC-JQZ

EC-JRE

EC-JZM

A340

EC-GGS

EC-GHX

EC-GJT

EC-GLE

EC-GPB

EC-GQK

EC-GUQ

EC-HDQ

EC-HGU

EC-HGV

EC-HQF

EC-HQH

EC-HQN

EC-ICF

EC-IDF

EC-IIH

EC-INO

EC-IOB

EC-IZX

EC-IZY

EC-JBA

EC-JCY

EC-JCZ

EC-JFX

EC-JLE

EC-JNQ

EC-JPU

EC-KCL

EC-KSE

B747

EC-DIB

MD87

EC-EXM

EC-FGM

EC-FHG

EC-FND

EC-FOG

EC-FPJ

Iberworld

A320

EC-KDD

A330

EC-JHP

Iran Govt

A321

EP-AGB

KLM

B737

PH-BDD

PH-BTD

PH-BTG

PH-BTH

Korean Airlines

B777

HL7715

LAN Airlines

A340

CC-CQC

B767

CC-CEB

CC-CRH

LAN Ecuador

B767

HC-CGZ

LOT

E170

SP-LIB

Lufthansa

A319

D-AILM

A320

D-AIPT

D-AIPX

D-AIPZ

D-AIQW

CRJ200

D-ACHE

CRJ700

D-ACPQ

CRJ900

D-ACKG

Luxair

E145

LX-LGJ

Meridiana

A319

EI-DFA

Olympic

B737

SX-BKG

Portugalia

E145

CS-TPG

CS-TPJ

CS-TPK

CS-TPN

Pullmantur

B747

EC-KQC

EC-KSM

EC-KXN

Qatar

A330

A7-AED

Ryanair

B738W

EI-CTB

EI-DAO

EC-DCL

EI-DHG

EI-DHJ

EI-DHO

EI-DHS

EI-DLI

EI-DLW

EI-DPC

EI-DPX

EI-DPZ

EI-DWV

SAS

A321

LN-RKK

Spanair

A320

EC-HQM

EC-HRP

EC-HXA

EC-IAZ

EC-IMB

EC-IOH

EC-IPI

EC-IZK

EC-JJD

EC-JNC

EC-KEC

EC-KHJ

EC-KOX

EC-KPX

A321

EC-HRG

EC-INB

MD80/7

EC-FTS

EC-GAT

EC-GNY

EC-GOM

EC-GQG

EC-HFS

EC-HFT

EC-HOV

EC-JRR

EC-JSU

EC-KAZ

EC-KCZ

EC-KET

EC-KJE

EC-KJI

Spanish AF

Fa900

T.18-1/45-40

Swiftair

ATR72

EC-KAD

EC-KAE

E120

EC-HCF

MD80

EC-JQV

EC-KCX

Swiss

A319

HB-IPV

A320

HB-IJF

TAM

A330

PT-MVO

TAP

A319

CS-TTB

CS-TTF

CS-TTN

A320

CS-TNP

Tarom

B737

YR-BGH

YR-BGP

THY

B738W

TC-JGI

Tunisair

A300

TS-IPC

Ukraine

B737

UR-GAX

UPS

B767F

N327UP

US Airways

A330

N271AY

N274AY

Vueling

A320

EC-IZD

EC-JFF

EC-JGM

EC-KDG

EC-KDH

EC-KKT

EC-KRH

F-27

EC-GYL

Stored

BD700

YR-TIK

Gulf 5

N707GW

Premierjet

EC-IOZ

To conclude the Sunday evening before retiring for a well earned drink, the cargo area was our next target. With some perseverance and determination the cargo ramp

can be reached by navigating the bewildering road system. It was dark by the time we arrived and walked to the fence past a security hut where the watchman

never flinched from the TV! In this general area, a couple of Bae146's of defunct Orion Air were parked up.

Federal Express

A300F

N725FD

Fleet Air Intl

SF340

HA-TAB

Gestair

B757F

EC-FTR

DC-8F

EC-IGZ

Orionair

Bae146

EC-JVO

plus 1

Swiftair

ATR42F

EC-ISX

plus 1

ATR72F

EC-INV

EC-KJA

B737F

EC-KRA

E120

EC-HAK

EC-HMY

TNT

Bae146F

EC-ELT

EC-HJH

Unmarked

Metro's

EC-GBI

EC-HBF

plus 1

Back to our arrival, and once the parked-up aircraft were seen……..

It was now early afternoon so we set off for the excellent Museo del Aire at Cuatro Vientos Air Base hoping to arrive before it closed.

CUATRO VIENTOS (8th February 2009)

The museum houses mainly military aircraft and it is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 - 14:00. Access is through a military gate where the guard may want

to see your passport. In any case you are directed to a car-park adjacent to the museum entrance where entry is free.

First impressions are favourable, the aircraft outside are nicely arranged and there are now 6 hangers with exhibits. We had a copy of Air Britains' January

issue which listed the exhibits seen (to act as a checklist) in December and noted that by February, a 6th hanger was open and exhibits moved around!

It is not the intention to list all the exhibits, but information and photographs can be found on the internet and at the following:

Official website can be found at: http://www.aire.org/museo/

Another interesting and useful website is: http://www.ruudleeuw.com/cuatro_vientos04.htm

Once we had visited the museum, our attention was drawn to the fact that this is an active military and civil airport and with a little driving a number of

Spanish Air Force aircraft can be read off:

Casa 212

T.12B-12/74-82

T.12B-14/72-01

T.12B-16/74-71

T.12B-17/37-03

T.12B-20/37-01

T.12B-24/54-12

T.12B-26/72-02

T.12B-34/74-74

T.12B-36/37-10

T.12B-39/74-75

T.12B-47/72-06

T.12B-50/74-77

T.12B-58/74-86

T.12B-68/37-15

T.12C-43/74-85

TR.12A-4/403-02

TR.12A-5/403-03

TR.12A-8/403-06

D3B-3

D3B-8

DHC-4 Caribou

T.9-5

T.9-29

From here we navigated our way around to the civil side of the airfield. Many light aircraft of all shapes and sizes are parked outside including a few biz-jets.

Because it was a Sunday the place was almost deserted and the ramp inaccessable. However, all is not lost. We called in at the 'modern' terminal hoping to find

someone who would let us onto the ramp and photograph a Catalina that was parked outside a hanger. After a short while of trying to make ourselves

understood at the pilot booking-in office, we were issued passes and hi-viz jackets and allowed to walk to the Catalina and take photographs! All the while

we were followed by one of the ramp staff and ushered back as soon as we had finished. We curteously thanked the staff for their help on our departure.

Driving back towards the entrance of the civil side you pass a covered swimming pool with the 'old' art-deco terminal opposite. We had word that the terminal

has a balcony that overlooks the main ramp so we investigated. To our amazement it appeared to be used as a restaurant only now but once in the building

immediately on your left are some steps up to a walkway that leads to a covered balcony with fine views of the ramp and the Casa's on the far side of the field.

We had the place to ourselves and logged what we could before leaving pleased that quite a lot of aircraft had gone in the log that wouldn't have otherwise

been seen. The building is truly remarkable and hints at a bye-gone era that has been left untouched for decades.

DHC-4 Caribou

EC-GQL

EC-GQM

EC-GQN

T.9-3

T.9-9

T.9-10

UH-1

EC-EVS

EC-EXO

EC-GJA

EC-GLR

EC-GSO

PBY-5 Catalina

EC-EVK

C.500

EC-HPQ

C.525

EC-KSB

Mu300

EC-JKL

B.200

EC-GBB

B65 Q.Air

EC-CCD

EC-HML

Plus many other light aircraft including XB-JSG which looked like a C210 or similar.

By now time was passing quicker than we had hoped so we decided to miss Getafe and head to Torrejon in the hope of some biz-jets and water bombers.

The motorway system around Madrid takes some getting used to but with some expert navigation we soon found ourselves on the road past the main airport

and this gave us the chance to 'sus-out' the location of our hotel as it is located just off this road.

Our first stop at Torrejon was to see a compound with a number of Spanish AF Phantoms stored therein. The airfield can be seen from the motorway E90-/A-2 as you

pass but quite soon we were looking for the M-134 road which then took us through an industrial zone and eventually up to the airfield perimeter. The F-4's can be seen

amongst the base buildings alongwith a preserved Casa 352 on the base golf course between the trees.

In order to see the based water bombers and biz jets, we had to drive around the north of the airfield and position ourselves on the M-108 road that runs down the

western side of the airfield. The road has a wide margin so pulling over to pole-off the aircraft wasn't a problem. The road is higher at it's northern end so a drive to the

south means you are always facing the parked aircraft. After a number of roundabouts, there is a shopping complex and the car-park affords views also.

For photos from Torrejon, have a look at: http://www.danger-zone.fotografeert.nl/ and follow the Madrid link.

TORREJON (8th February 2009)

A318

9H-AFM

Bae125

EC-HRQ

N75GA

B350

EC-IBK

B400

EC-KKD

EC-KRS

B707

T.17-2/47-02

C500

EC-JXC

C525

EC-FZP

EC-GIE

EC-KES

EC-KOI

EC-KQO

F-GXRK

OE-FLB

C550

EC-KHP

C560

EC-GOV

EC-KKK

C680

EC-JYG

EC-KKC

EC-KMK

CL215

UD.13-15/431-15

UD.13-16/43-16

UD.13-17/431-17

UD.13-20-43-20

UD.13-24/43-24

UD.13-25/43-25

UD.13-26/43-26

UD.13-30/43-30

CL415

UD.14-01/43-31

UD.14-02/43-02

CL605

LV-BNO

E135J

EC-KFQ

Fa20

EC-EDC

EC-EHC

Fa900

T.18-2/45-41

T.18-3/45-42

EC-JBB

EC-JNZ

EC-JVR

Fa2000

EC-GNK

EC-HYI

Gulf 150

EC-KMS

EC-KPJ

EC-KTK

EC-KTV

Gulf 200

EC-KCA

EC-KPF

EC-KPL

Gulf 4

EC-KEY

Gulf 5/550

EC-IRZ

EC-JPK

EC-KLS

Lear 55

EC-INS

Lear 60

EC-JYQ

Premierjet

EC-KHH

Sabre 65

XB-IYS

WW1124

EC-GSL

From here it is a relatively short drive back to Madrid where we spent the the rest of the day until dark and the warmth of our hotel.

The weather in the UK caused our departure back to Luton to be delayed. Once onboard, the Captain advised Luton was closed due to snow but they were in the

process of clearing it. We were given a take-off slot 45 minutes later than scheduled and we duly departed onboard G-EZKF for the uneventful flight home.

Some 12 minutes out, in the descent, the Captain informed us the airport was open again and we landed to a winter wonderland and rain.

Considering the UK weather, we were pleased to see that the biz ramps had quite a few new arrivals since our departure and we hadn't diverted elsewhere.

LUTON (9th February 2009)

A319

G-EZDI

G-EZDL

BD700

N125CH

N624BP

OE-IBC

C.560

YR-RPG

C.750

D-BLDI

CL604

HB-JGR

CRJ850

D-AANN

Fa900

G-SABI

Gulf 450

N450XX

Gulf 5/500

N501ZK

N1454H

VT-SMI

The weather turned snowy again and the first 85 miles north on the M1 were driven in a blizzard on the inside lane sheltering behind a lorry! Not fun.

However, we were home and had enjoyed an excellent trip.