Spain's Patrulla Águila Bids Farewell to the Iconic C-101

After four decades of serving as the backbone of Spain's Patrulla Águila aerobatic team, the C-101's illustrious journey has concluded at the Aire25 exhibition. A pilot from the team shares insights into the profound emotional significance of this iconic aircraft, which holds a special place in the hearts of generations of Spaniards.

"The C-101 is much more than just an aircraft. Except for the last two graduating classes, all Spanish Air Force pilots have learned to fly in this aircraft, and it has been the Patrulla Águila's identity for four decades. A very special era is drawing to a close," says Lieutenant Óscar Sanz.

Lieutenant Sanz is among more than a thousand military pilots who have been trained on the CASA/Airbus C-101. Sanz and his fellow Patrulla Águila team members flew the aircraft for the last time during the air display at the Aire25 festival, which took place at Murcia's San Javier air base on June 14-15, 2025. In addition to flights by combat aircraft like the Eurofighter, the farewell of the C-101 represented a significant milestone in the history of Spanish aviation, as highlighted in Aire25.

The C-101 is concluding its service with 285,000 training flight hours and more than 500 displays to its credit. Sanz recalls his first steps with the Patrulla Águila: "As fighter pilots, we all have experience of flying in close formation, but at first, you don't believe you'll achieve it. The hardest part for me was the barrel roll, a complete 360-degree rotation on the aircraft's longitudinal axis. You repeat it over and over... until I finally managed it, perhaps after 300 attempts!"

The C-101 possesses a versatile flight envelope that accommodates a full aerobatic display and provides an extensive speed range. "The C-101 has a more limited engine than aircraft in other European aerobatic teams, but it compensates for this lack of power by feeling like an aircraft born to teach you how to fly. It is perfect for formation flying: we pilots say it's a very 'noble' aircraft," Sanz highlights.

The Patrulla Águila, which directly succeeded the earlier F-86 Sabre formation known as Patrulla Ascua, was established in 1985 and is stationed at the San Javier Air Base in Murcia.

"Regardless of the aircraft, performing an air display always carries a certain risk: you fly at low altitude, in tight formations with aircraft in very close proximity. But we prepare everything meticulously, and the trust between us is absolute. After every flight, we always embrace each other. We call ourselves 'Team.' We help and critique each other as needed. We're friends in the air and on the ground." – Óscar Sanz

The C-101 is a two-seater jet equipped with a low wing and a single engine. Its tandem double cockpit design, featuring an elevated rear seat, is specifically optimised for flight training. Nearly all controls are duplicated in both cockpits to facilitate instruction.

The aircraft features a specially reinforced landing gear, capable of handling the structural stresses of basic training, and a high tail that prevents damage during landings with a steep angle of attack. This elevated tail, situated above the nozzle, led Spanish pilots to affectionately call it "Culopollo" (literally "Chicken's Butt"), a nickname that quickly spread among the military and aviation fans. "For most of us, 'Culopollo' represents more than just a machine. All the pilots and mechanics are very attached to it; it has 'taught' us a lot. It's something of a legend," says Sanz.

The C-101 aircraft made its maiden flight on 27 July 1977 and was officially inducted into service with the Spanish Air Force on 17 March 1980. The Patrulla Águila, originally consisting of five C-101 aircraft, conducted its first official flight on 4 June 1985.

From CASA to Airbus: the C-101 as a launchpad for Spanish aerospace

Developed by Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA), the C-101 represents a pivotal chapter in the history of what is now Airbus in Spain.

The concept for its development originated in the early 1970s. The aim was to find a successor for the T-33, T-6, and HA-200 Saeta, which were then in service as training aircraft across various Spanish Air Force units. "With the C-101, CASA and Spain leapt, becoming a true independent designer and manufacturer of military jet aircraft, as all manufacturing until then had focused on licensed models," explains Ángel Sánchez, Head of Historical Heritage at Airbus in Spain.

During the development of the aircraft, CASA partnered with Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) from Germany and Northrop from the United States. The design of the C-101 focused on simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and versatility. Its modular configuration has consistently facilitated maintenance and allowed for adaptability to evolving training requirements through regular updates. "These principles of international collaboration and modularity, which the C-101 incorporated, later became hallmarks of major European aerospace consortia, such as Airbus," Sánchez highlights. "The success of the C-101 contributed to Spain's strategic objective of reducing dependence on imported defence equipment and fostering the national defence industry, boosting the country's growing capacity to design and produce complex military aircraft indigenously."

A total of 151 C-101 aircraft were produced at Airbus Getafe. Among these, four were utilised as development prototypes, 88 were procured by the Spanish Air Force, and the remaining units are presently operational with the Air Forces of Chile, Jordan, and Honduras.

The Aire25 festival showcased several prestigious European aerobatic teams, such as the UK's Red Arrows, the French ‘Patrouille de France’ Aerobatic Patrol, and Italy's Frecce Tricolori. However, the highlight of the event was undeniably the special performance by the Patrulla Águila.

Óscar Sanz reflects on his C-101 journey after the final flight: "Certainly some of the good moments. For instance, when my whole family came to see me in Albacete for the 14th Wing's anniversary, or my first international display at Air Power in Austria. I remember looking down from the cockpit in the air at the sheer number of people gathered to watch us, and it still gives me goosebumps... When you're flying, you don't think about it, but when you land and see all that affection, all those people cheering you on, you feel immense pride representing your armed forces and your country."

In 2022, the Spanish Air and Space Force transitioned from the C-101 to the Pilatus PC-21 turboprop for basic training purposes. Concurrently, the Hürjet, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, has been selected for advanced flight training for aircraft such as the Eurofighter and F-18. Airbus is spearheading a Spanish consortium to facilitate local assembly of the Hürjet and to incorporate Spanish systems into future production batches. This partnership was officially established through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at FEINDEF 2025, the International Defence and Security Exhibition, held in May 2025 in Madrid.