Albacete Air Base - Spotting Guide

Albacete Air Base – Spotting Guide

February 7, 2021 - last modified on October 7, 2024

Albacete Air Base (ABC/LEAB) can be found roughly 5km south of the city of Albacete. It was opened in 1928 and home to fighter squadrons mostly, although there were some DC3s based here in 1960s as well. In 1992 the big NATO Tiger Meet was held at ABC and in 2007 a helicopter factory was opened in the south in addition to a first civil “terminal”, but there are no scheudeled passenger services here. Thus the airport only has roughly ~1300 unregular passengers a year.
Thanks to the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP – a higher schooling for fighter pilots) the NATO forces come together 3-4 times a year and bring their jets to Albacete for a few weeks in order to be trained here. originally this was done in Belgium, but the Programme was relocated to Albacete in 2009 as the weather is simply better here. Usually the second and the third week of the flying courses are the buissiest during the exercise. The timetable can be found here: https://www.tlp-info.org/calendars/calendar-2025. Due to the early sunset in the first and last exercise of the year the second round arrivals can be in the dark. Usual TLP mission times are 9-12 and 15-18:00. Other movements including the local Eurofighters can be any time during the day (even until sunset).

Apart from the active movements you can also see three displayed aircraft here (all marked on the map exactly):
1x Spanish Mirage in front of the civil housings in the west
1x Bo105 helicopters at Airbus Helicopters in the southwest

Written by Severin Hackenberger in cooperation with Stefan Kuhn and Mateo Leon. Updated by Patrick Weis Last Change: September 2024 – All spots checked.

Rating
Movements
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
09/27	2700m x 60m
Terminals
–	Military base with no real civil passenger terminal (just some small housings for unregular civil charters).
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not needed, nor allowed at all!
Car/Public Transport	Definitely needed. Public transport is not that good and the car offers nicely comfortable shadow.
Restrooms	Not around the spots, just inside the nearby big mall, which is located north of the airport at the city’s southern edge.
Drinks/Food	Not around the spots, just inside the nearby big mall, which is located north of the airport at the city’s southern edge. In addition also inside the city, where you will find plenty bars and cafés.
Hotels	Just in the nearby region, nothing directly here.
Season	Winter is way better due to smooth light and comfortable temperatures without haze.
Security	Spotting here is normally okay as long as you do not shoot towards air base and do not disturb anything (streets, etc.). However, adjust to the military spotting rules and keep a low profile here!
Runway Usage
General Info	Wind is mostly quite calm and they just use the direction they need at most times. During excercises main landing direction is 27 (of course depending on the wind).

	Spot #1 – CM3203 – 09 Arrivals
WHERE	West of the airfield, there runs the CM3203 also known as “Carretera Penas de San Pedro”. And just next to this street on the west, there is a little dirt road. You can get there from the mentioned paved CM3203 just north of the arrival path. Then just park somewhere along this dirtroad and position yourself regarding your favourite angle and the light either north, below or south of the arrival path along this road and the nearby field.

WHAT	09 Arrivals only.

TIME	Actually you can shoot here all day as you can easily and quickly change the arrival path’s sides by foot.

MISC.	Nothing around, but keep a low profile. Leave your car by the dirt road’s side to not block it and DO NOT walk over the field! Stick to the road please so you avoid destroying the farmer’s plants!

FOCAL LENGTH	200-400mm Harrier = 220mm, Eurofighter double = 260mm, Challanger=250mm, F-15=200mm

	Spot #2 – Farm Road – 27 Arrivals
WHERE	Just on the other side of the runway, on the eastern side of the airport, there is a little paved area, north of the roundabout to the N301 where you can park. From there walk on the farm road and position yourself regarding your favorite angle and the light either north, below or south of the arrival path along this farm road.

WHAT	27 arrivals only.

TIME	Actually you can shoot here all day as you can easily and quickly change the arrival path’s sides by foot.

MISC.	Nothing around, but keep a low profile. Be cautious when walking along the street here due to fast drivers! Leave your car by the road’s side to not block it and DO NOT walk over the fields! Stick to the road please so you avoid destroying the farmer’s plants!

FOCAL LENGTH	250-400mm. Jets between 300 and 400 mm. Casa 295 200mm, Canadair 250mm, helicopters 400mm+

	Spot #3 – Airbus Helicopter – Ramp/Helicopter flights and 27 take offs
WHERE	The spot is along the fence, just in front of the Airbus helicopters facility and the civilian ramp, the only way to get to this spot is by car. From spot 1 you can`t miss the huge hangars. Spotting onto the civilian ramp is not allowed to take pictures according to a sign at the fence. Nothing noticed toward the Airbus facility. When you walk toward the small park take offs from runway 27 (except of Eurofighters that take off quiete steep.

WHAT	Airbus facility’s ramp and civilian ramp. When the helicopters takes off they use the “runway” at their own facility, runway 13-31. In this spot you can see the helicopters a the airbus facilityalso at the civilian ramp all the general aviation planes and some airlines charters (hop and go). You get also take offs from runway 27 if they keep it low.

TIME	From sunrise till 3-4 pm (civilian ramp), 9-18:00 take offs and all day (airbus ramp depends on parking position). Albacete is very hot in summer and is better to avoid going from june to august.

MISC.	There are no photography signs installed at the fence so it is better stay away from the fence. Furthermore the mesh at the GAT is very tight. There are some restaurants nearby, only 2 min by car.

FOCAL LENGTH	Civilian ramp (50mm-150mm) and airbus ramp (70-300mm) when the helicopters are flying normally is better to use 300mm or more. Legacy 500 = 55mm; H135 airborne = 300mm; EC135 EC-MPK = 135mm; NH90 = 150mm, Jets taking off at least 350-400mm.