The days from Monday 27 October to Wednesday 29 October 2025 followed a fairly similar rhythm. Each morning we headed out in two minivans toward the southern end of the airport. Set against the island’s rugged landscape, we waited for the military action to unfold. Fortunately, aviation enthusiasts never had time to get bored, as dozens of airliners visited the airport every single day. From various vantage points we could also observe part of the military participants, and a few aircraft parked in the shelter area were particularly photogenic. We chose to attend the second week of the exercise, as airfare prices during the first week were exorbitant. The first week did include a dedicated spotters’ day, which resulted in slightly different photos, but nothing dramatically different.
Although we were positioned relatively close to the runway threshold, heat haze in the air made it difficult to get the crisp shots we were hoping for. Still, whenever the AW139 helicopter of Salvamento Marítimo (Coast Guard) appeared on approach, everyone sprang into action—even though it carried a civilian registration, it made for an impressive sight. The locally based H215 flew multiple times during the week, but seemed determined to avoid being photographed properly, thanks to its unpredictable and ever-changing approaches.
By late morning, between 35 and 40 aircraft would take off to start the exercise: Spanish Hornets and Eurofighters from various units, German Eurofighters, Greek F-16s, Indian Su-30s, and a substantial number of F-15s from RAF Lakenheath. After a few hours they returned, only to repeat the whole spectacle again in the afternoon, although the later missions were somewhat smaller in scale.
Midday was a chance to grab some food, have a swim in the ocean and relocate to the western side of the landing area, ensuring the sun stayed nicely behind us. In the afternoon, this also allowed for the classic shots these bases are known for, with the sea forming a stunning backdrop behind the aircraft. During one of the lunch breaks, most of the group also visited Aeródromo de Maspalomas, where a DC-7 still stands at the entrance and a Huey helicopter can be found near a nearby paintball venue.
The aircraft returning from the afternoon missions often came back close to sunset, making photography more challenging, but with several opportunities we still managed to capture some pleasing results.
