History

Military Aviation was set up by Colonel Vives in 1911, thus instituting the Spanish Air Force and the first Pilot School located in Cuatro Vientos (Madrid). The next year, naval officers joined the School with the idea of developing the future naval aviation element of the Spanish Navy.

King Alfonso XIII signed a decree whereby the Naval Aviation was finally established in 1917 with the corresponding educational centers. The first school was located in Barcelona.

With the establishment of the Air Force as such, a change in the use, definition and operation of air assets in the Armed Forces took place. It was not until 1954, however, that the Spanish Navy definitively launched its Fleet Air Arm to enhance its defense capability incorporating naval helicopters.

The first rotary-wing aircraft to arrive were the BELL 47G helicopters. The primeval Squadron was based at Marin (NW Spain) and in association with it, the so-called ‘Helicopters School’. In 1960 the school moved to larger facilities in Rota Naval Base.

With the integration of the new AV-8S fixed-wing aircraft the School changed its name to ‘School of Air Crews’.

In this new stage the School has enhanced its academic offer with courses not only for pilots but for other air services as well, like maintenance, avionics, SAR, fire-fighting, interception controllers (CTAM), helicopters at sea (HCO) and airport marshals. Great importance is given to the teaching of languages, particularly English since the different Aircraft Squadrons usually operate in international scenarios with Navies and Armies from other nations.