Thousands of people have crowded the beaches of Torre del Mar, Caleta, and Almayate since noon to watch the 15 aerial displays, which will continue until 15:30.
The roar of engines has once again taken over the Axarquía coastline this Sunday. The main day of the eleventh edition of the Torre del Mar International Air Festival kicked off at 12:00, with thousands of people spread along the beach to witness a display that, according to the scheduled programme, will last until 15:30. The largest concentration of spectators stretches from Torre del Mar towards Caleta de Vélez to the east and Almayate to the west, on a morning marked by a festive atmosphere.
The weather is cooperating for one of the most popular events on the Axarquía municipality's tourist calendar, as reported by Diario Sur. The day is warm, with a calm Mediterranean Sea and numerous people alternating between watching the aircraft and swimming. Aviation enthusiasts, families, and visitors of different ages have occupied the sand and promenade since early morning, seeking a good spot to follow the maneuvers.
Among the audience are visitors from various parts of Spain and abroad. This includes Jorge Iranzo and Mariana Fernández, who have travelled directly from Madrid and are already regulars at this Torre del Mar event.
“We have been coming for four consecutive years, we never miss it, it’s a wonderful show,” they explained while waiting for the displays to begin.
The programme is opened by the Aerial Acrobatics Parachuting Patrol of the Air and Space Army (PAPEA), whose performance is scheduled between 12:00 and 12:20. Following them will be the parachuting team of the Guardia Civil until 12:35, and then the formation from the Real Aeroclub de Sevilla, which has the next twelve minutes of the programme reserved.
After them, the lighter and more acrobatic displays will take place. The paramotor of David Teijeiro is scheduled between 12:47 and 13:07, followed by ELA Autogiro, with Francis Jiménez, until 13:19. The helicopter of the National Police will then take over, before Aerosparx begins one of the most visually striking performances of the day.
The Sunday programme features 15 displays of a civil, institutional, and military nature. After Aerosparx, a double participation from the Guardia Civil is planned, first with a helicopter and then with the CN-235 aircraft. Following them will be Camilo Benito until 14:11, before one of the major aircraft in the programme takes the stage: the A400M, which has its display scheduled between 14:11 and 14:23.
The final stretch will bring together some of the main attractions of the Air Show. Yakstars will fly between 14:23 and 14:37, followed by the C.16 Eurofighter, whose roar is expected to once again become one of the most anticipated moments for the audience. Then it will be the turn of the Patrulla ASPA until 15:14, and the Formación Mirlo, which will close the displays with their Pilatus PC-21 until 15:29.
The Formación Mirlo is precisely one of the main novelties of this edition. The festival director, Pablo González, had already mentioned during the presentation that their participation would be one of the major attractions.
“It will be spectacular to see them in action in the sky over Torre del Mar,” he assured at that time.
This year, the festival brings together more than 33 aircraft and 18 display units, according to data provided by the Vélez-Málaga City Council.
Beyond the aviation component, the City Council presents the event as one of the main tourist happenings at the end of summer. The first deputy mayor and mayor of Torre del Mar, Jesús Pérez Atencia (GIPMTM), has argued that the event allows us to “position ourselves touristically and within the world of aviation.” The bipartite government of PP and GIPMTM links its celebration in September with the goal of extending the tourist season and generating activity in hotels, apartments, bars, restaurants, and shops.
The high turnout also necessitates maintaining an important security and emergency device active throughout the morning. National Police, Guardia Civil, Firefighters, Civil Protection, and health services are part of the operation planned for a free event visible from much of the Torre del Mar coastline. The organisation has designated the area of Biblioplaya as one of the recommended points for better viewing of the aircraft's crossings and figures.
The festival reaches its central day after a weekend that began on Friday with training and experienced the Sunset Air Show last Saturday night, a format designed to combine the last lights of the day with night flights. However, the Sunday programme concentrates the highest number of participants and some of the most awaited aircraft by enthusiasts.
Now, over three hours of aerial activity lie ahead over a promenade and beach once again transformed into a large outdoor grandstand. The official programme sets the closure at 15:30, although the organisation reminds that the schedules may be subject to changes for technical, operational, or weather-related reasons.
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