ENAIRE hosts a meeting at its Madrid Control Centre with the Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force

ENAIRE, the state air navigation service provider, today welcomed at its Madrid Control Centre the visit of the Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force (JEMA), General Francisco Braco Carbo. On his arrival, the JEMA was received by the Secretary General for Air and Maritime Transport, Benito Núñez; the Director General of Civil Aviation, David Benito; the Director General of ENAIRE, Enrique Maurer; and the Director of the Central North Region, Enrique Gismera. Also in attendance were the Director of Civil-Military Coordination, the Director of Air Navigation Services, and the Deputy Director of Air Navigation.

This visit is part of the close collaborative relationship between ENAIRE and the Air and Space Force. This civil-military coordination is an essential element for the safe, efficient, and resilient operation of Spain’s air traffic management system. It makes it possible to optimise a strategic resource such as airspace, strengthens risk management, improves response capacity in contingencies, and contributes to maintaining high standards of quality, operational safety, and service continuity, as well as making a decisive contribution to environmental sustainability.

In recent years, this collaboration has enabled agreements that integrate the needs of Defence and civil aviation, implementing the Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) model, which forms the central pillar of airspace management in Spain.

In 2025, ENAIRE managed 2,470,604 flights, a 4.7% increase compared with 2024. Of these, 1,344,805 were handled by the Madrid Control Centre, which grew by 4.8% and remained the busiest in Spain. This centre manages traffic in the central and north-western parts of the peninsula, covering 435,000 square kilometres, and plays a key role in civil-military coordination.

Airspace Management Cell

The facilities host the Airspace Management Cell (AMC) and the Madrid Air Traffic Squadron (ECAO no. 1), units essential for safely and efficiently integrating civil and military requirements in Spanish airspace.

The AMC, a joint unit between ENAIRE and the Air and Space Force (GRUCAO), manages airspace at the pre-tactical level within the FUA framework. It is responsible for analysing, coordinating, and allocating short-term areas for military activities, general and recreational aviation operations, as well as special activities such as security missions or public events.

As for the ECAO, it plays a key role at the tactical level of coordination. It acts as a direct link with civilian controllers, monitors the use of airspace reserved for military operations in real time, and manages the activation and deactivation of segregated areas.

Thanks to this joint model, Spain has a modern, cooperative, and highly adaptable airspace management system, which optimises airspace use, provides flexibility in operational changes, and allows effective responses to unforeseen situations.

Family photo 2 of the visit with the Secretary General of Air and Maritime Transport, Benito Núñez.

Header Photo: Family photo 1 of the visit of the Chief of the Air Force, with General Francisco Braco Carbo and the Director General of ENAIRE, Enrique Maurer