Princess Leonor’s military training at the General Air and Space Academy in San Javier has reached its most technical and demanding phase. As a fourth-year cadet, it’s no longer just a matter of keeping up with the daily military routine; she now needs to master something much more complex: the airspace.
Her goal is clear: to earn her pilot’s wings, which will certify her as an officer in the Spanish Air Force.
And to achieve that, she still has a long way to go.
How many flight hours does Princess Leonor need to earn her pilot wings?
According to the current curriculum for the 2025–2026 academic year, Princess Leonor needs to complete between 50 and 60 hours of actual flight time to earn her wings.
During each of those hours, instructors monitor her performance, evaluating everything from takeoff to landing, including cruising stability. And even after she gets off the plane, her training doesn’t stop.
The program includes an additional 50 to 60 hours in a state-of-the-art simulator, where she will encounter engine failures, extreme weather conditions, and simulated combat scenarios.
The goal is that, when she gets into the actual aircraft, her reactions will be instinctive, almost automatic.
Sources at the Academy say that “the first few times, you feel that respect, but with practice, it all goes away,” and that the princess is doing well.
The Pilatus PC-21: The Swiss Aircraft the Heir to the Throne Trains In
The aircraft used in this phase of her training is the Pilatus PC-21, a Swiss-made turboprop that replaced the historic C-101.
It’s not just any aircraft. Its glass cockpit and integrated avionics allow it to simulate the performance of a fifth-generation fighter jet, such as the Eurofighter or the F-35, including virtual weapon systems and radars, all while the aircraft reaches speeds in excess of 680 km/h.
Which maneuvers has Princess Leonor completed, and which ones does she still need to complete?
The program for this course is divided into phases of increasing complexity. Princess Leonor has already completed “La Suelta,” her first solo flight, and since then she has been working on formation flying, where the aircraft fly within meters of each other, and on aerobatic maneuvers that help develop spatial orientation.
According to the Monarquía Confidencial website, Princess Leonor has not yet completed night flying or low-level navigation, two of the phases that require the most concentration and that remain on her training schedule.