Princess Leonor will not train as a helicopter pilot at the Armilla air base in Granada, a decision that marks a notable difference from the military career of her father, King Felipe VI.
Despite the symbolism that this base represents in the military training of the Royal Family, the Royal Household and the Ministry of Defense have opted for a different approach to prepare the heiress.
Although Armilla has been a benchmark in flight training for decades, it does not feature in the princess’s roadmap.
Instead, Leonor will complete her military training at the General Air Academy in San Javier, where she will study helicopter flight theory and practice in simulators, although she will not participate in the full piloting program taught in Granada.
This decision does not imply an omission of the air force, but rather a way of integrating knowledge into a plan designed to familiarize her with the three branches of the armed forces: Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The choice of this itinerary responds to the current context, which is more focused on institutional preparation. Far from the model followed by her father in the 1980s, the princess is receiving training designed to enable her to assume responsibilities in a more complex world.
In addition to military instruction, her education includes academic, linguistic, and diplomatic tools that seek to reinforce her role as future head of state.