CASA C-101 Aviojet

CASA · Spain · first flew 1977 · fighter

The CASA C-101 Aviojet is a Spanish single-engine two-seat jet trainer and light ground-attack aircraft developed by CASA with German and American collaboration. It remains in service with the Spanish Air Force and several export customers.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, swept
E — Engines	1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	12.6 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Spanish tandem two-seat jet trainer and light attack
Single embedded turbofan with ventral intake
Straight-tapered wings and T-tail profile

A sleek low-wing tandem two-seater with a belly-mounted air intake, swept wings, and a conventional tail — similar in general layout to the BAE Hawk but with a more rounded fuselage cross-section.

Specifications

The CASA C-101 Aviojet has a length of 12.6 m (41 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.6 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 793 km/h (493 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Development began in the early 1970s to replace the Spanish Air Force's ageing Sabre and T-33 trainers, with first flight achieved in June 1977. The C-101 was developed with assistance from MBB and Northrop and entered service in 1980. The Patrulla Águila aerobatic display team operates a dedicated variant.

Variants

The C-101EB is the Spanish Air Force trainer; the C-101BB is a more capable export version; the C-101CC adds a more powerful engine and weapons pylons; the C-101DD is the most advanced variant. The Chilean licence-built version is known as the T-36 Halcón.

Where you'll see it

In service with Spain, Chile, Honduras, and Jordan; the Spanish Patrulla Águila aerobatic team uses a dedicated C-101 variant.

Related aircraft

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