These two aeroclubs were among the most important aviation organizations of their time, carrying out a large proportion of Catalonia’s aerial activities. After years of growth and flourishing activity, the Spanish Civil War broke out, bringing the progress and prosperity enjoyed by both organizations to an abrupt halt.
At the beginning of the 1940s, aviation activities resumed, first through the Barcelona Aeroclub and later, in 1946, through the Sabadell and Vallès Aeroclub.
The rapid development of industry, commerce, and tourism led to a major expansion of commercial aviation. As a result, commercial air traffic became increasingly incompatible with recreational and sporting aviation activities, forcing the suspension of the Barcelona Aeroclub’s operations at El Prat Airport. Given the high cost of establishing a new airfield for the Barcelona Aeroclub, it was proposed that the presidents of the Barcelona Aeroclub and the Sabadell and Vallès Aeroclub join forces to promote aeronautical sports and aviation in general. The merger of the two aeroclubs was officially completed on July 27, 1953.
The results of the merger were immediate and remarkable, leading to significant improvements at the Sabadell facilities. From its inception, the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell became an active participant in most aeronautical events held in Spain, including festivals and competitions, quickly earning the reputation of being “the best aeroclub in Spain.”
By 1955, the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell and its members operated a fleet of 36 aircraft.
By the late 1960s, of the 28,366 flight hours logged by Spain’s 33 aeroclubs, 7,033 belonged to the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell. Of the 245 private pilot licenses issued that year, 53 were awarded through the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell flight school. Membership had grown to 850 members.
Throughout its history, several pilots from the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell have undertaken significant flights that helped establish the club as a pioneer in promoting all forms of aviation activities.
Notable examples include the 1973 Barcelona–Bali (Indonesia) flight by Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell pilots Lluis Malagarriga and Antoni Almirall, who covered 32,000 kilometers in 29 stages aboard a Beechcraft Bonanza. In 1975, Marius Rotllant flew a single-engine Bellanca from Barcelona to Rovaniemi, crossing the Arctic Circle. That same year, José Maria Pérez de Lucia, Xavier Casanovas, Narcís Parera, and Jordi Valla completed a flight from Oklahoma to Barcelona, crossing the North Atlantic via Greenland. In 1989, pilot Francisco Irigoyen crossed the Atlantic solo in a single-engine Mooney aircraft. In 1992, pilots Pere Valls and Francesc Berga reached the Arctic Circle in a four-stage journey. More recently, in 2001, Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell pilots Angel Anglada and José Luis Borràs flew from Sabadell to Cape Verde aboard a Mooney aircraft, among many other notable flights.
Aeromodelling and gliding were among the first aviation disciplines developed within the club. In 1967, the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell established its Gliding Section, which later became the Igualada-Òdena Gliding Club. In 1999, the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell once again established a gliding center and training school, based at La Cerdanya Aerodrome.
By the late 1960s, the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell was the only aeroclub in Spain equipped with its own aircraft specifically suited for aerobatics and possessed extensive experience in the discipline, thanks to the flight school’s commitment to promoting this type of flying. In 1965 and 1966, the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell organized the first and second Spanish National Aerobatic Championships. From 1985 onwards, aerobatic flying became firmly established, leading to the creation of the Barcelona-Sabadell Aerobatic Club. Throughout its long history, numerous pilots associated with the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell have won Spanish national championships in various categories.
Although more recent in origin, the Helicopter Section has also played an important role within the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell. The inclusion of helicopter training within the flight school ensured the continuity of this aviation discipline, making the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell one of the few clubs in Spain where helicopter flying remains actively practiced today.
Skydiving became part of the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell in 1974, and in 1976 the Skydiving Section was formally established with the creation of the ParaClub Barcelona-Sabadell. At its peak, the section had 110 members and carried out approximately 6,000 jumps per year.
In the field of air competitions, the Volta Aèria de Catalunya (Catalan Air Tour) has been part of the history of the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell since its inception. Held continuously since 1956, it remains one of the leading competitions for high-level aviation sports participants.
Air shows have also played a major role in the history of the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell. Since 1953, the club has celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto, Patron Saint of Aviation. Although the format of the celebration has evolved over time, its spirit has remained unchanged. The air festivals organized by the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell became highly anticipated events due to their spectacular displays, attracting not only members and aviation enthusiasts but also the general public. These events served as a model for many other air shows organized throughout Spain.
The Festa al Cel Air Festival has also been closely linked to the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell since its creation in Barcelona in 1992, and later in Mataró and Lleida. Today, it is organized by Estudio Brainstorm, S.L., in collaboration with the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell, and is considered one of the most spectacular and prestigious air festivals in Spain.
The Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell has been, and continues to be, the driving force behind recreational aviation in Catalonia and one of the leading contributors to aviation development in Spain.
Presidents of the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell
| José Mª Marcel Coll | 1953-1962 |
| Antonio Tamburini Tous | 1962-1967 |
| Carlos Alós Soler | 1967-1971 |
| José Carlos Iriarte Olano | 1971-1979 |
| Juan J. Fernandez Toca | 1979-1981 |
| Ramón Sugrañes Cardona | 1981-1987 |
| José Puig Ferrer | 1987-1991 |
| Ricardo Vierbücher Rabassa | 1991-1994 |
| José Rubira Suárez | 1994-1996 |
| Carles Martí Batera | 1996-2015 |
| Pere-Joan Nogueroles Asencio | 2015- |
