In 1999, Spain was the second most visited country after France and ahead of the US. Tourism represents about 10 per cent of the country's gross domestic product. Well all of this is nice, you will say, but what about general aviation...

There are two airports in Madrid, five or six miles apart, which are Barajas and Torrejon. As you all know, Barajas airport is closed to General Aviation from 0600 LT to 2359 LT, so all General Aviation traffic has to operate at Torrejon airport outside these times.

It is necessary to obtain slots at both airports and flight plans have to be filed accordingly.

As at Torrejon, GA at Barajas has been working perfectly. The only difficulty that sometimes arises is when an operator arrives at 2am and wants to leave the next day, or the day after, at 10am.

Before 6am, we have to carry out an empty flight from Barajas to Torrejon in order that the aircraft is in position, ready to leave.

The Spanish government plans to replace Madrid's Barajas airport within 15 years, when it is expected to reach full capacity. The minister announced about a week ago that it will build a new airport at Campo Real, southeast of Madrid, for all traffic. Once it is open, Barajas will be shut down. Barajas and the new airport will be 15 km away from each other, meaning that both airports can't be used at once because planes' flight paths would intersect.

In the meantime, Barajas airport will keep expanding until the new airport is built. They have told us that when Barajas has its four runways at full operation, then we will go back, but we will be at Torrejon and Barajas airports with its curfews at least for the next four years.

Barajas right now is capable of receiving up to 30 million passengers per year. With construction, it will be capable of receiving 75 million.

Not only is Barajas becoming over-saturated but Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, Las Palmas and Tenerife will soon have to be coordinated due to the high traffic. And you will need airport slots as well.

FBO standards here in Spain are more like those in Europe, rather than those in America. In Spain, all the airports belong to airport authorities, who build offices and terminals and then put you in there. What they don't like is people to build on them. So the chances of having beautiful FBOs like they have in the US, are zero.

The economy is booming all around the world and more aircraft are flying. Crude is at its highest price ever but everyone is looking to save money. Well Spain is still cheaper than most other EU countries and that is why many airlines and companies are coming to Spain. Landing fees and parking fees, for example, are less expensive in Spain.

With a thriving economy in Spain, GA has been increasing over the last five years and I have seen more new customers coming along. Europe right now is in a much better position than Asia so the US diverts a lot of their business into Europe.

Also, there are the taxi companies. Before, they didn't want to buy aircraft to expand their operations but now the circumstances have changed, every time you talk to a manager of a different company, he's talking about new acquisitions.

So GA in Spain is increasing - more aircraft, more movements, more in it for everybody.

Gonzalo Barona, managing director, Universal Aviation Spain