Most fly-ins measure success in burgers sold and aeroplanes parked. The Open STOL at Torremocha del Jiloca measures it in metres. Bring an aeroplane, land it in as little space as you dare, take off again in even less, and then sit down to lunch and a raffle for three Spanish hams.
This year's edition runs on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October 2026, on a small airfield at 3,230 ft in the Jiloca valley, in the province of Teruel. If you fly a light aircraft in Spain and have never been to a short-field event, it is worth a look.
What the Open STOL actually is
STOL stands for short take-off and landing. In the United States, STOL contests have become a spectator sport with dedicated classes and highly modified aircraft. The Torremocha event is deliberately more modest. The organisers describe it as a non-competitive test: you land and take off in the shortest distance you can, and nobody is going to disqualify your touring aeroplane for having standard tyres.
The host is Amilpies, a flight school run by instructors Arturo Polo Ena and Elisa Fernández Esparza, which specialises in bush flying, mountain flying and tailwheel training from bases at Torremocha del Jiloca (Teruel) and Castejón de Sos (Huesca). It is the kind of crowd where you will learn something just by watching the approaches.
Key facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | Friday 23 October (arrivals in the afternoon) and Saturday 24 October 2026 (main day) |
| Venue | Torremocha del Jiloca airfield, Teruel |
| Registration | Required in advance, through the form on the organiser's page, before Wednesday 21 October, 20:00 |
| Fee | €40 per person, pilots and spectators alike |
| Included | Lunch, ham raffle, commemorative gift, fees and (optional) participation in the test |
| Weather policy | Fixed date: it is not moved, even in bad weather |
The bar on site serves drinks only, so the lunch in the fee is the meal of the day.
Saturday programme
08:00–10:00: arrival of participants
10:30: briefing
11:00: start of the test
14:30: lunch
16:45: prize-giving, then local flights and departures
The airfield
According to the Amilpies website, Torremocha has two parallel strips of about 450 metres, one asphalt and one dirt. The operator's visual approach chart gives the field elevation as 3,230 ft, runways 15/33 and a circuit altitude of 3,730 ft, 500 ft above the field.
The interesting part is the neighbour. Torremocha sits close to Teruel airport (LETL), which handles commercial traffic, and the chart asks aircraft arriving from the south to follow Teruel's own visual approach chart, listen on its frequency and use its reporting points. It names point N, at the junction of the A-23 motorway with Villarquemado, south-west of Torremocha, and it caps overflight at 700 ft above ground because of commercial flights at the airport.
One caveat: the chart we found is dated October 2019. Before you fly, check the current Spanish AIP and NOTAMs for Teruel, and ask the organisers for their latest arrival brief. Contact details are on the Open STOL page.
Flying in: a few honest notes
3,230 ft is not sea level
In late October the Jiloca valley should be cool, which helps. But the field is still higher than many Spanish pilots usually land, and a 450-metre strip leaves less margin than a long paved runway. Work out your take-off and landing distances from the POH for the field elevation and the forecast temperature, then add your own margin. This is a fly-in. Proving a point in front of a crowd is optional; flying home afterwards is not.
Short-field flying is a skill, not a stunt
The best STOL landings look almost boring: a stable approach at the speed the manual gives for a short-field landing, a fixed aiming point, power used with intent, and a go-around the moment the picture is wrong. If you have not practised short-field landings for a while, a session with an instructor before the event is time well spent. A non-competitive event is also a good place to fly well within your limits and simply watch how the specialists do it.
The date will not move
Because the organisers keep the date even in poor weather, plan your own backup. That might mean arriving on Friday, keeping the car keys handy for a drive instead, or deciding at home that this is not your year. Check the forecast well before departure; our briefing tool is one place to start.
Bring your paperwork
The organisers point out that there have been ramp inspections at the event in each of the last two years. Carry every document your aircraft and licence require, and make sure they are current before you leave.
A note for EASA licence holders
Plenty of the aircraft at events like this are microlights (ULM). Since 1 April 2026, under Royal Decree 182/2026, holders of European LAPL, PPL, CPL or ATPL licences can fly ULM aircraft in Spain without a separate national microlight licence, according to AESA. If you are thinking of arriving in a borrowed or rented ULM, read AESA's circular first. Whatever you fly, confirm with the organisers that your aircraft and licence suit the field.
Staying overnight
Camping on the airfield is allowed, which is half the fun on a Friday night. If you prefer a bed, the organisers list a hotel in Teruel, a hotel in Monreal del Campo and several rural houses in nearby villages, along with local taxi numbers. They do not arrange transfers, so book your own.
FAQ
Do I have to fly in to attend?
No. Spectators register in the same way and pay the same €40, which includes lunch.
Is it a competition?
The organisers call it a non-competitive test, although there is a prize-giving and everyone who takes part enters the ham raffle.
When does registration close?
The organiser's page says Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 20:00. Registration is done through the form on that page.
What happens if the weather is bad?
The date is fixed and is not moved for weather, so each pilot has to decide whether to go.
Where exactly is it?
At the municipal airfield of Torremocha del Jiloca, in the province of Teruel. The operator's chart gives its position as N 40°36'12" W 001°15'55".
Sources
Amilpies: Open STOL 2026 (dates, fees, programme, accommodation; checked 8 October 2026)
Amilpies: Torremocha del Jiloca visual approach chart (dated October 2019), linked from the school's website
Cover image: AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of the event.
