Compañía Española de Técnica Aeronáutica S.A. turns 60

On November 22, 1961, a group of partners that segregated from the helicopter manufacturer Aerotécnica S.A. (https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerotecnica) established the company Compañía Española de Técnica Aeronáutica SA (CETA) with a share capital of ten million pesetas, invested in a fleet of 16 crop spraying aircrafts model PA18 "Super Cub ”and 5 ea PA25“ Pawnee ”  manufactured by Piper Aircrafts.

The corporate purpose of the new company focused on "... everything related to or derived from aeronautical technology".


With its registered office at Calle Doctor Esquerdo in Madrid, its base of operations was in Córdoba, in the San Jerónimo field (next to the Medina Azahara archaeological site).

It has been 60 very exciting years with important milestones in Spanish general aviation:

First large general aviation maintenance center in Spain: In February 1963, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) awarded the Aeronautical Maintenance Center No. 6 of all of Spain, with extensive capabilities to repair cell, power plant, propellers, accessories and instruments where equipment from all the major general aviation brands Piper, Cessna, Lycoming, Rolls Royce, Hartzell, etc. was distributed and supported.


First private avionics and instruments workshop in Spain: with the capacity to repair all types of avionics systems and instruments, of the brands King Radio, Narco, etc.


CETA was one of the pioneering Spanish companies in the fight against insect pests as well as the prevention and fight against fires with aerial means.

 


The leading Spanish company in photogrammetry work, CETA had several airplanes adapted for aerial photogrammetry dedicated to mapping the earth's surface at different scales.



As well as restitution devices, large and heavy devices, for the physical reconstruction at scale of the position of the frames at the time of shooting


CETA, one of the first companies in air “taxi”, introduced jet aircraft for this activity (introduction of the first Learjet 25 & 35 in Spain), having a fleet dedicated to the transfer of people. A service was even available at T2 in Barajas.


Another important milestone was the sale of aircrafts for the Spanish Armed Forces

Introduction of GPS based navigation systems for general aviation, both with paneled and portable systems.

At the beginning of the 2000s, CETA managed to bring together the BEST PROFESSIONALS; exceptional people, each one of them, passionate about their work, committed to the common project and the ambition to face the greatest challenges.

CETA was the first Spanish company to introduce tactical RPAS (SUAS or Small Unmanned Aircraft System), which were deployed in 2007 in international peacekeeping operations.

PRESENT AND FUTURE

CETA provides complete turn-key solutions for civil and military aircrafts and helicopters, avionics upgrades and certification (STC’s) design and engineering installation, training, product development as well as consultancy services:

  • Aeronautical Engineering
    • Design and Certification of Aircraft Modernizations
    • Avionics Systems
    • Mission Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Ground Systems