Juan Sánchez Vidal

Lore & Background

Sánchez Vidal was born near Son Bonet. At age fifteen, he began working at Son Sant Joan Airport, retiring from that job in 2020. His hobby started in 1973 when he acquired his first model, a Convair CV-990 of the defunct Spanish airline Spantax, while working for that airline. Friendships with co-workers from other airlines led to him receiving more models, and Rodolfo Bay, then president of Spantax, personally gave him an airplane model.

His hobby eventually brought him into contact with airline personalities and celebrities, including Formula One champion Niki Lauda, owner of Lauda Air. The largest model in his collection, an Air France Airbus A320, was obtained through a trade with a local Air France worker who also collected models. He also made a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 model of Air Europa, an airline for which he later worked, even though Air Europa never actually used that aircraft type in real life. His collection includes models of American Airlines' Boeing 757 and Boeing 767, the same type of aircraft used in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Sánchez Vidal and his collection have been the subjects of many reports and interviews by specialized magazines. In 2000, personnel at Barajas International Airport in Madrid negotiated with him to display his collection at the international arrivals terminal, where it was showcased from March 2000 until 2003. He had also held an exhibition of his models at Son Sant Joan Airport in 1987.

Reader's Guide

Juan Sánchez Vidal's collection is significant for its size—over one thousand commercial airline models—and for being considered by many experts the largest aircraft collection in the world. The collection documents the history of commercial aviation through models, including rare examples such as a Convair CV-990 of the defunct Spantax and a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 of Air Europa, an aircraft type the airline never operated. The collection's display at Barajas International Airport from 2000 to 2003 brought it to a wide public audience, and its inclusion of models of aircraft types used in the September 11 attacks adds a historical dimension. Sánchez Vidal's hobby, which began in his teenage years while working at Son Sant Joan Airport, grew through personal connections with airline employees and executives, including Rodolfo Bay and Niki Lauda. The collection has been featured in specialized magazines and interviews, cementing its legacy as a comprehensive record of commercial airline models.

Did You Know?

• Sánchez Vidal acquired his first model, a Convair CV-990 of Spantax, in 1973.
• The largest model in his collection is an Air France Airbus A320, obtained through a trade.
• He made a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 model of Air Europa, though the airline never used that aircraft type.
• His collection includes models of the Boeing 757 and 767, types used in the September 11, 2001 attacks.