The ENAIRE Foundation has announced the winners of the 8th Short Story Competition, an edition dedicated to the figure of the aeronautical engineer Emilio Herrera Linares, a pioneer of Spanish aeronautics and an international benchmark in the history of science and stratospheric exploration.
The winning story, La gravedad del honor (The Gravity of Honour), by Gloria Patricia Lozada, stands out for its “narrative excellence” and its “emotional depth”. The runner-up prize was Javier Martínez for La escafandra del tiempo (The Diving Suit of Time)
A total of 138 stories were submitted to this call, of which 30 were shortlisted by the Jury and the advisory team specialising in the figure of Emilio Herrera, which included Herrera’s great-grandchildren Selena, Diego and Rafael, as well as experts such as historians Emilio Atienza and Carlos Lázaro.
These thirty texts will form part of a digital book of short stories that the ENAIRE Foundation will publish in digital format to disseminate the life and legacy of the engineer.
Winning stories: La gravedad del honor and La escafandra del tiempo
The Jury, chaired by Margarita Asuar, Managing Director of the ENAIRE Foundation, unanimously selected the story La gravedad del honor, written by Gloria Patricia Lozada García, as the winner, a work that, according to the Jury, “stands out for its narrative excellence, its emotional depth and its ability to reflect the ethical and scientific dimension of Emilio Herrera".
The runner-up prize went to the story La escafandra del tiempo, by Javier Martínez Rueda, for its originality and its literary approach to one of the engineer’s most significant technological milestones: the stratonautical spacesuit.
Disseminating aeronautical culture
For Margarita Asuar, Managing Director of the ENAIRE Foundation,“the Short Story Competition is an essential tool for bringing aeronautical culture closer to the public through literature. In this edition dedicated to Emilio Herrera, we have found stories of exceptional quality, capable of shedding light on his scientific legacy and, at the same time, his moral integrity and humanist vision".
“Each story represents a unique perspective on aeronautics through imagination and undoubtedly encourages readers to learn about Emilio Herrera, both through his scientific legacy and his personal values. At the ENAIRE Foundation, we will continue to promote initiatives that bring together culture, science and outreach, inspiring people to research, write and remain curious about our aeronautical history, which is, without doubt, a history of great heroes such as Herrera", says Asuar.
The winning author will receive a cash prize of 1,000 euros and the runner-up prize 500 euros.
“All the stories were of a very high standard, combining reality and fantasy with strong narrative technique. We therefore congratulate the winners and encourage all participants to continue writing”, concludes the Managing Director of the ENAIRE Foundation”, concludes the Managing Director of the ENAIRE Foundation, Margarita Asuar.
The winning story, La gravedad del honor, takes us into the world of Emilio Herrera, a pioneer of flight and aeronautical engineering in Spain in the early 20th century, from his childhood in Granada, his love of physics and aerial adventures, to his relationship with Irene Aguilera and his role in modernising flight in Spain.
The second prize, La escafandra del tiempo, recounts how Emilio Herrera, in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, managed to ascend in a balloon with a young pilot thanks to his stratonautical diving suit. During the flight, a quantum fracture transports them to the year 2197, where they discover the “collective memory core”, an archive that preserves only official history, consigning to oblivion those who, like him, were exiled and ignored. There he realises that his invention opened a threshold in time, but also that his name was erased. He then decides to return to his own time, even knowing that war and exile will condemn him to anonymity, in the hope of leaving traces that will inspire future dreamers.
Dedicating this edition of the ENAIRE Foundation Short Story Competition to Emilio Herrera is one of the initiatives launched by the Foundation since it posthumously awarded him the 30th Anniversary Honorary Aeronautics Award in early 2025.
Upcoming digital publication
In the coming weeks, the ENAIRE Foundation will publish the digital book containing the 30 shortlisted stories from the 8th Short Story Competition, which will be available free of charge on the Foundation’s website: https://fundacionenaire.es
About ENAIRE Foundation
Is a cultural institution of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility that, in addition to managing, preserving and exhibiting the ENAIRE Collection of Contemporary Art, engages in a comprehensive annual programme of activities that focus on aeronautical art and culture. Notably, it is one of the institutions that currently provides the most support to photography through its annual prizes - which have become a benchmark for professional photographers - and by hosting exhibits.
It is the only foundation in Spain that combines the two seemingly disparate themes of art and aeronautical culture, bringing them together by undertaking a programme of activities that promote the study, research, knowledge and dissemination of aeronautical culture, integrating history and modernity to raise awareness of the world of aviation in our country.
The Naves de Gamazo are the first permanent home of the ENAIRE Collection of Contemporary Art, an example of collaboration between government agencies that was made possible thanks to the partnership and joint efforts of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, the Government of Cantabria, through the Office for Culture, Tourism and Sport, and the Port Authority of Santander, which share the operating expenses of the centre in order to ensure the present and future viability of this cultural project.
ENAIRE Foundation is implementing digital museum resources to boost the democratisation of art and make it accessible from anywhere in the world. These new museum resources are now available on the Foundation's website: https://fundacionenaire.es
About ENAIRE
ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.
As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest.
ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).
ENAIRE has obtained the highest rating in the key performance indicator for air safety at European scale for six consecutive years, the last five with the maximum possible score of 100%. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.