A principal hub in transatlantic travel until the end of the 20th century, it was constructed at the start of the Second World War to protect convoys by American troops who were ceded authority until its end. The accords between the Portuguese, Great Britain and the United States permitted those forces to use the facilities in Lajes and Santa Maria until 2 June 1946. [12] The development of this district was important in the development of the island, with many of the installations left by American troops after the Second World War (the early terminal, control tower, building of Clube Asas do Atlântico, gymnasium, cinemas and warehouses) and many of the semi-cylindrical troop-quarters retained after the withdraw of forces. [12], For other airports named Santa Maria, see, A view of the terminal and tower from the tarmac of Santa Maria Airport, Location of the airport on the island of Santa Maria, Comissão de Luta pela Defesa dos Interesses da Ilha de Santa Maria (1981), p.3, Provisional International Civil Aviation Organization, https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/modes/air/internal_market/doc/pso_inventory_table.pdf, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Maria_Airport_(Azores)&oldid=968358705, Buildings and structures in Vila do Porto, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Azores IATA Airport Codes and ICAO Codes are listed bellow.

SATA and TAP had the monopoly of regular scheduled flights between the mainland, Madeira and Portugal. The forerunner of SATA Air Açores (Sociedade Açoriana de Transportes Aéreos) initiated services to São Miguel on 5 August 1957, and to Terceira on 9 June 1947, using a Beechcraft D18S (CS-TAA) christened "Açor". Lajes air field is also home to an United States air force base. Azores Airports. The Santa Maria International Airport was re-inaugurated officially on 28 November 1946. Transportes Aéreos Portugueses (TAP) (the national flag carrier began layover flights to the airport on 7 December 1962, eventually inaugurating trans-Atlantic service between Santa Maria-New York (26 April 1969) and Santa Maria-Montreal (8 May 1971). [6] On 8 August 1944, at about 2:15 p.m., the first plane landed on the runway, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (Dakota C-47) operated by the US Air Force, transporting materials and bread from Terceira. [6] Meanwhile, the port was expanded to receive battalions with the equipment necessary to improve the infrastructures and to construct a network to pipe aviation fuel to the plateau. From this period on, the airfield took on a commercial role, reinforced by inter-island travel and con… [2] At that time the American forces base was transferred to Lajes and both airports began to be administered from Portugal. The IATA airport code consists of three letters and is defined by IATA (International Air Transport Association). [11] With this concession, ANA was also provided to the planning, development and construction of future infrastructures. [6] It departed an hour later. On 13 January 1947, Lieutenant Henrique Owen Pinto de Barros da Costa Pessoa was named first director of the airport.[7]. The airport lies on the western edge of the city, from which there are daily flights to the other islands and mainland Portugal, and frequent direct flights to other European cities and North America. Santa Maria Airport (IATA: SMA, ICAO: LPAZ) is an airport located 5 km (3.1 mi) west northwest of the urbanized area of Vila do Porto on the island of Santa Maria, in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. The existing infrastructures were expanded in the meantime, with residential areas administrated and developed by architect Francisco Keil do Amaral, who tried to maintain the existing characteristics. At this time there were 3000 workers onsite: 2000 American, 600 Micaleanse and 400 Marienses, a number that continued to grow over time (eventually reaching 3000 Americans and 1000 Azoreans). From 1940 to 1970 the airport was an important link in trans-Atlantic travel and the focus of the island economy and employment.

National flights from Lisbon, Porto and Madeira land mostly in Ponta Delgada. [6], The Americans later extended the taxiways by another 200 metres (660 ft), and on 15 November 1944 a new 1,350 by 50 metres (4,430 ft × 160 ft) service runway was concluded (and which operated until 14 May 1945. These included: airport infrastructures; roadways; water supply and sewage; residences; and social spaces (such as hotel, gymnasium, church, a cinema/theatre to hold 1000 people, and a hospital in the area of Santana, to evacuate the injured in the European theatre). Along with a team of little more than 40 workers, Lieutenant Engineer Correia de Sousa concluded the runway construction. Faial and Terceira receive mostly TAP Air Portugal flights. A principal hub in transatlantic travel until the end of the 20th century, it was constructed at the start of the Second World War to protect convoys by Americantroops who were ceded authority until its end. [12] The newer neighborhoods and recent buildings, are of an inferior architectural quality, and correspond to the blocks closer to the airport. [4] The final plan, sent to the Portuguese government by Pan American, and contracting the construction was an estimated 3.130 million US dollars, and included:[5], While the final project was being prepared, the Portuguese Department of Defense authorized immediate execution of the first work,[3] that included a runway to service planes transferred from Lajes Airfield, carrying with them the technicians and equipment. Currently there are no scheduled national flights to Pico. 2007 - 2018 @ COPYRIGHT AZORESAIRLINES.COM. [2] The airport was classified an ETOPS alternate, having suitable facilities to accommodate transatlantic flights needing to make an emergency landings. In the context of the Second World War, in July 1941, a Portuguese mission under the command of engineer Colonel Hermínio José de Sousa Serrano, and which included Colonel Frederico Lopes da Silva and Major Fernando Tártaro, visited Santa Maria to study a possible location for an airfield, opting for the plateau known as Pico de Maria Dias. [3][6] This was followed on 14 December 1944 by a similar accord between Pan American Airways and the Portuguese government, resulting in the installation of new radio equipment. Finally on 28 November 1944, an accord was signed between the US and Portuguese governments, that envisioned its use as a waypoint for planes travelling to the Pacific theatre of operations, or those that needed to be diverted due to weather conditions.

On 11 July 1945 the first Portuguese-registered aircraft landed in Santa Maria, an Avro Anson Mk I from Terceira's Air Base No.4 (Lajes Airfield), followed by a C-54 "Skymaster" on 24 July from São Miguel, that included various Portuguese and American authorities visiting the installations to officially inaugurate the aerodrome on the 26 July 1945. Work on the passenger terminal and support buildings had already progressed, along with runways 2 and 3 and the parking area. Santa Maria Airport (IATA: SMA, ICAO: LPAZ) is an airport located 5 km (3.1 mi) west northwest of the urbanized area of Vila do Porto on the island of Santa Maria, in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. [10], Along with the airports in Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Flores, Horta, Ponta Delgada and Beja, the airport's concessions to provide support to civil aviation was conceded to ANA Aeroportos de Portugal on 18 December 1998, under provisions of decree 404/98. [11], The airport at Santa Maria was part of a larger complex of buildings and infrastructures constructed in the 20th century. [9] Communications were limited to teletype and radio. From this period on, the airfield took on a commercial role, reinforced by inter-island travel and connections to Europe, resulting in its obtaining the communication duties for the North Atlantic sector of the airspace corridor. [7] The aerodrome was operated by American forces until the end of the conflict, and accounted for 500 airplanes that transited the site. Pico is used seasonally.