(Cessna 150L from Aeroclube Ilha Verde – Stored in a pile of boxes at LPPD since 2003)

The Azores are nine beautiful islands with spectacular landscapes and nine well maintained airfields. Amongst the 250.000 people who inhabit the islands, I’ve met many who show a real interest in aviation. Some express their interest by spending their free time flying in the virtual skies of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, others spend their weekends taking the sky’s in their radio controlled airplanes or simply by standing near an airport fence inhaling the great smell of JET A-1 and watching the “heavy metal birds” go by. Within this group of aviation enthusiasts, it’s noticeable that a considerable amount of people are eager to take their passion to the next level and learn to fly.

It still troubles me how there are only two active leisure airplanes in the islands, both privatly owned. Two of the islands (Terceira and S.Miguel) have had airclubs but none of them is currently working. The C150 from Aeroclube Ilha Verde (from S.Miguel island) currently lyes in a pile of boxes in SATA’s hangar and the C172 from Aeroclube Ilha Terceira, which appears to be in perfect flying conditions, remains grounded for reasons I still haven’t quite understood.

(Cessna 172M from Aeroclube Ilha Terceira at Ponta Delgada in 2005)

Aviation in Portugal is commemorating it’s 100th years but in the Azores we have nothing to be proud off on what concerns the general aviation segment.

To obtain either a private or a commercial license, people still have to leave their homeland for many months and upon returning to the Azores they find themselves unable to rent an airplane simply because there isn’t any available. Where else in the world have your ever heard of a place where that happens?

Before leaving the Azores last year, I contacted the people in charge of Aeroclube Ilha Verde and tried to get it back to the skies, but instead of finding people willing to help I discovered people who no longer cared about a project the Azorean money had helped create. It makes me sad that the Azorean people don’t care enough about flying to make such an exciting project survive the tiniest of problems… I hope that Aeroclube Ilha Terceira takes on a different heading of the one followed by it’s counterpart.

Last year a new airclub was formed in São Miguel, one which I’m glad to say I have been collaborating with. Things haven’t been moving as fast as I expected but for the while being they are well headed and it is my honest believe that soon we will see a brand new Land Africa cruising the Azorean Skies with excited student pilots! Right now all help is needed and if you believe you can help us, please use the contact feature of this webpage.

(BRM Land Africa)

Being at the controlls of an aircraft is one of the best things one can experience in life. It’s a shame not many Azorean people have experienced such a feeling… Maybe soon!?