Evening star., 1947-10-12

In 1943 the United States in
Atlantic airf1eld in Santa Maria, t
pelago, and by its use and the Lagt
helped wipe out German submarines
on the Atlantic sealanes.
Now Santa Maria is a civil airfeld
under the exclusive control of the
Portuguese authorities. The facil-
tiles granted to the Allies by neutral
Portugal were Cancelled June 2, 1945
and full Portuguese administration
was restored.
Expensive but Important
AS civil airfeld Santa Maria
daily is becoming more important
Although not too happy about the
almost prohibitive cost of upkeer
and exploitation, the Portuguese
government is bearing the burden
with dismayed but dutiful concern.
''1t was not very welcome inher-
itance that We received from the
American Army" one air depart
ment official said. Wartime and
warfare seem to justify any expend-
iture and little value is set on
money. But in peacetime the keep
ing in operation of a huge airfield
is too costly for a small country"
Portugal shared in the cost of the
construction which is believed to
have exceeded $30,OO0,00o.
Construction of the airfeld was
performed in record time, as it was
only meant for the duration of the
war. The runways are still good for
present traffic, but will have to be
renewed when bigger planes are put
into use.
Most of the buildings and other
installations also will require extern
sive Improvements soon. The road
connecting the port of Santa Maria
with the airfleld is almost in ruins.
Some of the main equipment needs
much repair.
The fuel reservoir will have to be
entirely rebuilt. The terminal" is
being enlarged with proper depart
ments for customs, postal and tele-
graph services, and a restaurant and
bar for CIVILIAN passengers.
All these are being installed some
what reluctantly, because the ex-
pense must be borne by the Portu-
guese taxpayer.
The revenue of the airfield at
present is too small to cover even so
per cent of the running expenses,
although the air companies that
operate in Santa Maria complain
about the high charges and taxes.
The only alternative was to ex-
tend the concession of Santa Maria
to the American civil air authorities
or to rent it to private company
after military control ceased.
But Portugal would rather pay
ana be independent.
Portuguese Operation Only
Lack of experience in handling a
big airfeld may account for the high
running costs. At present only five
foreigners are employed by the au-
thorities. These are British weather
experts, who are teaching and train
ing Portuguese. When their con-
tracts expire within the next few
months. the Portuguese will take
over this service.
Since Portuguese civil aviation did
not have sufficient men and tech
nicians to operate the field, the
Army and Navy had to step in. The
director of the airfield, one of Port
ugal's best-known flyers, is Comdr.
Costa Pessoa of the Portuguese Navy.
I'VE have gone long way already,
but there is lot to be done-and
no time to waste" Pessoa said, ad-
mitting that his biggest worry was
the question of hospital installa-
tions. The hospital built by the
Americans was too big for peace
time, so a number of the wards
had to be pulled down, and the re-
naming ones improved.
The question of air and surface
rescue services is next in the order
of the problems to be solved without
delay. The land rescue operating
on the field is practically in order
now. The air rescue service is con-
trolled by the Army, operating from
Air Base Nv at Lagens on the Island
of Terceira.
The sea rescue, at present prac-
tically nonexistent, will soon be
improved when two high-speed mo-
tor launches acquired in England
arrive. At present Pessoa relies on
whaling boats in case of emergency.
Santa Maria's radio services and
radio landing equipment is up-to-
date, but the handling of this equip