Porto Santo Airport marked its 66th anniversary since its official inaugural flight on August 28, 1960. A TAP Douglas DC-4 Skymaster aircraft, registration CS-TDA and named "Mouzinho de Albuquerque", landed on the original 2 km runway.
The plane carried a Portuguese government delegation, led by the Ministers of Public Works and Communications, who were welcomed by local and regional authorities. The inaugurated runway was 3000 meters long and 45 meters wide, equipped with precision lighting and radio navigation systems.
While this flight marked the official opening of the asphalt runway, the very first aircraft to land on the island, on an improvised dirt strip in 1954, was a Portuguese Air Force Avro Anson. The inauguration was followed by a gala lunch at the Hotel Porto Santo, celebrating the island's new connection to the world.
