The “Açor” Flight memorial is intended to mark the first airfield in the Azores, built in Achada and inaugurated on October 4, 1930.
The inaugural flight was made by Pilot-Aviator Captain Frederico Coelho de Melo, piloting a single-engine Avro 504K biplane called “Açor”. This field is an important milestone in the history of aviation, as Manuel Martins and Lieutenant-Colonel Pedro Horta say in the book “Campo de Aviação da Achada”, “the Achada Runway, the Achada Field, should be celebrated for representing the visionary and collaborative spirit of both the military authorities and civilian entities, marking the starting point for the history of the last 90 years, not only of Military Aeronautics and Terceira Island, but of our country as an Atlantic and Western actor”.

Manuel de Meneses Martins was born in Agualva, Terceira Island, in 1953. In Angra do Heroísmo, he studied at the Liceu and the Angra do Heroísmo Secondary School.
He began his professional life in the United States Armed Forces Detachment at Air Base 4, in September 1972, as a communications operator, followed by receptionist, technical draughtsman, topographer and, from 1992 onwards, illustrator, graphic designer and paginator for the “Crossroads” newspaper.
He researched, wrote, and published the book Base das Lajes. He has also held several painting exhibitions, particularly in watercolor, taught drawing and painting workshops, and is currently chairman of the USK Terceira Island Association board.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.