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The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The Portuguese archipelago is located about 1,500 km (930 mi) west from Lisbon and about 3,900 km (2,400 mi) east from the east coast of North America. The archipelago, and economic exclusion zone, forms the Autonomous Region of the Azores, one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal. Its main industries are: agriculture, dairy farming (for cheese and butter products primarily), minor livestock ranching, fishing and tourism, which is becoming the major service activity in the region.
There are nine major Azorean islands and an islet cluster, in three main groups. These are Flores and Corvo, to the west; Graciosa, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico and Faial in the centre; and São Miguel, Santa Maria and the Formigas Reef to the east. These extend for more than 600 km (370 mi) and lie in a northwest-southeast direction. The vast extent of the islands defines an immense exclusive economic zone of 1,100,000 km2 (420,000 sq mi). The westernmost point of this area is 3,380 km (2,100 mi) from the North American continent. All of the islands have volcanic origins, although some, such as Santa Maria, have had no historical activity since the islands were settled. Mount Pico, on the island of Pico, is the highest point in Portugal, at 2,351 m (7,713 ft) in altitude. The Azores are actually the peaks of several of the tallest mountains on the planet, as measured from their base at the bottom of the ocean, breaking the surface of the Atlantic.
These 9 islands have naturally evolved into three recognizable groups located within the Azores Platform; they are:
The Eastern Group (Grupo Oriental) of São Miguel, Santa Maria and Formigas Islets
The Central Group (Grupo Central) of Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial
The Western Group (Grupo Ocidental) of Flores and Corvo.
Santa Maria Airport (IATA: SMA, ICAO: LPAZ) is an airport on Santa Maria Island, in the autonomous region of the Azores, Portugal, serving the municipality of Vila do Porto, within the archipelago and to the continent. It has three runways, with the largest runway (at 3,048 m long) being the longest in the archipelago.
It was built in the context of the Second World War, by US troops in order to maintain supply lines to Europe, and inaugurated on July 26, 1945. A year later, on June 2, 1946, American forces transferred title/control to the Portuguese State. The forerunner of SATA Air Açores (Sociedade Açoriana de Transportes Aéreos) initiated services concurrently to São Miguel and Terceira from Santa Maria Airport on August 5, 1947, using a plane christened "Açor".
Transportes Aéreos Portugueses (TAP) began lay-over flights to this airport on December 7, 1962, and eventually inaugurating trans-atlantic service between Santa Maria-New York (April 26, 1969) and Santa Maria-Montreal (May 8, 1971).
For a while, Air France's supersonic Concordes were routed to Santa Maria on refueling layovers between Paris and Caracas.
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FS2004, FSX SP2, Prepar3D
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