air transport services as a civilian company integrated within the government services of the Estado da Índia Portuguesa to organise and develop proper airports. The decision to construct airport infrastructure came as a result of preliminary studies which indicated that this would be the most viable option (according to the optimisation criteria). Eventually, three airports were opened in May 1955 and subsequently support facilities (hangars, workshops, terminals, runways, etc.). Consequently, an air transport company initially named STAIP - Serviços de Transportes Aéreos da Índia Portuguesa (Air Transport Services of Portuguese India) was created, . After some time, it was shortened to Transportes Aereos da Índia Portuguesa, best known as TAIP. The airports in the smaller enclaves of Daman and Diu had to be strategically oriented so as to respect Indian airspace and avoid any confrontations with the Indian authorities on take-off and landing. In 1957, the Indian government placed anti-aircraft guns just outside the air corridors and threatened to shoot down any planes violating the Indian airspace. The manoeuvres had to be precise and the pilots had to adhere to very strict routes. The margins of tolerance could not be exceeded by a mile. Such were the risks that the civilian aircraft had to face with respect to Daman and Diu. On 29 May 1955, the first air mechanics left for Goa, flying first by plane to Karachi, thence by ship to Mormugao landing on 16 June 1955, to prepare and set up a basic maintenance environment at Dabolim. In the meanwhile, four pilots went to Hatfield, in England, to acquaint themselves with the newly purchased Heron aircraft. The first aircraft acquired by TAIP arrived in Goa flown by Maj. Solano de Almeida with a crew consisting of Capt. Palma Rego, Sgt. Simões Cardoso and 2nd Sgt. Desterro de Brito on 10 August 1955. It was a small four-engine de Havilland Heron manufactured in England and had capacity to transport 14 passengers and some cargo. TAIP commenced operations by connecting Goa, Daman, Diu and Karachi. From 1960, a regular link was established between Goa and Mozambique, serving Beira and Maputo. Eventually, links were also established to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Timor. At the beginning of the Portuguese Colonial War in Angola in 1961, TAIP supported the transport of troops and material between Lisbon and Luanda. There were plans to expand the TAIP's network to East Africa, the Middle East, East