The origin of 711 Squadron dates back to the first search and rescue squadron (
41 Squadron) of the Portuguese Air Force based at
Lajes Air Base (, BA6), in
Azores, which operated
SB-17G Flying Fortress,
C-54 Skymaster,
Grumman HU-16 Albatross, and
Sikorsky H-19. In addition to its primary search and rescue mission, the squadron executed transport and
medical evacuations between the islands of the archipelago. This missions resulted in 13,300 flights, 34,000 transported passengers, 700 tons of cargo and 2,759 lives saved in search and rescue operations, 20,095 medical evacuations during 24,038 flying hours. Since 1994, the squadron also supported the medical evacuation of pregnant women from islands without proper medical facilities to the archipelago's hospitals, which marked during its operational history 6 births aboard the Aviocar and 12 births aboard the Puma. With a reorganization in the operation structure of the Air Force in Azores, the helicopter flight of the squadron was deactivated on November 30, 2006, and was replaced by a detachment of
752 Squadron. Later, on April 11, 2007, the whole squadron was temporarily deactivated and the missions executed by its fixed-wing aircraft were taken over by a detachment of
502 Squadron. This temporary deactivation was due to the entry in service of the
AgustaWestland EH-101 and
EADS CASA C-295 that were to replace the SA 330 Puma and C-212 Aviocar, respectively. Its objective was for two years to gain experience and test through the squadrons' detachments new concepts in maintenance for the aircraft to enter service. In 2008 the deactivation was made final and the squadron was disbanded and the 502 and 751 Squadrons detachments, part of the Azores Air Detachment (, DAA) were made permanent. ==See also==