On January 11, 1955, the Training and Liaison Flight (Portuguese: Esquadrilha de Ligação e Treino, ELT) was established with Captain Fernando Gomes dos Santos being appointed as its commander.

This flight was equipped with 22 Piper L-21 aircraft, which also provided support to the Army's units, and two Airspeed Oxford for training.

In December 1959 this squadron was disbanded thus resulting in the creation of the Heavy Aircraft Navigation and Complement Instruction Squadron (Portuguese: Esquadra de Instrução Complementar de Pilotagem e Navegação em Aviões Pesados, EICPNAP), which was in fact used primary for parachute operations.

With the adoption of the modern Noratlas, the squadrons missions expand from only parachute operations to general transport, including flights to Azores, Madeira, and the oversea territories.

[6] From October 1988 to February 2008, the squadron also kept an detachment at São Tomé and Príncipe for medical evacuation between the islands and if necessary to the continent (to Gabon or to Ivory Coast), general air transport between São Tomé and Príncipe, air transport of the Portuguese embassy personnel, support of search and rescue missions.