Santa Maria FIR, LPPO represented by ICAO, is a Concessional Control Area and almost entirely a Non Radar Area. All standard Procedures are important for the good functioning of the Oceanic FIR, as well as it guarantees the safety throughout the Portuguese Airspace.

LPPO is one of the largest FIRs (Flight Information Region) in the world. And yet, it provides control to the nine airfields of the archipelago of Azores (A total of nine Islands, one airfield in each Island.), as well as it provides control to some of the NATs (North Atlantic Tracks). In summary, it offers a huge capacity to control hundreds of flights per day: In and out of the archipelago of Azores and Transatlantic flights to other destinations.

On this FIR, the Westbound/Eastbound RVSM system is implemented. Hence, flights in a direction range between 180 degrees and 359 degrees should fly on even flight levels, whilst flights in a direction range of 000 degress to 179 should fly on odd flights levels.