Colonel António Santos joined the Portuguese Air Force in September 1984, and graduated from the Portuguese Air Force Academy, in 1989. After his graduation he was posted to a fighter squadron where he flew the A-7P Corsair. With 7 years of flight experience he became an Instructor Pilot and Flight Safety Officer for the A-jet training squadron. After three years as an instructor, he was selected for Air Staff College. At the conclusion of Air Staff College, Col Santos became qualified in the C-130 (General and Tactical Airlift), where he became a Squadron Leader. Col António Santos also served as a Section member for Exercise & Training at CAOC 10, Lisbon, for one year, before transferring to the Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC) in Kalkar, Germany as a Subject Matter Expert in Air Transport.