APPLA is the Portuguese Airline Pilots' Association and is located in Lisbon where it shares the same facilities with SPAC (the labour branch) and two other institutions, ASPAC and COOPAC.

APPLA and SPAC represent around 2000 pilots from several airlines in Portugal and abroad and are also the voice of the Portuguese Pilots within national organisations, the European Cockpit Association (ECA), the International Federation of Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) and other professional groups. APPLA actively participates in ECA's work and is proud that one of its members, Capt. João Moutinho, is a Technical Director on the ECA Executive Board.

APPLA's focus is to maintain and enhance aviation safety, both nationally and internationally, and to take care of the specific needs and concerns of our members. One of the important issues we are currently working on is the legislative change to the retirement age and related pension issues.

APPLA's Technical Department reflects the IFALPA structure, with representatives (ALR) in all major Airports in Portugal.

APPLA's Technical Department has also strongly enhanced the access to information in our community by producing numerous material and participates in seminars and conferences both nationally and internationally. It keeps a close cooperation with all medical and scientific investigations when it relates to aviation and is also part of the investigation of incidents/accidents sharing information and know-how with the national authority.

We share a legal department which has proven to be an indispensable resource with situations such has labour disputes, insurance problems with loss of license or retirement plans, and the creation of protocols for products with special conditions for our members.

There are two periodical publications produced by APPLA and SPAC, one mostly with labour and technical information, and the other is an aviation magazine with general topics concerning aviation. This last publication is given to all members and is also available to the general public.

Our infrastructure includes a library, a conference room where most of our General Assemblies, seminars, conferences and other events take place.