The Latin American Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (LABACE) drew to a close on Friday and early reports from the show all point towards it being another success for the private jet industry.
Among the highlights was the Embraer Legacy 500 jet making its first public appearance in Brazil. Offering fly-by-wire technology and the longest range of any midsize private jet, the manufacturer has billed it as a game-changing addition to its range of executive aircraft.
Other top-of-the-range private jets drawing crowds at the show included a Dassault Falcon 2000S and a Bombardier Global 6000, as well a mock-up of the new Citation Latitude midsize jet which is scheduled for certification in 2015.
The conference sessions covered recent developments in the region’s private aviation industry, including challenges faced in developing airports to meet growing jet demand.
LABACE 2013 was also been an opportunity for private jet operators and charter brokers to discuss growth opportunities in Brazil and Latin America – including the launch of the new Global Broker programme.
Under the Chapman Freeborn initiative, partnering jet companies can utilise the firm’s international charter expertise when undertaking flights in unfamiliar or challenging regions around the world.
South America is one of the fastest growing jet markets globally. In the last decade the size of its private jet fleet has doubled – with Brazil the major force behind this growth.
As evidenced at LABACE 2013, an increasing number of multinationals and investors are targeting Brazil for growth, particularly with the country playing host to the World Cup 2014 and Olympics 2016 – as well as its vast oil reserves and other natural resources.
However, business aviation is not without its challenges – for instance there is a well-documented need for greater investment in infrastructure (less than a quarter of Brazil’s listed airports and airfields have paved runways). Local market knowledge is therefore vitally important.
By the same measure, the Brazilian corporate elite increasingly have business interests and private jet travel requirements abroad. Local operators and brokers often need assistance outside of that region and that’s where an international private jet charter specialist can play an important role.
