A gust of wind detached part of the roof of Dassault’s LABACE chalet, tossing it onto two aircraft and provoking the orderly evacuation of the fair at about 5 p.m. yesterday. The fire brigade ushered fairgoers to the exit. There were apparently no injuries.
The fair—held at São Paulo Congonhas Airport—formally runs from noon to 8 p.m., but in practice runs later. The three-day LABACE, which closes today, had welcomed 5,112 visitors Tuesday, over a thousand in just the first 15 minutes yesterday, and seemed well on the way to meeting or breaking records.
As the evacuation was underway, the roof of the TAM AE chalet rippled. The winds were sufficiently severe, with gusts up about 38 knots—high enough to temporarily halt landings and takeoffs at Congonhas Airport. Local weather reports blame an offshore tropical cyclone for the winds, which brought down some 70 trees and countless boughs.
Yesterday’s LABACE calendar included a cocktail party for 300 across the airport grounds at the airport authorities’ pavilion. It went on despite the premature evacuation of the fair area.
A press release sent out by ABAG last evening thanked exhibitors and visitors for their understanding and said “the event will resume at its normal hour tomorrow.” The local forecast for today is cold and rainy.
The Pilatus PC-24 twinjet and PC-12 NGX turboprop single at Synerjet's LABACE static display this week at São Paulo Congonhas Airport highlight the challenges of flying in rural areas in Brazil. Both are capable of operating from rough, unimproved airfields, and Synerjet not only sells them in South and Central America but also has its own service centers in Columbia and at Catarina Airport in São Roque, Brazil.
The backlog of the PC-24 is unfortunately long, so buyers placing orders today will have to wait until 2023 or 2024 to take delivery. Agribusiness customers are especially interested in the versatility of the PC-24, as well as for its large cargo door, according to Synerjet marketing chief Cláudio Cantamessa. Various combinations of seats and cargo capabilities add to its popularity. The PC-12 NGX shares the large cargo door and it is especially versatile in aeromedical operations.
The PC-24 and PC-12 aren’t Synerjet's only novelties. The company is also highlighting its partnership with drone operator Spright to start remote delivery of medical supplies between hospitals and healthcare centers. For this operation, Synerjet will use German-made Wingcopter 198 drones, which it also sells. The drone can carry a payload of six kilograms (13.2 pounds), and at a total weight of 25 kilograms, it meets ANAC class 3 regulations under which it will be certified.
"I'm here to prepare for the arrival of the ACJ TwoTwenty,” Airbus Corporate Jets commercial v-p Chadi Saade told AIN this week at LABACE 2022, where he's a guest of exhibitor Airbus subsidiary Helibras. Another ACJ model made a single appearance at Latin America's business aviation show years ago but has been absent since. “Now we have the product for the market,” Saade said, explaining the planned return to LABACE.
The ACJ TwoTwenty is the business aviation version of the A220, which Saade calls a “game changer” because of its price and cabin size contrasted with other business jets. “It's twice the cabin size, at a similar price,” he said, also noting the ACJ’s large cross-section. The difference in size allows for a full-size dining table and a stand-up shower.
Saade said the ACJ TwoTwenty brings an additional quality: range. ”The TwoTwenty has the range to fly nonstop from São Paulo to Miami or to London,” he noted. "The jet's 5,650 nm range will handle 98 percent of destinations.”
The major difficulty in selling the ACJ TwoTwenty is not being able to show it, which is why Saade wants to bring it to LABACE in the future. “That's not a commitment, but it's a goal we're working toward,” he said.
During the last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, São Paulo, Brazil-based trading company Comexport saw growing interest in importation of aircraft, thanks to buyers who didn’t want to risk travel on airlines. Comexport, which is exhibiting this week at LABACE 2022, expects to deliver 60 imported aircraft by year-end, which would give the company an annual turnover of R$3 billion ($590 million).
“It seems that the consumption profile of business aircraft has changed a little from what it was before,” said Comexport director Juliano Lefèvre. “I believe that people realized that they can die easier in the face of a virus and sought the safety of executive aviation, which grew by 15 percent, while commercial aviation decreased by 15 percent. This is the most up-to-date number in the face of a pandemic that is not yet over.”
He added that the market is very hot and the demand for imports is strong, both for helicopters and airplanes in all categories. This includes customers ordering aircraft that will not be delivered until 2024, some of which are delayed due to supply chain issues.
Lefèvre noticed that there was a lot of movement on the first day of LABACE, a result of the desire of people in aviation to meet again after three years without the event.
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