Beechcraft is back at the annual LABACE show for the first time since emerging from bankruptcy protection earlier this year with a revised business plan focused on its turboprop family of aircraft. Together with its regional distributor Líder Aviação, the U.S. manufacturer is parking four King Airs on the static display here at Congonhas Airport: a C90GTx featuring the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite; a Model 250 with its lightweight composite winglets and propellers; a King Air 350i; and a special-mission 350ER (equipped with an emergency medical cabin interior), which is on a year-long world tour. It also has a Bonanza G36 on display, underlining its general aviation roots.

The company’s focus at Latin America’s leading business aviation event is to stress the dominant position of the King Air turboprop fleet in its market. The region is now home to more than 1,000 Beechcraft aircraft including 420 in Brazil alone.

“We have more than 70 percent of the business turboprop market share in what continues to be one of our largest growth areas outside the United States,” said Beechcraft Americas president Keith Nadolski. King Air types make up 56 percent of the Latin American business turboprop market of some 1,800 aircraft (a figure based on JetNet data, said Beechcraft, which is here at Chalet 5107).

Based on second-quarter figures, Beechcraft deliveries have increased by 66 percent in 2013 compared with 2012: some 115 deliveries, up from 69.