Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Although the annual Brazilian LABACE show is relatively small, it is celebrating its 16th year (although it’s the 15th show as one was skipped), and a dedicated group of exhibitors and attendees once again filled the exhibit hall and static display ramp.

 


Aircraft manufacturers and local service providers remain optimistic about the business aviation market in Brazil, although most are awaiting the results of the presidential election in October in the hope that this will stabilize the economy and encourage increased spending.

 


Manufacturers brought their newest aircraft to LABACE 2018, including Gulfstream’s technologically advanced fly-by-wire G600, Textron Aviation’s Citation Longitude, the single-engine Cirrus Vision Jet, Honda Aircraft’s HondaJet Elite, the Embraer Phenom 300E, and Piper’s M600 single-engine turboprop.

 


Embraer Executive Jets will continue as a standalone company, along with Embraer’s defense and security businesses, after Boeing’s planned purchase of an 80 percent stake in Embraer takes place. Embraer CEO Paulo Cesar&nbsp;de Souza e&nbsp;Silva is confident that Embraer Executive Jets will continue developing new and upgraded products and providing strong customer support after the Boeing deal is consummated.

 


Flavio Pires,&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;of Brazilian business aviation association ABAG, welcomed this year’s new LABACE exhibitors and the more than 2,000 attendees on the first day. A big concern this year for Brazilian business aviation has been piracy, where non-approved entities are offering charter flights, maintenance, and parts, and ABAG is leading the fight against gray market operators as are other associations and civil aviation authority ANAC.

 


LABACE exhibitor Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada, which manufacturers turbine engines that power many business aircraft and helicopters in Brazil, is forecasting growth in the Latin America fixed-wing business aircraft fleet of 44 percent by 2027, outpacing worldwide growth projected at more than 15 percent for that period. In 2017, said Satheeshkumar Kumarasingam, P&amp;WC’s v-p customer service, GAMA-reporting OEMs will deliver 80 fixed-wing business aircraft to Latin America in 2027, compared with 41 in 2017.

Brazil Business Aviation Looking Confidently to Future

Aircraft and engine manufacturers and the Brazilian business aviation industry filled the exhibit halls and static display at LABACE 2018.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

LABACE 2018

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