Lider Aviation is promoting both the HondaJet Elite II light business jet and the Japanese manufacturer’s larger Echelon model at this week’s LABACE show in São Paulo. As Honda Aircraft’s exclusive sales representative in Brazil, Lider has now signed letters of intent covering purchases of 30 Echelon jets, which are expected to complete FAA type certification in 2028.

The Echelon’s projected range of 2,700 nm would allow it to travel nonstop from any two points in Brazil, a range unequaled by others in its class. Lider sales manager Anderson Markiewicz called the aircraft “a light jet with medium characteristics.” The new HondaJet model competes with Embraer’s locally-made Phenom 300 aircraft in Brazil.

While waiting for the Echelon, Lider is doing a booming business in pre-owned aircraft. “2022 was an all-time high, and while 2023 declined, 2024 is up again,” Markiewicz told AIN, noting that the Brazilian market for pre-owned turboprops and jets, “in 2022 was two point five times the market in 2019.”

So far this year, Lider has sold ten pre-owned aircraft, and the company expects to double that number by year end to reach the same sales tally as in 2022.

Chinese Wall Maintains Neutrality

Just about all Brazilian business aviation firms operate in more than one segment. Both Lider and its rival TAM Aviação Executiva also operate FBOs, for example.

While aircraft sales are TAM’s biggest area of activity, Markiewicz said that Lider’s largest is helicopter support for the offshore oil and gas sector. He explained that the company maintains "a sort of Chinese wall between the areas” to avoid conflicts of interest, but that he isn’t involved in those operations. Offshore oil and gas activity continues to grow in Brazil and Lider’s balance sheet shows it accounting for more than 70% of revenue.

Lider CEO Junia Hermont explained that while Lider had previously represented other aircraft manufacturers, Bombardier has since moved to a direct sales model like that of Embraer. U.S.-based Cirrus was acquired by Textron, which is already represented by TAM.

Hermont maintained that Lider’s diversification into multiple business areas, which also includes consultation on aircraft purchases and training in partnership with CAE, serves it well in terms of fluctuations in demand. While noting that oil and gas is currently the largest of Lider’s businesses. “The others are very big too,” she added, noting that its executive charter aircraft are often fully booked.

In the flight training sector, Lider has reconfigured its CAE simulators to meet Brazilian demand for pilots and also sends pilots to the U.S. for instruction. According to Hermot, the simulators are generally operated at full capacity, with the availability of pilots viewed as being as much of an obstacle to growth as the availability of aircraft.

Future at Congonhas Airport

Brazilian airport operator Aena is making vast changes at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo to prepare for increased commercial airline passenger volumes. For now, Lider’s hangar at Congonhas includes its largest maintenance center, and an elegant FBO serving the country’s largest city.

Many operators avoid answering questions about the future at the airport, but Hermont did. “We have a valid contract, and we’re in negotiations. For now, we’re staying where we are,” she told AIN.

The contract is for another two years, and she confirmed that Aena has offered a location elsewhere in the airport. While an eventual move would be expensive and inconvenient, she was clear in concluding that “we are in no danger of having to leave Congonhas.”