With the arrival of its first Pilatus PC-24 late last week at São Paulo Catarina International Airport, Amaro Aviation plans to be a major force in the Brazilian fractional aircraft share market—a segment that is expanding with the arrival of the country’s own Part K regulations. The company includes several heavy hitters in the Brazilian aviation scene: partner Marcos Amaro is a son of TAM founder Rolim Amaro; CEO David Barione was a founder of GOL and president of TAM; and partner Francisco Lyra is an ex-chairman of ABAG and the aviation know-how behind the Catarina airport.
Amaro Aviation is basing its PC-24 at Catarina, which has an 8,100-foot runway and was recently certified as an international airport by Brazil’s ANAC. The aircraft, which was greeted by a water salute upon landing last Thursday at Catarina, will be joined by a PC-12 turboprop single in November.
Barione told AIN that Amaro Aviation plans to offer “a complete solution for business aviation,” including not only fractional shares but air taxi, charter, and aircraft management services. Although founded only this year, Amaro Aviation already “manages the largest Gulfstream fleet in Brazil,” among other aircraft, having absorbed the management department of Lyra’s CFly Aviation. Barione extolled the PC-24’s ability to land on unimproved runways as important for getting Brazil’s booming agribusiness where it needs to go and getting there faster than turboprops.
Meanwhile, Catarina’s newfound international status will also help Synerjet, the exclusive South American distributor for Pilatus business aircraft, which has signed a lease to move its MRO operations to the São Paulo business aviation airport. Synerjet will be responsible for maintenance of Amaro Aviation’s Pilatus fleet, according to Synerjet CEO José Eduardo Brandão.