Dassault Aviation brought two business jets for its inaugural appearance last week at the Catarina Aviation Show at São Paulo Catarina Executive Airport (SBJH): a Falcon 8X and 2000LXS. The company also opened a service center at Catarina in May, replacing its former maintenance facility at Sorocaba Airport (SDCO).
Since then, said company senior v-p of customer service John Loh, “We’ve hired more technicians and we’re still looking.” Dassault held a Falcon maintenance and operations seminar in Morumbi, a São Paulo suburb more convenient for operators based in the city, on Wednesday.
“The market is strong, with 50 Falcons in Brazil alone,” Loh said. “It’s an important support location for us.” When asked if the hangar at Catarina will grow, he said, “I would love it to. The landlord [JHSF] has worked with us.”
Loh expects that, should Dassault want more space at Catarina, it will be available. “We’ve been able to keep it [the facility] really busy. We are absolutely happy with the move. The facility is world-class, with ease of access and more customers hangared at or using Catarina.”
He said the greater capacity of the Catarina facility was needed, while adding that the airport being international allows Falcon operators to fly directly to the facility without stopping elsewhere to clear customs.