For the past few years, the market for business aviation in Latin America has been one of the largest in the world for both Beechcraft Corporation and Cessna Aircraft Company. Now that both companies have come together under the banner of Textron Aviation, Latin America takes on an even greater level of importance to the world’s largest supplier of general and business aircraft and support.
The significance of the Latin American market for Textron Aviation is emphasized by its extensive 13-aircraft line-up being showcased together for the first time in Brazil at the annual Latin America Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (LABACE) at São Paulo’s Congonhas Airport Aug. 12-14. Beechcraft and Cessna will be joined at LABCE by their regional partners, TAM Aviação Executiva and Lider Aviação.
Vice president of Latin America and Caribbean Sales, Robert Gibbs, said,
“No other aerospace company offers customers in Latin American the range of aircraft and aircraft support from Cessna and Beechcraft represented at this important event. Brazil remains the center of growth in Latin America but the rest of the region, from Mexico to Chile, is flexing its economic muscle and we’re seeing strong interest across our product line that matches the growth.
“To meet the increasing demand, we continue to invest in products that meet the unique requirements across Latin America, and in our customer support network that remains a cornerstone of Textron Aviation’s global reputation.”
According to industry data, business aviation in Latin America has grown nearly 4 percent in the last year to more than 5,000 business turbine aircraft based in the region. The three largest markets in the region for Textron Aviation products are Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela.
Buoyed by a dramatic increase in individual wealth in Latin America, powered chiefly by oil production, Textron Aviation companies have seen deliveries to the region rise dramatically in recent years.
Gibbs said,
“Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela also produce nearly 80 percent of Latin America’s oil, which corresponds to their reliance on business aviation to manage far-flung oil fields. We are also seeing strong GDP growth in most other countries in the region and that is a positive indicator for our industry, and it’s why we continue to invest in new aircraft and enhanced service programs across all of our aircraft platforms.”
Textron Aviation aircraft on display this week at LABACE include the following business jets, turboprops and piston-engine aircraft: Beechcraft King Air 350ER, King Air 350i, King Air 250, and King Air C90GTx.
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About Textron Aviation Inc.
Textron Aviation Inc. is the leading general aviation authority and home to Beechcraft. The Textron Aviation companies have decades of unmatched experience in designing, building, and supporting airplanes. It provides the most versatile and comprehensive general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft, and a complete global customer service organization. Its broad range of products are backed by the industry’s largest global service network.