Labace 2011 opened today in São Paulo, Brazil, to the sound of a business aviation industry that represents sustained growth on a global scale, with particular emphasis on the economic sustainability of that country’s new booming economy. Francisco Lyra, president and administrative counsel for show organizer ABAG (Associação Brasileira de Aviação Geral), discussed one of the major challenges facing Brazil­–investing 22 percent of the country’s GDP within the next three years. And that investment, he said, requires investment in business aviation. There are 4,072 airports in Brazil, he said, only 726 of which have paved surfaces and just 124 of which offer scheduled airline service. “Connectivity equals investment,” he told his audience of more than 200 at the opening general session. Business aviation in Brazil, he explained, “does not merely fly millionaires, but the decision makers.” And he pointed out that business decision makers do not invest in what they cannot visit and see for themselves, and that requires business aviation. To that end, he announced one of ABAG’s most recent investments in business aviation: the first “Book of Civil Aviation,” created jointly with 10 other Latin American nations in an effort to homogenize civil aviation regulations and procedures, from data and reports to certification requirements. However, he cautioned that it is not a finished work, but rather an ongoing project that will be continuously updated and improved. ABAG expects some 16,000 visitors at this year’s three-day Labace