Proposals for new business aviation airports for São Paulo have appeared at recent editions of LABACE, accompanied by elaborate models, endorsements and hype. But the official permits that stand between concept and realization have been few and far between. The proposed airports quietly disappear, blocked by an unobtainable permission, or a changing market, or insufficient financial stamina to carry such a large project though to completion.
In contrast, news of the proposed São Paulo Catarina Business Airport arrived two LABACEs ago (August 2013) as a massive and beautiful model on display in the show’s static display area, directly in front of the hangar. The model didn’t come to LABACE 2015, but instead there was a video of bulldozers at work and aerial views of progress at the site, which is located 40 minutes west of São Paulo. It is adjacent to the Castelo Branco highway (that links São Paulo with Sorocaba, two hours’ drive to the west) right across from the large outlet mall that was also displayed on the 2013 model. That mall is now in operation and preparing for expansion. So the overall project is well under way, but awaits construction of the airport. Construction of the runway is scheduled to start by year end, to be completed by June 2016.
Catarina Business Airport is “finding strong demand,” AIN was told by Francisco Lyra, whose company C>Fly Aviation is a partner in the airport with developer JHSF. “One of the challenges in marketing the project is that all negotiations are proceeding under non-disclosure agreements,” explained Lyra. “Catarina is going to be the business airport in São Paulo, and we’d like everyone to come.” That of course means that he’s talking to firms that are competitors, many of which are holding their cards close to their chests.
“[There are many] doubting Thomases who need to see first to believe… [but] JHSF has a track record,” said Lyra. The firm has built massive shopping centers and mixed-use projects around Brazil, and the Catarina booth at LABACE also displayed material for projects involving shopping, housing and vacation options for the same high-net-worth demographic that flies privately.
Rather than the usual real-estate flyers offering monthly payment plans, JHSF’s marketing leans toward hardcover books in elegant slipcases, with no mention of price. The current Brazilian corruption scandal has included the arrests of top management of family-owned construction contractors that have grown fat on public contracts. But JHSF is a public company, listed on the São Paulo stock exchange, and holds no government contracts.
“I never wanted Congonhas to end [as a business aviation airport],” Lyra continued, “But if business aviation is going to grow, it’s going to have to grow outside Congonhas. There is never going to be more space here, there are never going to be more slots for business aviation. The best we can hope for here is to hold our ground. And how can you have a business plan that calls for zero growth?” In his view, the Catarina business airport would provide “room for business aviation to spread its wings” in São Paulo.
