Dallas Aeronautical Services has received approval from Brazilian civil aviation authority ANAC for its new composites and structural repair facility in São José dos Campos. The facility occupies more than 21,500 sq ft in a secure business park and aims to serve the business, commercial and military aviation markets in Brazil, and eventually in Mercosul, under the name DAS Brasil.

“Important conversations and agreements are already happening for DAS Brasil,” said managing director of Brazilian operations Eliezer M. da Silva. “We are already working diligently with the major airline companies in order to become approved repair vendors.” DAS aims to follow the ANAC certification with EASA and FAA certification within the next two years. Other South American certifications will be considered only after that. “The majority of that market is in Brazil, but there are important operators in other South American countries,” he said. “Our goal is to make DAS Brasil a hub that can support needs from these operators in the surrounding countries.”

The new facility has already received more than half a million dollars in investment in equipment, tooling and specialized training of mechanics. The choice of São José dos Campos is due to “privileged logistics,” with proximity to airports, seaports and highways, as well as commercial aviation maintenance centers and business aviation service centers in Sorocaba and Jundiaí.

Da Silva also cited “availability of infrastructure, engineering, needed vendors and technical work force to support DAS´s capabilities.” Embraer and the University of São Paulo jointly operate a composites materials research lab in São José dos Campos, about which da Silva noted, “The core business is different,” but there may be overlap down the road.

DAS Brasil’s technicians are currently training in Dallas, where DAS has operated for more than 30 years, with formal inauguration of the São José dos Campos facility planned after their return before the end of the year. o