Contributor - South America

Richard Pedicini

At the opening of LABACE 2022 yesterday, Secretary of Civil Aviation Ronei Glanzman, Brazil's highest-ranking aviation official, gave a strong endorsement of the nascent urban air mobility (UAM) industry. ”Support for UAMs is a clear public policy,” Glanzman told AIN. Local aircraft manufacturer Embraer is a major investor in its Eve spinoff, which is planning to manufacture an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, although it isn’t displaying a prototype this week at the show.
He listed what makes Brazil an ideal incubator for a UAV ecosystem: “ANAC, DECEA, Embraer, and WEG”—referring to the country's civil aviation agency, airspace managing agency, homegrown aircraft manufacturer, and electric motor maker in&nbsp;the southern state of Santa Catarina, respectively.
ANAC is one of the top four certifiers of aircraft, the others being the FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada. Glanzman noted that Brazil was part of ICAO's "petite comitê" that facilitated the return of the Boeing 737 Max to service and is one of the few ICAO Level 1 countries.&nbsp;
DECEA, meanwhile,&nbsp;has been supportive of creating UAM airspace routes. Glanzman said São Paulo's "more challenging" airspace was the reason that Eve's UAM trial with helicopters playing the part of eVTOLs took place in Rio rather than the larger city. He listed cities such as Recife, Salvador, Porto Alegre, and Curitiba as "large cities, densely populated, where mobility is important and there will be a role for UAMs.”
The ability to certify new aircraft requires, of course, that such aircraft be produced. Brazil remains the home of Embraer, and much of Eve's engineering is conducted at the airframer's Peixote Gomide facilities.
Additionally, WEG is the world's largest electric motor manufacturer and supplied the motors for Embraer's first experimental electric aircraft, a converted Ipanema cropduster, though Embraer said that WEG is not involved in Eve's new vehicle.&nbsp;
The secretary also brought up the theme of “capillarity," generally used to mean the extension of air travel to unserved cities far from the large urban centers. In the context of EVTOLs, though, he listed satellite cities such as Sorocaba, São Roque, and others that are not São Paulo suburbs but reasonably close. Glanzman sees eVTOLs as linking these cities to airports, serving&nbsp;people who are sufficiently far enough that ground travel is inconvenient.
Two general aviation airports in Rio and São Paulo—Jacarepaguá&nbsp;and Campo de Marte—are <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-08-08/auction-set-campo-de-marte-airport">being auctioned as a group</a> and, Glanzman declared, "These are two great poles for eVTOLs.” The group that acquires the concessions will have in each of Brazil's two largest cities large bases that UAM studies have said are needed.&nbsp;
With a supportive government including an aircraft certification agency, cooperative airspace organization, major aircraft manufacturer, and large densely populated cities, Glanzman said Brazil&nbsp;"has the DNA for eVTOLs.&nbsp;It is&nbsp;like the recipe for a cake—you just have to put it in the oven and watch it grow."

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Brazil Official Signals Strong Support for UAM

Ronei Glanzman, Brazil's secretary of civil aviation believes that the country "has the DNA for eVTOLS."

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Duffy served in Congress from 2011 to 2019

Former Rep. Duffy Selected for Transportation Secretary

AmyWilder

Operators push for simpler fatigue-management rules

Canada’s Flight and Duty Time Regulations under Scrutiny

Thune formerly chaired the Commerce Committee and is well versed in aviation issues

Thune Move to Senate Majority Leader Draws Bizav Praise

Hanneke Weitering

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Inflight refueling aircraft slated for first autonomous flight in 2025

USAF Approves Merlin's Airworthiness Plan for Autonomous KC-135

Tax issues among first anticipated on Capitol Hill's plate next year

Washington To See New Aviation Leaders in Next Congress

Tariffs, Schedule F, sustainability, audits all possible changes

New White House Sets Stage for New Aviation Policy

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Report identifies vulnerabilities in labor, materials, and infrastructure

Task Force Details Aerospace Supply-chain Weaknesses

Charles Alcock

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

LABACE 2022

More In Regulations and Government