Brazil's largest airline renewing aircraft fleet with Boeing

GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, Brazil's largest airline, is renewing its fleet with an order of 135 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which are expected to be fully delivered by 2028. GOL already operates Brazil's newest and most modern fleet. The airline will receive 105 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 30 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft.

The first three MAX 8 aircraft were delivered to GOL between June and October and are already operating on commercial flights. The company will add four MAX 8 aircraft to its fleet by the end of the year, replacing its Next Generation models.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was developed with the help of GOL's pilots, engineers and technicians. The new aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, offering the best operational performance and a range of over 4,000 miles, enabling GOL to fly to new destinations.

The 737 MAX 10 aircraft will comfortably accommodate 30 additional passengers when compared to the MAX 8 seating configuration, which accommodates up to 186 clients. It expects to fly the first MAX 10 aircraft in its fleet in 2022.

Brazil and Latin America a sweet spot for Eutelsat satellites

Eutelsat Communications confirmed the order of a new multi-mission high-capacity satellite on Tuesday designed to serve dynamically expanding video and broadband markets in Brazil and across Latin America.

Eutelsat has selected U.S.-based Space Systems/Loral to manufacture the Eutelsat 65 West A satellite that will be launched and operational in early 2016. It will be located at 65 degrees west longitude on the Earth's equator, where Eutelsat's subsidiary, Eutelsat do Brasil Ltda. was granted frequencies in C, Ku and Ka-bands by Aantel, the Brazilian telecommunications regulatory authority, in June.

The new satellite will combine the benefits of C and Ku-bands for video distribution and Direct-to-Home broadcasting, with broadband access in the Ka-band. This tri-band configuration will equip Eutelsat to target markets with the highest growth potential across Latin America, in particular Brazil as it upgrades its digital infrastructure and prepares to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Eutelsat 65 West A will deliver service for 15 years or more, the company said in press release.

Eutelsat's use of 65 degrees west, already a well-anchored neighborhood for video services, will transform the company's commercial presence in the Latin American region which is undergoing dynamic economic growth, generating high demand for digital infrastructure with ubiquitous coverage. Satellites are well-positioned to benefit from this trend, with forecasts of above 7 percent average annual growth in transponder demand over the 2011-2016 period.

Eutelsat has been operational in Brazil since 2000 through its Eutelsat do Brasil subsidiary located in Rio de Janeiro that markets capacity through a first generation of satellites providing connectivity between South America, Europe and Africa. These resources will be boosted in 2014 by EUTELSAT 3B and in 2015 by EUTELSAT 8 West B that will both deliver Latin American coverage.

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Bombardier adds office in Brazil, Learjets 60s in Mexico

Bombardier Aerospace announced Wednesday that it will be opening its first Regional Support Office (RSO) in Latin America for its business aircraft customers by year’s end.

This full-scale RSO will be located in São Paulo, Brazil, alongside Bombardier’s already-established parts depot and Authorized Service Facility (ASF), OceanAir Táxi Aéreo.

The new facility is part of Bombardier’s global plan to provide international customers with access to regional support services in their own time zones and languages.

“In order to compete globally, you must be prepared to commit and deliver locally,” said Andy Nureddin, vice president, Customer Services and Support, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “With this new RSO, we will be able to resolve customer issues more quickly, mitigate risks before they become issues and further improve support to our growing customer base in the region.”

The new RSO will bolster Bombardier's support in Latin America in light of existing and anticipated regional growth.

Bombardier’s business aircraft fleet in Latin America consists of more than 475 Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft, 180 of which are in South America, with a significant proportion based in Brazil.

Bombardier's RSO network for business and commercial aircraft includes locations in Mumbai, India; Tokyo, Japan; Sydney, Australia; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Shanghai, China; and Munich, Germany.

Boosting maintenance support for Learjets in Mexico

Aerovitro, one of Bombardier’s two ASFs based in Mexico, is expanding its Aircraft-On-Ground line maintenance capabilities to include Learjet 60 aircraft.

This new capability augments Aerovitro’s current certification as a full ASF for Challenger 300, Challenger 604/605 and Global Express aircraft.

Aerovitro has been a part of Bombardier’s Authorized Service Facility network since August 2010 and employs a staff of 16 technicians.

Bombardier’s second ASF in Mexico is Servicios Aereos Estrella based in Toluca.