First Avanti II Deliveries In Brazil Expected In Early 2011

Italian Business Aviation Manufacturer Piaggio Aero said Thursday at the top of the LABACE Air Show in Sao Paulo that it has cracked the Brazilian biz-av market.

The company announced that it would begin sales at LABACE, with first deliveries of its world-renowned P180 Avanti II aircraft expected for January/February 2011, as soon as the aircraft receives Brazilian certification. That process reportedly near completion. Piaggio Aero also announced that they have reached agreement with NOAR Aviação part of Brazil's NOAR Airlines, based in Recife, for NOAR to become the exclusive Brazilian agent for the Piaggio P180 Avanti II aircraft. NOAR will promote, distribute and service the Piaggio Aero brand and its aircraft in Brazil.

"We have evaluated the Brazilian market very carefully and the opportunity it presents for Piaggio," said President and CEO of Piaggio America and Piaggio Aero's Chief Marketing Officer, John M. Bingham. "We are delighted to be bringing our aircraft to this market and people will be surprised at what a great alternative it is to the other more established aircraft in Brazil. Above all, they will be amazed at how we operate at up to 40 percent lower operating costs, and leave a much smaller carbon footprint than those other aircraft, without surrendering any performance or time in flight for our customers."

Piaggio Aero is entering Brazil with the very significant backing and support of its shareholders, which includes TATA from India, through Tata Limited UK, and Mubadala Development, the strategic investment company owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi. "We are here to build a solid, long term, aviation business and with strong backing, significant business acumen and an excellent Brazilian representative, there will soon be a substantial number of Piaggio P180 Avanti II's in the skies of Brazil," Bingham added.

NOAR will also become the first Piaggio Aero authorized service center in Brazil, with additional service centers to quickly follow. The authorization allows the NOAR service center to perform factory-authorized maintenance, repair and overhaul services to the P180 Avanti II aircraft.

FMI: www.piaggioaero.com