Amaro Aviation wants to become Brazil’s NetJets

Operating in the new and recently regulated sphere of shared aircraft ownership in Brazil, Amaro Aviation said it wants to become the South American country’s answer to NetJets.

The National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) permitted and regulated the management of shared ownership aircraft earlier this year. Instead of owning your own jet and bearing all its fixed costs, since July it became possible to have a share of an aircraft, leaving the operating responsibilities in the hands of the operator.

Amaro was founded this year by Marcos Amaro and David Barioni inspired by the success of Warren Buffet’s US-based NetJets. According to its founders the potential for growth is “great”. Brazil has a fleet of more than 600 executive jets in operation, which go beyond the 150 cities regularly served by commercial aviation. However, not even 5% of these aircraft are jointly owned — in the US that number is more like 50%.

“We currently operate eight aircraft and, in five years, we want to reach a fleet of 50,” explains Amaro. The firm’s main customers come from agribusiness, retail trade and Faria Lima, which is just 15 minutes away by helicopter from São Paulo Catarina, an international airport opened in late 2019 near Rodovia Castello Branco, in São Roque.

At Amaro, a share of a Pilatus PC-12, an entry turboprop, starts at $440,000 per year, with a cost of $828 per flight hour — each share entitles you to fly 60 hours a year. According to the company, this is a good opportunity for those who fly more than 30 hours a year.