✈️ Brazil Business Aviation Market Reverses Course Ahead of Show, Catarina Airshow Order Conversion Under Pressure
Avi-Go data indicates that Brazil's business aviation market experienced a notable inflection point in March 2026: departures declined 10.9% year-over-year, accelerating further to -17.6% in April, with single-day year-over-year declines reaching -48.0% on May 1-2. Cumulative departures from January through May 2 totaled 51,422 movements, down 6.7% compared to 55,105 movements during the same period in 2025. This trajectory stands in sharp contrast to the same period in 2025, when the market recorded a robust seasonal ramp-up of 40.7% from January through April, compared to only 6.9% during the same period in 2026. In terms of fleet mix, turboprops account for 53.6% and light jets for 37.1%, totaling approximately 91%, with the Phenom 300, King Air 90, and Piper PA-46 ranking as the top three types, reflecting a market still dominated by mid-to-lower-end aircraft. According to AIN, the Catarina Aviation Show is scheduled for May 21-23, 2026 at Catarina, São Paulo, with major business aviation OEMs confirmed to participate. The Embraer Praetor 600E is expected to receive triple certification from Brazil, Europe, and the United States around May, positioning it as a potential centerpiece of the show, while the first Brazilian customer delivery of the Dassault Falcon 10X is anticipated in July 2026.
Impact: Continued deterioration in pre-show market data directly constrains on-site order conversion opportunities, as prospective buyers tend to defer purchasing decisions when demand signals remain unclear. For domestic OEMs such as Embraer, the Praetor 600E's triple certification carries the potential to lift sentiment, though uncertainty remains as to whether it can effectively catalyze transactions during the show.
Recommendation: OEMs and dealers should complete targeted pre-engagement outreach to Brazilian high-net-worth clients before the show opens on May 21, 2026, focusing on building concrete acquisition scenarios around the Praetor 600E certification milestone and the Falcon 10X delivery timeline. FBOs and charter operators can leverage the show window to secure charter demand for the second half of 2026, using flexible utilization solutions to lower the decision threshold for clients during a period of market softness.