Brazil Convention comes to a close

The 2012 SINDAG congress came to a close Friday night, June 29 after three, successful days of conducting ag-aviation business. A large party was held for the closing and was sponsored by Helices Costa, Aviation Parts EXE . According to SINDAG president, Nelson Paim, approximately 850 people registered and attended the event. There were approximately 40 exhibitors. Like in most parts of the world, ag-aviation in Brazil is booming. The country takes delivery of the more new U.S.-built ag-planes delivered internationally than any other country. Only a few short years ago, it was hard to find a turbine-powered ag-plane in Brazil. Today, it is rapidly becoming the norm. After a long week in Brazil, now it is time for me to start working my way back home to Georgia. The 30-hour travel event starts in Campo Grande Saturday morning where I catch a flight to Rio de Janeiro. I will have about a four-hour connection time in Rio before I board the 9-hour flight to Miami. Once in Miami, arriving there at 4a, I will clear immigration and customs and then catch another flight to Atlanta. From Atlanta, it is still an additional two hours of driving with hopes of arriving home in time for Sunday lunch. It will be good to return home to some sort of normalcy. However, it will be only about a month before I return to South America, this time the visit will include Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. There will be two conventions, one in Brazil and a few days later, too close together to warrant returning home, another one in Rosario, Argentina. The few days between the convention I plan to visit ag-operators in Uruguay, a very interesting country in its own rights. Keep turning...

Arrival in Campo Grande

For me, it is important to allow time to rest while traveling in Brazil. This is particularly true when you are switching airlines, meeting people and all at the same time carrying luggage that contains a few hundred AgAir Updates and trade show materials weighing well over a couple of hundred pounds.

After my visit with ABA Maintenance Aeronaves in Barreiras, Bahia, I caught a flight to Brasilia that connected to my destination, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. I arrived at the hotel just after midnight, Monday night. Here is where I would settle in for the rest of the week before returning home on Saturday night. This would give me all of Tuesday to rest and prepare for three days of "congresso", the Brazilian national agricultural aviation association's (SINDAG) convention. 

Wednesday started the three-day event. It is located at the local Santa Maria (on Google Earth) airport that is a $25 taxi ride each way from the hotel. Once you leave the hotel in the morning, you stay at the convention airport for the duration. Renting a car is about $200 a day, plus taxes, insurance and fuel, so that is out of the question. 

I was setting up at 9a and left at 9p before the day's event ended. There is just only so much a person can get done in a day; a long day of standing and being challenged to speak in Portuguese through the use of two translators. One of the translators is my long time (over 10 years) representative, Gina Hickmann from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (in the southern region). The other translator is a local, hired just to help with the convention. Both ladies are fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese. 

There are approximately 40 exhibitors at the SINDAG congress. They are set up in exhibit stands inside three adjacent hangars with more weatherproof stands of exhibitors between another row of three hangars. One of these hangars houses the cantina for eating, two others for meetings and lectures.

Not unlike any other trade show, I have the opportunity to meet AgAir Update readers, these from throughout Brazil and sometimes readers will attend from nearby Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. I have been doing this work in Latin America for about 17 years and have made many longtime friends, even though our conversations are somewhat limited with the differences in languages. However, some can speak excellent English. 

I also have an excellent opportunity while at the congress to visit with the exhibitors, who for the most part are AgAir Update advertisers. There are a few that are new to the ag-aviation business and I am sure to visit with them, explaining the virtues of advertising in AgAir Update's Latin American versions. 

Now, it is Thursday morning. It is a beautiful day, about 70dF with a clear sky. Like yesterday, I expect more aerial demonstrations of the Thrush, Ipanema and Air Tractor. A couple of the Brazilian ag-pilots are accomplished aerobatic pilots. They always perform a great air show. I'll have to wait and see which type aircraft they will use for the aerobatics, but I am sure one will be an RV-6 flown by "Beto" Textor.

Keep turning... 

Arrival in Brazil

After about 26+ hours of traveling from the U.S., Sunday night I finally arrived in Barreiras, Bahia Brazil to meet with ABA Manutençao Aeronaves (aviation maintenance). ABA is one of five Lane Aviation/Aeroglobo authorized Air Tractor service centers located in Brazil. I was a guest of Grant Lane while he made his first visit to ABA. We were welcomed at the airport by one of ABA partners, Ruddigger da Silva and his aviation business consultant, Gustavo Monesterio. 

Undoubtedly, it was a direct drive to the hotel for dinner and a welcome shower and bed. Monday, we visited the ABA facility which an extremely modern ag-aviation and general aviation maintenance shop by any world standards. The Brazilian and American flags in conjunction as signs on the hangar symbolized of the partnership between the well-established ABA and Lane Aviation/Aeroglobo group. Aeroglobo is the Lane Aviation representative for Air Tractor Sales and Service in Brazil and Argentina. 

After our morning visit, our hosts took us to a riverside restaurant for local meat and fish. It was outside dining with mico's small monkeys) swinging from the trees! We departed Barreiras late in the afternoon to arrive at the convention host hotel around midnight in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. We will use Tuesday to rest for what promises to be a hard three days of trade show work, Wednesday-Friday. Here in Brazil, it is common to be at the convention trade show/exhibit hall from about 9a to 9p or even midnight, away from the hotel, at the airport for three solid days. 

Keep turning...