The only aircraft manufacturer in the state and one of the three of the country expects what may be the last chance to revive production. The direction of Aeromot with industrial shed near the Salgado Filho International Airport in Porto Alegre , led to the state Department of Public Safety request for purchase of ten units of motorglider Ximango , most popular model the brand in the country and more than 30 copies sold the United States . The offer would meet the surveillance actions to combat cattle rustling and border crimes . A possible positive signal may save the company from bankruptcy . Aeromot is in bankruptcy protection since 2009 .
The CEO of the industry , aeronautical engineer Claudio Barreto Viana , met in February , with Roberto Carlos Anne Rose , executive secretary of the Office of Integrated Management of Public Security and direct assistant of the incumbent minister , Airton Michels . Anne reported that ordered the Battalion of Military Aviation Brigade ( BAV ) a technical report . " I requested a study to point out the technical feasibility . May even arise demand, but can not say anything , "mused Anne , remembering that you must meet the requirements of public procurement . The combat cattle theft and monitoring of border areas are a priority of the security plan . To fund potential acquisition , the state government could trigger federal funding programs to equip the police .
Barreto Viana notes that the resumption of the operation depends on this order. " This will enable to attract investors ," admits executive, who now has a contract to supply the technology to the Chinese. The commander of the Air Battalion BM , major Márcio Galdino , cited the Ximango is an "economic and viable platform." " We flew over 5000 hours with the equipment . It is a spectacular aircraft, " defines Galdino , remembering that knows the difficulties of the manufacturer. This week the commission BM visit the business premises .
The proposal includes
Aeromot thermal imager ( Flir ) . The feature allows you to generate realtime photos for sending to ground crews . In public safety , the glider would be an advantage to their low costs about R $ 350,00 - hour flight . A helicopter can reach $ 1000 . " We look for a program that has ' substance ' to reopen production. We will have a solution to a gaucho gaucho problem, " enthuses Barreto Viana , graduated from the Technological Institute of Aeronautics ( ITA ), which founded the company in 1967 .
The engineer Barreto Viana , as it is called by friends and aviation professionals , switched career Varig technology and services to develop and manufacture aircraft . The group had three arms - Aeromot Industry , Maintenance and Aeroeletronica . The last two were sold in the 2000s. Aeromot Maintenance is now Aeromot Aircraft and Aeroeletronica turned AEL Sistemas . " Unless a miracle occurs , will be declared bankrupt in Aeromot " warned the executive .
Today , aged 79 , Barreto Viana runs a saga since 2006 to recover the business. According to the founder ( and fonts that accompany the origins of the crisis confirms ) , the turbulence began with the real appreciation from 2004 , which increased the competition in the foreign market . Ximangos of 178 produced , 59 equipped schools of American pilots , including the country's Air Force . Before the crisis , Barreto Viana says that the factory came to be billed to $ 10 million annually.
In 2006 , the gaucho was chosen to supply ten motor gliders to provide security at the Pan American Games in 2007. Barreto Viana argues that the delay in hiring the Union prevented deliver the order on time . The coordinator of the Thematic Chamber Safety 2014 World Cup in the state and we headed to the Pan American Aviation , Kleber Senisse explains that aviation experts elected the equipment . " The Ximango is a viewing platform múliplas applications , with a range of two to three hours of flight ," cites Senisse .
The Secretary of State Development and Investment Promotion , Mauro Knijnik says it will be a loss to the eventual end state economy in the activities of the manufacturer. " I know the founder , a good man, of great merit , it introduced such activity in the state ," acknowledged the secretary. " The idea is to help total and absolute , but must comply with legal requirements ," explained Knijnik .
Sale of property to pay off debts and would reactivate manufacturing
With judicial reorganization proceedings in 2009 , the estimated output Aeromot sum R $ 17.2 million , including taxes . The target slice negotiating with creditors ( tax liability can not be rescheduled ) totaled R $ 7 million , according to the company's lawyer , Roberto Martins . The plan approved in 2011 betting on resumption of production to generate revenue and pay off debts . Activities with very small , the output was proposing to sell the property to raise funds and settle the liability , explains Martins . The proposal was endorsed by the meeting of creditors , including labor , involving about a hundred former employees .
The application for authorization of the Bankruptcy Court for the sale of assets was made two months before the end of the schedule to reverse the difficulties in 2013 . " The plan follows in full and unrestricted compliance . We did request the sale , because we knew that the time would run out without the actual payment by cash flow from operations , "said Martins . According to the CEO of the manufacturer , Claudio Barreto Viana , a privileged operation generates a small monthly revenue obtained with maintenance and manufacturing of spare parts for units that continue to fly the country and abroad ( the United States has the largest fleet in operation) and covering wages of less than ten remaining employees .
The potential for recovery of the property, considering the location on Avenue of States , near the Salgado Filho International Airport , is the bet to raise capital and create a resume activity elsewhere , with the building leased . " The divestment is part of the downsizing of operations plan and enable the payment of creditors ," adds the attorney . The director of the Metalworkers Union of Porto Alegre Alfredo Gonçalves confirms that former employees accepted the intent to sell , as output to honor the debt .
"Our struggle is for the judge to release " expressed the director . " It was good that Aeromot recovered. Many former employees would like to return to acting , "says the union . Former employees migrated to aviation hubs such as Sao Paulo , the country In the main segment of the capital , remained placements in maintenance services , as in TAP workshops and Blue. " Aeromot was the leading company . Today has the AEL "compares Gonçalves . The only aircraft manufacturer came to generate 500 jobs in the group .
Ximango be used safely in Cup
The two units of the Air Ximango Grouping of Military Police ( Graer ) Bahia were scheduled for surveillance of the World Cup in the region of Salvador , one of the World 12 branch offices in Brazil . Now also comes the chance of units of the Battalion of Military Aviation Brigade implement the feature. The deputy commander of the battalion , Major Márcio Galdino , explains that motor gliders must undergo maintenance , with production of new replacement parts , which mobilizes the maintenance company and the battalion . " If we can repair , we employ the Cup," reveals Galdino .
The commander of the Bahian Graer Lazarus Raimundo Oliveira Monteiro says that the two units were purchased in 2004 , after the group known models for demonstration taken by gaucho battalion, whose pilot training school has students around the country and applied them in powered sailplanes exercises . " We will use the patrol roads and access to Salvador . It is a very efficient machine for the scale and cost benefits , "says Monteiro . One of Ximangos had already been employed in safety key draw of the competition last December , in Costa do Sauipe . The glider shows higher efficiency to cover areas and make long surveillance , supporting more overt actions with helicopters .
Other military aircraft by Country groupings have copies of the stationary aircraft in hangars for lack of maintenance, cascading shutdown of the plant. "We identified a lot of planting marijuana in Pará with the glider . Pertussis was pilot when we arrived , "said Francisco José Souza , the Air Grouping of Public Security of Pará ( Graesp ) . In Bahia , contract with a company with certified mechanics to repair the aircraft gave conditions to keep the flotilla . The colonel pointed Graer the thermal imaging device , the Flir coupled at the base of the plane , the advantage for real-time generation of scenes being shot from above. The Flir developed by Aeromot in the 2000s from the project with funds from FINEP ( Federal Government ) , was included in the package offered to the state government .