Air Taxi Market in Brazil
Initially, the air taxi emerged in Brazil in order to meet the transport needs of important executives. The economic expansion led to new applications for air services, such as courier transport for banks and the post office. In this article you will learn more about this service in Brazil.
In Brazil, air taxi services are no longer part of the luxury market. Currently less than 5% of flights are to transport executives or are for leisure travel. The air taxi is used for other public utility activities such as transporting passengers, loads, patients and organs for transplantation.
Air taxis serve around 3 500 cities in Brazil, while airlines companies serve approximately only 130 cities. The costs for getting an air taxi varies according to the aircraft model and company, but as an example the average price per kilometer of a flight in a twin engined turboprop is BRL 13.
Air Taxi Regulations
The National Civil Aviation Agency, known as ANAC, is the highest authority and is responsible for the regulation, approval and supervision of airlines and air taxis. The company's authorized by ANAC must operate according to the technical and operational requirements set by the agency.
One of ANAC’s activities is the registration of all Brazilian civil aircrafts. This registration control is done through the Brazilian Aeronautical Registry System, which issues the registration certificates and airworthiness. Air taxi aircraft are registered in the category TPX, short for regular air transport, and must state next to the main passenger door the expression "Taxi Aéreo", horizontally or vertically.
The ANAC keeps track of all civil aircrafts in Brazil. It is therefore necessary to register all aircrafts including helicopters with the ANAC. This control is done through the Sistema de Registro Aeronáutico Brasileiro, which is Portuguese for Brazilian Aeronautical Registry System, or RAB.
In addition to this, the authorized companies are required to obtain insurance for any damages to passengers or contractors. There are also demands related to the pilots, who must possess a commercial pilot license. The companies undergo strict periodic inspections, including the training of the aircrew.
Data from Abtaer, short for Brazilian Association of Air Taxi, point out that this sector generates about BRL 8.4 billion per year. Although, this revenue has decreased due to the increase of illegal air taxi companies in the market, also known as TACA. ANAC monitors the practice in the country and punishes clandestine aircraft, seizing the aircraft or annulling the pilot's license.
Air Taxi Services
Here are the main services that can be performed by an air taxi company:
- Passenger transport is an operation performed on aircraft with 30 passenger seats. The time, place of departure, destination and price are specifically negotiated with the client
- Aircrafts for skydiving are considered as passenger transport with special features. This type of operation requires specific training for pilots and an aircraft appropriately adapted for skydiving
- Cargo transportation is an operation performed by aircraft with a maximum load capacity of 3400 kg
- The aircraft for the transport of patients must be within requirements provided in specific regulations set by ANAC and the Federal Council of Medicine. The aircraft must be provided with fixed or removable medical equipment and necessary medical support services
- Interconnecting air link services are responsible for linking two or more locations which are not served by regular airlines. They can also be used for transporting government officials to riverside and indigenous regions, for example
- Transportation of both onshore and offshore employees of oil exploration companies, situated on the mainland or on the coast
- Air taxis also operate high voltage network inspections. Power transmission lines undergo periodic inspections that can only be made by air taxi helicopters.
Currently, there are 200 companies approved to operate in the air taxi segment with a fleet of 1,574 airplanes and helicopters.