Azul's first SkyCourier should arrive in Brazil this week

The new Cessna SkyCourier from Azul Conecta, a regional subsidiary of Azul, should arrive in Brazil this week, after the company picks up the aircraft at Cessna's headquarters, in Wichita, in the American state of Kansas.

Members of Conecta went to the USA to receive the company's new plane, according to CNN.

In total, two units of the model were purchased.

The Courier, which currently has the American registration number N408NH, must enter Brazil from Azul's base at Confins International Airport, in Belo Horizonte (MG), to carry out customs procedures and nationalize the aircraft.

After nationalization, the plane must go to the company's headquarters in Jundiaí (SP) where it will receive the Azul visual identity, being incorporated into the current fleet that includes the Cessna Caravan and the Pilatus PC12.

Image shows Cessna Caravan aircraft in an Azul Conecta hangar, in Jundiaí (SP) - Rafael Villarroel/CNN
As CNN showed, the company will begin operating its two new SkyCouriers this year, targeting routes to the Amazon region.

The company's objective with the arrival of the Courier is, in principle, to direct the operations of the new aircraft to this region with a view to developing more business, such as in charters and dedicated operations, in addition to further expanding the network in regular passenger transport.

The SkyCourier accommodates up to 19 people, can operate on short or unpaved runways and will allow us to expand the number of seats on the routes served by the company, in addition to expanding its presence in areas with simpler infrastructure.

Image shows illustration of Azul Conecta's new SkyCourier - Disclosure
"It is a modern aircraft, extremely versatile and aligned with the country's connectivity needs, especially in markets served by smaller airports", stated the CEO of Azul Conecta, Vitor Cordeiro.

Gains in operational efficiency and cost reduction are also expected in relation to the aircraft currently used in part of the regional network.

Regional challenges
Conecta's expansion occurs amid the federal government's efforts to expand air connectivity in less served regions of the country.

Recently, the Management Committee of the National Civil Aviation Fund (Fnac) approved airlines' access to financing lines totaling R$13.56 billion.

The counterparts to access the fund's resources include increasing the share of frequencies operated in the Legal Amazon and the Northeast by 15% in relation to the previous year or ensuring that at least 17.5% of annual takeoffs occur in these regions.

Source: CNN