BAE Systems Regional Aircraft Opens Latin American Sales Office

8 September, 2010. BAE Systems Regional Aircraft announces the appointment of Mr Ricardo Barrera as Director Sales, Latin America with immediate effect.

A Colombian national, Mr Barrera is based in the capital Bogota, a key hub for connections to all parts of Central and South America.

BAE Systems believes the time is right to make this new appointment as the market for its regional airliner products is opening up in Latin America, particularly for the 70-112 seat BAe 146/Avro RJ regional jet. This aircraft’s combination of exceptional airfield performance, competitive economics and affordability makes it ideally suited for regional operators seeking to expand jet services.

The recent sale by BAE Systems of two BAe 146-200s to Aerolineas Star Peru underscores the growing success of the aircraft in the region. The addition of these two aircraft brings the Star Peru BAe 146 fleet to eight aircraft. Other operators of the aircraft on the Continent include Transporte Aereo Militar of Bolivia (Bolivian Air Force) with four BAe 146s and Aerovias DAP of Punta Arenas, Chile, with two aircraft.

Also popular in the region are aircraft from the Jetstream family. The 29-seat Jetstream 41 is in service with Easyfly of Colombia and has recently served with Delbitur of Chile and RAVSA of Venezuela. The smaller 19-seat Jetstream 31/32 is numerous in the wider region with some 30 companies operating around 70 aircraft.

Mr Barrera is a mechanical engineer by training and started his aviation career with Avianca of Colombia in 1995. During his time with the airline he has worked in engineering and maintenance on a variety of aircraft types including the Avro RJ-100s that were in service with Avianca’s regional subsidiary airline, Sociedad Aeronautica de Medellin S.A (SAM). He also worked on the commercial side with Avianca’s MRO providing aeronautical services in the Americas.

Most recently Mr Barrera has been Fleet Administration Manager for Avianca, responsible for leasing contracts, aircraft incorporations and disposals.

Mr Barrera said today: “I am delighted to be joining BAE Systems which is a very strong company with the right aircraft solutions for growing airlines in Latin America. The regional airline market needs reliable, comfortable and economical aircraft, but at an affordable cost. BAE Systems also offers the direct support from the original equipment manufacturer that is a key factor in this market.”

About BAE Systems. BAE Systems is a global defence, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).