After scare with “Aerolula” breakdown, president will use another plane on trip to Russia
The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) will use another Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft on its official trip to Russia, next week, to participate in the 16th BRICS Leaders Summit.
The meeting is scheduled to take place between October 22nd and 24th, in the city of Kazan. The Brics group currently consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.
According to information from the g1the aircraft model used by Lula will be the FAB’s KC-30. The decision was taken after technical problems on the VC-1 presidential plane, the “Aerolula”, which had engine failures and suffered a breakdown during a trip to Mexico two weeks ago. The pilot even declared an emergency on board.
The information about changing the aircraft for the trip to Russia was initially published by the newspaper The Globe and confirmed by the Social Communication Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (Secom).
The KC-30 model is an adapted version, for military use, of the Airbus A330-200. The FAB acquired two units of the plane – one of which has been used in the repatriation operation of Brazilians in Lebanon.
The aircraft is larger than the VC-1, but considered less comfortable. The KC-30 is 59 meters long and capable of carrying up to 238 passengers.
According to Palácio do Planalto, Lula will embark for Russia on Sunday (20) and should return to Brazil the following Friday (25).
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Pane in Mexico
The “Aerolula” experienced technical problems shortly after taking off from Felipe Ángeles International Airport, near Mexico City, on October 1st.
According to information from the FAB, the problem was resolved during the flight, but the plane needed to make around 50 turns, for almost 5 hours, to burn off fuel and land safely.
Accompanied by government ministers, Lula had to return to Brazil on another aircraft. There is still no forecast as to when the VC-1 will be used again by the President of the Republic – or even if this will happen.
A team of technicians and investigators from the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa) went to Mexico to analyze the flight data.
“The investigation into the aeronautical occurrence is ongoing and there is no deadline for completion, as it depends on the complexity of each occurrence and, also, the need to discover possible contributing factors”, informed the FAB.
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A “veteran” plane
The “Aerolula” model has been used by the Brazilian government since 2005, during the first term of the President of the Republic.
The aircraft was chosen in 2003 – the first year of Lula’s first term –, four years after an incident during a trip by the then vice-president of the Republic, Marco Maciel, to China (during the FHC government).
At the time, Planalto decided to exchange the old Boeing 707 planes and opted for aircraft charter. In 2003, under Lula, claiming that the costs of these charters were high, the federal government chose an aircraft considered, at the time, more modern, safe and economical.
Is it time to change?
The technical problems detected in the “Aerolula” could be the “final straw” for a possible exchange of the presidential aircraft – an issue that has long been on the agenda of Lula and the Ministry of Defense.
The Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, even had to interrupt his vacation because of the crisis generated by the “Aerolula” breakdown on his way back from Mexico, in addition to planning the operation to repatriate Brazilians living in Lebanon. Múcio had a conversation with Lula about the subject, on the 3rd.
According to information from journalist Lauro Jardim, columnist for The Globe, Lula reportedly expressed irritation during the flight because he felt “isolated in the air”.
At a time of greatest tension, the president reportedly said that it was past time to buy new aircraft. For it to be effective, the acquisition must be authorized by the National Congress.
Last year, Lula had already expressed to the FAB his intention to exchange the presidential plane for a model with greater flight range and that would not need to make many stopovers to refuel.
The president would also like the official government plane to have more space for guests. Lula usually travels accompanied by close advisors, state ministers and, occasionally, authorities such as deputies and senators.
The FAB is considering two alternatives: this adaptation of one of the Airbus A330-200 aircraft acquired during the government of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) or the purchase of a new plane.
In 2023, his first year in government in his third term, Lula made 15 international trips. The current “Aerolula” has been in use for 18 years and is already approaching the middle of its “life cycle”.
