Fighting Fires in the Brazilian Sugar and Alcohol Complex Produtiva Aeroagrícola is an aerial application company located in São Joaquim da Barra, in the northern state of São Paulo, Brazil. Although unknown to many in the west, São Paulo is the world’s largest ethanol and sugar producer. Established ten years ago by Marino de Andrade Neto, an agricultural pilot flying since 1991, Produtiva Aeroagrícola has a fleet of six aircraft consisting of three Ipanema 202A aircraft, one Cessna Agtruck, one AirTractor 402A, and a Thrush 510G. In addition to agricultural spray work, Marino began firefighting with his aircraft, mainly in sugarcane plantations, operating with conventional gate boxes. Unlike in other countries, aerial firefighting in Brazil can be primarily subsidized by private industry, with some larger producers, associations, and growers paying directly for their aerial firefighting services to protect their crops when required instead of relying on local, state, and federal help when a fire starts. “We are working on developing the market, as we realized there could be demand, and this is consolidating now. We also publicize firefighting activity extensively, directly to our customers and on social media. AF 62 | aerialfiremag.com
Marino de Andrade Neto.
We serve individual rural producers, producer associations, sugarcane mills, and municipalities. We have not yet implemented daily shifts or a minimum hour requirement, but we are trying to make customers aware of this need. For now, we are working on demand.” One of the services provided last year in the Morro Agudo region involved the company being hired for two days by the local farmers’ union. In addition to rural producers, the operation had the support of agribusiness companies in the region, the fire department, and the municipal and state civil defense.
