The Brazilian Federal Police has taken delivery of a Grand Caravan EX, which will soon enter service from its Operational Aviation Coordination base in Brasília. The handover ceremony took place on Monday 7 April, with participation from PF director general Andrei Augusto Passos Rodrigues and several senior officials.

The acquisition strengthens the PF’s aviation division by increasing mission range and load capacity while reducing operational restrictions. The aircraft, equipped for unpaved runways and able to carry two pilots and nine passengers plus cargo, has completed 40 hours of testing and transfer flights.

This purchase followed a public bidding process monitored by Brazil’s Federal Court of Auditors, aiming to ensure transparency and cost-effectiveness without compromising capability.

The Grand Caravan EX has been named in honour of agent Guilherme de Almeida Irber, who died in a PF-operated Caravan 208B accident on 6 March 2024. The PF also intends to dedicate another aircraft to his colleague, agent José de Moraes Neto, who perished in the same crash.

TAM Aviacao Executiva president Leonardo Fiuza says: “It is an honour for us to contribute to the expansion of the PF’s air fleet. The Cessna Caravan is an aircraft recognised for its robustness, safety and versatility, capable of adapting to various operational demands.”

The PF already operates Grand Caravan and King Air 350 aircraft for federal surveillance missions across Brazil.