Portugal's Aeronorte is planning to develop profitable new business by servicing the tourism and immigration sectors. Headquartered at Braga's Oporto airport since 2007 Aeronorte has invested US$6million (E5 million) in building a business serving the region's executive, corporate and celebrity corporate aviation demand.

Aircraft acquisitions include a Learjet 45 and an AS350 B2 based at the Francisco St. Carneiro airport in Oporto. "Aeronorte expects to achieve a total business volume of Euros10 million this year," says executive director Leana Ribeiro.

"We expect a strong turnover from the tourism and immigration sectors." He was speaking at Heliexpo 2008 in Houston, Texas, where Aeronorte assessed available technology updates "in terms of innovation, effectiveness and safety." Aeronorte is also investing in a new hangar, Ribeiro says.