First construction developed in Portugal will create 300 direct jobs
According to the promoters, engineering development is reserved at the Alentejo Science and Technology Park, in Évora, and industrialization at the Municipal Aerodrome in Ponte de Sor.
The first aircraft developed and industrialized in Portugal will have a final assembly line at the Ponte de Sor Municipal Aerodrome (Portalegre), creating 300 direct jobs, the project promoters announced this Wednesday.
The memorandum of understanding for the space and project on the ground was signed today at that Alentejo airfield, during the first day of the “biggest aeronautical summit” in the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal Air Summit, which is taking place.
The document was signed by the municipality of Ponte de Sor and Ea Aircraft, an integrated entity that ensures the development, industrialization and from Portugal of the so-called LUS 222.
Speaking to journalists, Miguel Braga, from the Center for Engineering and Development (CEiiA), explained that the LUS 222 will be a light regional aircraft, “non-pressurised, with 19 seats, for two thousand kilograms of cargo and two thousand kilograms of load range”.
According to the official, who estimates that the investment in the project is around “100 million euros”, it is a plane “very destined” for the African and South American markets.
According to the promoters, engineering development is reserved at the Alentejo Science and Technology Park, in Évora, and industrialization at the Municipal Aerodrome in Ponte de Sor.
In Ponte de Sor, the final assembly line will be built, the first in Portugal, namely the paint booth, the maintenance centre, the training center and the administrative buildings.
“What we anticipate by the end of 2025, first quarter of 2026, is the first aircraft manufactured to have portrayed,” he said.
Miguel Braga also added that the Ponte de Sor plant will have the capacity to produce “between 20 and 30 aircraft per year, at cruising speed”.
This aircraft, according to the promoters, has civil and military versions, prepared to land in short and unpaved, aimed in particular at the African and Latin American markets and respond to an expected demand of more than 5,000 aircraft over the next 15 years. .
Asked about the price of each aircraft, Miguel Braga refused to reveal this data, justifying that it is not possible at this time to “anticipate” the values due to successive price increases in the market.
The EEA Aircraft and Maintenance is formed by the company Cosmos and by CEiiA, and it is up to the municipality of Ponte de Sor to develop activity for the development of this industry.
This project is also part of the Aero.Nex mobilizing agenda.
Questioned by journalists about this project, the mayor of Ponte de Sor, Hugo Hilário, expressed his satisfaction with this investment, noting that in addition to the approximately 300 direct jobs that it will create, “about 800 will also be created.” indirect jobs.