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Land Previously Destined for Ford Begins to Receive Billion-Dollar Aerospace Complex in Guaíba, with Promises of Jobs, Assembly of European Planes, and a New Runway to Expand the Air Infrastructure of the Metropolitan Region.
The preparation of the land in Guaíba, in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre, has begun to come to life to receive AeroCITI, an industrial complex by Aeromot designed to manufacture aircraft and concentrate innovation, maintenance, and air operations activities in an area previously associated with the old promise of a Ford factory.
The initiative foresees a total estimated investment of R$ 3 billion over the implementation phases and projects the creation of around 1,500 direct and indirect jobs, numbers echoed by the state government and the company in recent announcements about the enterprise.
The groundbreaking took place on October 23, 2025, on Aviator’s Day, a date chosen to officially mark the start of a stage that had, until then, coexisted with the expectations and mistrust left by previous projects that did not advance.
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Land in Guaíba and History of Frustrated Investments
The site gained notoriety for being reserved in the 1990s for an automobile manufacturer that ultimately did not establish itself in Rio Grande do Sul, and the new project has been presented as a change in the area’s vocation.
In March 2025, the state government formalized the lease of the land to Aeromot and informed that the State Environmental Protection Foundation delivered the installation license, a step that authorizes the start of construction and outlines the announced schedule for the complex.
Since that announcement, the main public demand revolved around the actual start of work, precisely because the address has accumulated, over decades, promises of investment that did not materialize into construction sites.
Now, the initial phase has been described as a period of clearing and earthworks, followed by the installation of drainage, energy, and sewage, with the expectation that, for a while, there will be few visible structures above ground level.
Production of DA62 Aircraft and Partnership with European Manufacturer
The project is anchored on production linked to Diamond Aircraft, with the DA62 aircraft cited as the model to be assembled in Brazil within the industrial ecosystem planned for Guaíba, according to official releases and records from the state government.
In addition to the planes, the plan also includes an agreement with the Italian manufacturer Leonardo Helicopters, described as an initiative to expand industrial and technological presence in the country, within the package of partnerships announced at the October ceremony.
The design of the complex goes beyond an assembly line, with plans for an innovation hub, research and development centers, logistics areas, and aircraft maintenance services, along with training and support spaces for operations.
In government communications, AeroCITI is presented within the concept of “aerotropolis,” with multimodal integration and space to attract satellite companies, which, in practice, seeks to form a hub that combines industry, services, and supply chain.
Billion-Dollar Investment, Timeline, and Job Creation
The total estimated investment of R$ 3 billion is described as gradual and distributed over the years, and the company itself has stated that the full execution of the plan is designed for a horizon of about a decade.
For the first phase, one of the disclosed estimates points to an expenditure of R$ 240 million, in addition to R$ 60 million already spent on preparatory stages, such as licenses and project structuring, according to information presented during the groundbreaking.
By 2027, the company indicated the expectation of completing a factory and a runway of 1,400 meters, with an approximate mobilization of 700 direct workers and about 800 indirect, numbers cited as a reference for this stage of the schedule.
In parallel, government documents dealing with the enterprise mention a runway of 1,800 meters in the design of AeroCITI, indicating that the dimensions may vary according to the phase and the model of implementation announced over time.
New Runway and Possible Support for Salgado Filho Airport
The proposal to include a dedicated runway is presented as a boost to the airport infrastructure of the Metropolitan Region, with the possibility of the complex serving as an operational alternative to the Salvador International Airport, especially in times of need.
The government also highlights the location as a logistical differential, mentioning proximity to Salgado Filho via BR-116 and integration with highways and waterway connections, elements used to justify the area’s vocation for combined operations.
Nonetheless, the future use as an alternative to Porto Alegre Airport depends on the final operational format, licensing, and technical conditions set for the runway and associated services, points that appear in presentations as project objectives.
With the land being prepared and the schedule progressing, the question that now guides the local debate is when the first industrial structures and the runway will begin to operate concretely and with what capacity to meet the demands of regional aviation?
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