City government rescinds agreement with five companies for the use of the Lagoa helipad.

The National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) intensified, last week, its inspection actions on companies and aircraft that carry out scenic flights in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The results of the operation and the next measures to reinforce the safety of the activity were presented, this Tuesday (August 18), in a press conference held at the Operations and Resilience Center (COR-Rio), with the participation of the mayor of Rio, Eduardo Cavaliere, the Secretary of the Civil House, Leandro Matieli, and the president of the Rio City Council, Carlo Caiado.

— We sent an official letter requesting that ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) carefully examine the situation regarding scenic flights here in Rio de Janeiro, and we received a prompt response. Rio has been receiving more and more tourists, which makes us very proud, but it also demands new concerns and new attention for the city. Our role is to respect the authorities and the necessary measures within the competence of each one. And this issue of the oversight of scenic flights falls to the regulatory agency, ANAC — said Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere.

Currently, 12 companies authorized by ANAC operate 46 aircraft on scenic flights in the city. Last week, nine companies and 18 aircraft were inspected. As a result of the actions, four companies were suspended and nine aircraft were grounded or had their operations suspended.

"We had already been in the process of inspecting companies and aircraft here in Rio de Janeiro since March of this year, and what we did after the accidents that occurred in the city was to intensify our intelligence work. Of the 12 authorized companies, nine were inspected and four suspended. And of the 18 aircraft inspected, half were suspended. This number is worrying, but we have a public commitment to constantly inspect all companies and helicopters that are carrying out this type of flight in Rio de Janeiro," stated the CEO of ANAC, Thiago Chagas Faierstein.

The inspections are the responsibility of ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil) and include audits of Operational Safety Management Systems (SGSO), verification of compliance with operational procedures, as well as technical inspections of aircraft. According to the agency, although these are routine inspection actions, there has been an intensification in light of the events that have occurred in the city in recent months, especially in relation to companies that offer scenic flight services.

ANAC also announced the revision of the Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulation (RBAC) 136, which specifically addresses scenic flight operations. The objective is to improve operational safety requirements, considering the evolution of the sector, regional characteristics, and international best practices. The revision should address organizational requirements of companies, crew qualifications, maintenance, and operational safety management. The process will be built with social participation, through dialogue with the sector, experts, users, and other stakeholders.

The city government rescinded the terms of the agreement.
The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, through the Operations and Resilience Center (COR), is responsible for the management and rules for the use of the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas heliport. In this context, the Municipality has terminated the Commitment Agreements signed with five companies that used the facility. These companies were classified in the SAE – Panoramic Flight category and had Commitment Agreements to use the heliport as a landing and takeoff point.

The only company authorized to sell scenic flights from the City Hall's heliport is Helisul Táxi Aéreo. The other companies only have Terms of Commitment that allow the use of the equipment for landing and takeoff, but there is no municipal authorization for the commercial operation of scenic flights.

The measure involves the companies Be Faster Serviços Aéreos Ltda.; Gabriel G. Aredes e Piloto Padrão Táxi Aéreo e Serviços de Manutenção Aeronáutica Ltda.; Voos Rio Panorâmico e Serviços Aeronáuticos Ltda.; Nobre Turismo Aéreo Ltda.; and Infinity Serviços Aéreos Especializados Ltda.

"Since the beginning of this week, these five companies have been prohibited from operating at the Lagoa heliport. And we are now moving forward with ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) in building a cooperation agreement to allow the City Hall to provide support to its agents, guaranteeing the operation of ANAC inspectors, who hold the authority and power of inspection," reinforced Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere.

Since the operation of scenic flights from the City Hall's heliport is prohibited for these companies, the Municipality has nullified the respective Terms of Commitment. Last year, the average number of scenic flights carried out daily from the Lagoa heliport was four to six flights per day. The measure does not interfere with Helisul Táxi Aéreo's authorization to commercialize scenic flights.

The City Hall's role is limited to managing public facilities and ensuring compliance with the terms of the Commitment Agreement. Oversight of companies, aircraft, and flight operations is the responsibility of ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency).

Obligations that, by virtue of the Terms of Commitment themselves, remain valid after termination, including, where applicable, proof of payment of amounts due to the Municipality through the Municipal Revenue Collection Document (DARM).

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August 18th, 2026

Appointments: Anac aircraft inspection Lagoa helipad SGSO scenic flights