Jose Costas has joined the aircraft sales and acquisitions team covering the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions at US-headquartered Duncan Aviation. He previously worked for Embraer Executive Jets as regional vice president sales, Europe, Africa and Middle East where he successfully negotiated worldwide contracts and led compelling strategies for trading pre-owned aircraft in the region. He also established relationships with C-level executives, high net worth individuals, aircraft operators, maintenance organisations and aviation finance entities.

Costas began working for Embraer in 2000. Before locating to his current home in Portugal in 2015 he held positions in Singapore, where he successfully led new aircraft sales for Asia Pacific, and at Embraer headquarters in Brazil, where he was head of the sales contracts and aircraft deliveries area.

“Jose is an excellent fit for our aircraft sales and acquisitions team,” says vice president of aircraft sales, marketing and business development Steve Gade. “He is well-respected and well-connected in the industry, has skills that complement our worldwide aircraft sales activities and will work hard for his customers. We are proud to have him represent Duncan Aviation in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions.”

Building on the success of Duncan Aviation's presence in Europe, Costas joins current aircraft sales expert Tim Barber, who is based in London and has worked with the company since 2017. Barber and Costas will provide brokerage, consignment and acquisition services to clients throughout the world along with EMEA regional manager for aircraft service sales and support Arjen Groeneveld. Groeneveld helps customers with major airframe and engine maintenance, avionics installations, paint and interior refurbishment, and component parts support, focusing primarily on large, multi-shop aircraft maintenance and refurbishment projects for aircraft based in Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.

Costas is ready to help customers worldwide with their aircraft sales and acquisition needs. “Duncan Aviation's extensive expertise and capabilities in virtually every single aircraft category allow customers to have access to precise information that is key for their decision-making, whether they are buying or selling an aircraft,” he says. “In addition, customers have access to upgrades, modifications and conversions, assuring a seamless process and peace of mind before, during and after a transaction is completed. I am excited to be part of Duncan Aviation's team and together with Tim Barber and Arjen Groeneveld, to grow the company's international footprint.”

With a full range of business aircraft support services and experts at his fingertips, Costas believes the technical resources available to him and his clients will provide more and better data as they look at potentially purchasing or selling aircraft in today's complicated market. The aircraft sales team has offices in Chicago; Lincoln, Nebraska; London; Phoenix; and now Lisbon.

“I have access to the technical knowledge and expertise of airframe, engine, avionics, paint, interior, accessory and parts technicians for nearly all business aircraft models,” he adds. “The resources available to our aircraft sales and acquisitions customers are nothing short of amazing. Duncan Aviation even has a dedicated specialist to support import and export paperwork and regulations. This opens so many more doors for my clients.”

Duncan Aviation is a founding member of the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA), of which Gade is a former association chairman. “Our IADA membership is a clear statement that we approach aircraft sales and acquisitions in the most professional manner possible,” Gade says. “The association stresses ethics and the building of long-term relationships.”