Rolim Adolfo Amaro, the head of Brazilian airline TAM, has died piloting a Robinson R44 helicopter in a crash at Fortuna Guassú, some 35 km from the Paraguayan town Pedro Juan Caballero. He had taken off from his ranch near Ponta Porã in Brazil and crashed minutes after entering Paraguay. TAM regional sales manager, Patricia Santos Silva also died. The airline quickly nominated Amaro's 49-year old brother-in-law Daniel Mandelli Martin to succeed him as president and chief executive. Formerly corporate strategies and financial vice-president, Martin was reportedly being groomed to replace Amaro next year to allow the latter to dedicate himself to overseeing a merger with Varig, TAM's main domestic rival.
Source: Flight International
