Few people have made Brazil soar as high as Ozires Silva. Following the path of innovation opened by Alberto Santos Dumont and well-structured by Casimiro Montenegro Filho, Ozires made the dream of designing and building aircraft in Brazil a reality, and then commercializing them worldwide. With persistence, humility, and a great sense of service, despite all doubts and obstacles, he managed to inspire a group of pioneers towards a successful first flight, then inspired thousands of employees towards a successful company, becoming a symbol capable of inspiring thousands to achieve "enormous dreams."

In 1946, their minds buzzing with ideas from the aeromodelling classes they attended at the Aeroclube of Bauru under the tutelage of Swiss engineer Heinrich Kurt, Ozires and Zico spent hours discussing the subject on a park bench they nicknamed "the Office.”

"That's where it all began! It was just the two of us, Zico and me. I learned a lot from him, in the shared love that united us, aviation."

Ozires and Zico grew up nurturing the dream of working with airplanes. Since there was no aeronautical engineering school in the country at the time, in 1948, they both joined the Air Force Preparatory School, linked to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).

Four years later, they earned their military brevet. On August 19, 1949, Ozires took his first solo flight at the Air Force School, piloting a T-19 from the American Fairchild Company.

On December 12, 1951, Ozires received his military brevet (graduated from the Air Force School).

In 1952, Ozires voluntarily joined the 1st/2nd Aviation Group in Belém do Pará, flying amphibious aircraft (PBY Catalina) that helped riverine people and indigenous communities in the Amazon. Zico joined the 1st Fighter Aviation Group in Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro.

"During this period, our group learned a lot and there was a change in our purpose in life. It was an immersion of Brazil!"

The work on the Amazon rivers was highly recognized, and in 1955, Ozires was called to the National Air Mail in Rio de Janeiro, a prestigious post. He worked at Campo dos Afonsos in Marechal Hermes, in the 2nd Transport Group, meeting his childhood friend Zico more frequently. During one of these meetings, Zico revealed to Ozires a disturbing dream he had.

"In the dream, he was in a plane and had a clear vision of a coffin in the middle of it. One of us was taking the other, dead, to Bauru... I was shocked and asked: 'Which one of us?' Zico replied that he didn't know."

A week later, onboard a FAB C-47 aircraft, he carried the coffin of his friend Zico, who had suffered an air accident on a mission aboard a Gloster Meteor fighter. He was only 25 years old. Ozires believed he buried the dream of creating aircraft in Brazil, along with his friend.

After Zico's death, from 1955 to 1958, Ozires dedicated himself exclusively to being an Air Force Officer. "I would leave in the morning, fly, land in the afternoon, go home. The next day, the same thing."

Until one night, he was awakened to perform an unplanned flight. During that flight, he learned about the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), an engineering school created by Brigadier Casimiro Montenegro Filho in São José dos Campos, SP. Emotional, he thought: "This is Zico's doing."

"I felt like a different person. I got on that plane as an aviator and got off it as an engineer. Always with Zico in mind."

Ozires joined ITA in 1959 and graduated in 1962 at the age of 31. Despite being older than most students, he became the top of his class. He received a gold medal from the dean at his graduation ceremony, who called him "the most aeronautical of the engineers ITA has ever produced."

His graduation project was modifying the wing design of the FAB's T-6 to accommodate extra tanks at the wingtips. He himself performed the test flight of the modified aircraft.

Brigadier Casimiro Montenegro then recommended him to the Aircraft Department of the Research and Development Institute at the Aeronautical Technical Center (CTA), where Ozires would lead the development of the IPD-6504 project (future Bandeirante).

"I had the right qualifications, at the right time, and in the right place."

Ozires began leading the Aircraft Department at the Research and Development Institute (IPD), where he felt a growing desire to produce a genuinely national aircraft. Analyzing past national initiatives in the sector, he understood that success would depend on not only a technically perfect aircraft but also one aligned with the demands and needs of the global market.

In 1965, he led the development of a turboprop airplane primarily for regional air transport, a mode of transport that had been neglected by the industry after the creation of jets.

In 1966, the production of the IPD-6504 prototype, later named Bandeirante, began. Various obstacles hindered the project's realization, from a lack of resources to the skepticism of many people, both within and outside the Air Force.

However, 1968 would be marked in history for the first flight of the Bandeirante on October 22.

Despite the Bandeirante flying successfully, no investors were willing to bet on the dream of a national aircraft industry.

However, on a Sunday in 1969, a thick fog forced the closure of Guaratinguetá airport (SP), and the plane of the then President of the Republic, Arthur da Costa e Silva, made an unscheduled landing in São José dos Campos (SP) in front of the Bandeirante hangar. Ozires Silva was called to receive him, as the main local authorities awaited the head of state at the airport of the neighboring city.

"The highest authority in the country, who could solve the problem of our future company, was there in person, at my disposal, without offices, without protocols."

Ozires presented the aircraft to the President and took the unique opportunity to convince Costa e Silva of the opportunity to establish a mixed economy company that would make an aircraft manufacturer in Brazil viable.

On August 19 of the same year, decree 770, published in the Official Gazette, formalized the creation of Embraer for the production of 80 Bandeirante units and officially appointed Ozires as the first managing director.

During this period, Embraer's first unit in the United States was established in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Brazilian aerospace industry was becoming solidified, led by one of its greatest visionaries.

In 1986, however, Ozires could no longer refuse the insistent presidential request to take over Petrobras. Four years later, he would assume the Ministry of Infrastructure. In the following year, 1991, he returned to Embraer to successfully lead the necessary privatization process, which extended until 1994.

In the early 1990s, Embraer faced various difficulties caused by the global economic crisis. In 1991, Ozires returned to the company to lead it through a privatization process, the only solution for its long-term survival.

After 1,152 days of intense mobilization inside and outside the company, Ozires celebrated Embraer's privatization on December 7, 1994.

After the privatization process was completed, Ozires left Embraer's presidency. The seed of success had already been planted. In the following years, Embraer would become the third-largest manufacturer of commercial jets in the world and one of the most important companies in the aviation, defense, and security markets.

In the following decades, Ozires became an active voice in the country for education, writing several books and articles on the subject and serving as dean of UNISA (University of Santo Amaro) from 2006 to 2008 and as dean of Unimonte (Centro Universitário Monte Serrat) in 2008. Ozires also lends his name to one of the most important innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship awards in Brazil.

His interest and generosity towards the company he helped create always kept him close to Embraer, either as an active voice in promoting it nationally and internationally or as a constant source of inspiration for its employees to dream big and overcome all challenges.

Ozires Silva was always a prominent presence at the company's major historical celebrations, such as the 50th anniversary of the First Flight of the Bandeirante and the 50th anniversary of Embraer. Applauded by the audience, Ozires Silva moved and encouraged the children of the national aviation industry with many of his inspiring speeches.

"We have new challenges now. You are great, much bigger and more capable than you can imagine. And this capability must be exceeded because the world is not waiting for us, but we will meet the world to emerge as winners."

Ozires Silva is one of the most honored Brazilians in history, both in Brazil and abroad. Among numerous decorations and honors collected throughout his life, from the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from Queen's University in Ireland to the immortalization of his name in the Hall of Fame of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

In January 2021, Ozires became the first Brazilian to receive the Guggenheim Medal, one of the most significant international awards in aeronautical engineering.

In September 2017, Embraer named a prototype of the E190-E2 with his name, emblazoned on the aircraft's sides.

On January 8, 2021, the day Ozires Silva turned 90, Embraer released an animated short film summarizing the captivating story of its founder's dreams and courage in 14 minutes.

Ozires Silva embarked on his highest flight, leaving an immeasurable legacy for his country. In his childhood, he was bothered by not seeing Brazilian aircraft in the sky; today we cannot say the same.

The Brazilian aerospace industry has become a global reference thanks to the enormous dreams, persistence, and efforts undertaken by him and all those who worked under his inspiring leadership.