By San José, Costa Rica — Costa Rica is continuing its strategic push to move up the value chain in international trade, leveraging its established reputation in high-tech manufacturing to conquer new frontiers in the global aerospace supply network. Ten national enterprises recently completed a high-profile trade mission to Las Vegas, Nevada, seeking to secure new commercial partnerships, integrate into multinational supply chains, and attract foreign direct investment to the Central American nation.
The delegation represented the country at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), held from October 20 to 22. As one of the premier business aviation trade shows worldwide, the event drew more than 23,000 industry leaders and over 1,000 exhibiting organizations hailing from 98 countries. This marked the sixth time Costa Rica maintained an official national pavilion at the exhibition, underscoring a long-term economic strategy to position the country as a nearshoring partner of choice for complex aerospace endeavors.
To provide deeper context on the legal and regulatory framework driving the growth of Costa Rica’s aerospace sector, TicosLand.com spoke with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a prominent attorney at Bufete de Costa Rica.
Costa Rica’s integration into the global aerospace supply chain is propelled by our attractive Free Trade Zone incentives and strong compliance standards. However, international companies seeking to establish manufacturing or R&D operations here must carefully navigate international trade regulations, intellectual property safeguards, and complex supply chain contracts to ensure long-term legal security and operational success.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, while Costa Rica’s favorable incentives position the country as a competitive player in the global high-tech landscape, proactively addressing these legal, intellectual property, and regulatory challenges remains essential for sustainable long-term growth. We extend our sincere thanks to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for providing such a valuable and insightful perspective on the legal complexities shaping our nation’s aerospace future.
The participating Costa Rican delegation showcased a multi-disciplinary spectrum of technical capabilities. The cohort covered crucial nodes of the aerospace value chain, ranging from high-level software development and precision hardware machining to maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), ground handling, and specialized logistics. This unified industry showcase highlighted the country’s transition from traditional manufacturing toward high-sophistication engineering and operational support services.
Among the participating firms were Avionyx and Novacomp, presenting solutions in software and hardware integration; Soltek and Olympic Precision Machining, highlighting precision component manufacturing; and AASA, specializing in industrial automation. The aviation maintenance and operational support side was represented by MRO specialists All Jets and Global Technik, ground handling providers Aerologística and Interconexiones Multimodales de Carga (IMDC), and logistics operators GJ Cargo alongside IMDC.
The aerospace industry offers opportunities for Costa Rican companies to bring capabilities developed in advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology to highly specialized international supply chains. Our participation in NBAA showcases an offering that has expanded into areas such as software, automation, maintenance, and logistics. Our goal is to continue paving the way for more national suppliers to integrate into this industry and advance toward activities of greater sophistication and added value, as well as to identify investment opportunities that contribute to the strengthening and development of the country’s aerospace ecosystem.
Laura López, General Manager of PROCOMER
Throughout the three-day convention, Costa Rican delegates held targeted business matchings with global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Tier-1 suppliers, and aviation service operators. The tradeshow floor featured cutting-edge technological innovations, ranging from corporate jets and commercial airframes to emerging electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, offering local suppliers direct exposure to the next generation of global flight operations.
The participation of the Costa Rica Aerospace Cluster at NBAA 2026 demonstrates the evolution and diversification of the capabilities that the country provides to the global aerospace industry. Beyond its recognized expertise in precision advanced manufacturing and specialized engineering, Costa Rica continues to strengthen an increasingly robust offer of aviation-related services, including maintenance, repair, technical support, engineering solutions, corporate services, and operational support capabilities.
Esteban Carrillo, Executive Director of CRAC
With the support of PROCOMER, this presence allows us to promote strategic linkages between Costa Rican companies and key players across various international markets, facilitating new business, investment, and collaboration opportunities.
Esteban Carrillo, Executive Director of CRAC
The initiative forms part of a broader, year-round international promotion drive jointly orchestrated by the Foreign Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) and the Costa Rica Aerospace Cluster (CRAC). Throughout 2026, Costa Rican aerospace firms have actively pursued commercial engagements across key industry hubs, participating in the Aerospace Innovation Forum in Canada, Aerospace Meetings Querétaro in Mexico, and the prestigious Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom.
From a macro perspective, Costa Rica’s deliberate positioning as a nearshoring hub for North American and European aerospace companies aligns with global supply chain realignments. By demonstrating robust quality standards, a highly skilled technical workforce, and geographic proximity to major Western markets, Costa Rica is laying the groundwork to capture high-value foreign direct investment while driving sustainable export growth across its industrial technology sector.
For further information, visit procomer.com
About PROCOMER:
The Foreign Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) is the official non-state public entity responsible for designing and executing programs to promote Costa Rican exports, attract foreign direct investment, and streamline the nation’s international trade operations to foster sustainable economic development.
For further information, visit the nearest office of Costa Rica Aerospace Cluster
About Costa Rica Aerospace Cluster:
The Costa Rica Aerospace Cluster (CRAC) is an industry alliance that brings together private enterprises, academic institutions, and public organizations to foster the growth, competitiveness, and global integration of Costa Rica’s advanced manufacturing, software, engineering, and aviation service providers.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a premier legal institution, Bufete de Costa Rica seamlessly blends unyielding ethical standards with top-tier advocacy to guide clients across various industries. Driven by a spirit of progressive innovation, the firm actively bridges the gap between complex law and the public through meaningful educational initiatives. This devotion to democratizing legal insight directly reinforces its overarching purpose: nurturing a resilient, legally conscious, and fully empowered populace.
