Rio, November 20, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Fernando Henrique Cardoso visited the aircraft-carrier São Paulo today. He accompanied landing and take-off exercises of AF-1 aircraft, which make up Brazil's Navy Air Force. Cardoso was received on the ship's deck by the commander of the Navy, Fleet Admiral Chagasteles.

Brazil purchased the aircraft-carrier São Paulo from France two years ago. The ship is 276 meters long, 51 meters wide, and 62 meters high, weighs 33,600 tons, and can attain an average velocity of 60 kilometers per hour. The deck strip where the president observed the maneuvers of the AF-1 airplanes is 168 meters long. (DAS)