SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 20-F

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended  December 31, 2006

Commission file number

AerCap Holdings N.V.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act: None

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. o Yes   x No

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. o Yes   x No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. x Yes   o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow. o Item 17   x Item 18

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). o Yes   x No

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This annual report includes forward looking statements, principally under the captions “Item 3. Key Information—Risks Related to our Business”, “Item 4. Information on the Company” and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects”. We have based these forward looking statements largely on our current beliefs and projections about future events and financial trends affecting our business. Many important factors, in addition to those discussed in this annual report, could cause our actual results to differ substantially from those anticipated in our forward looking statements, including, among other things:

·       our ability to successfully negotiate aircraft and engine purchases, sales and leases, to collect outstanding amounts due and to repossess aircraft and engines under defaulted leases, and to control costs and expenses,

·       our ability to integrate AeroTurbine’s engine and parts business with our aircraft business,

·       decreases in the overall demand for commercial aircraft and engine leasing and aircraft management services,

·       the economic condition of the global airline and cargo industry,

·       the ability of our lessees and potential lessees to make operating lease payments to us,

·       competitive pressures within the industry,

·       changes in interest rates and availability of capital to us and to our customers,

·       the negotiation of aircraft management services contracts,

·       regulatory changes affecting commercial aircraft operators, aircraft maintenance, engine standards, accounting standards and taxes, and

·       the risks set forth in “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors” included in this annual report.

The words “believe”, “may”, “will”, “aim”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect” and similar words are intended to identify forward looking statements. Forward looking statements include information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, financing plans, competitive position, industry environment, potential growth opportunities, the effects of future regulation and the effects of competition. Forward looking statements speak only as of the date they were made and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward looking statements because of new information, future events or other factors. In light of the risks and uncertainties described above, the forward looking events and circumstances described in this annual report might not occur and are not guarantees of future performance.

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PART I

Item 1.                        Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers

Not applicable.

Item 2.                        Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable

Not applicable.

Item 3.                        Key Information

Selected financial data.

The following table presents AerCap Holdings N.V.’s (the successor company) and AerCap B.V.’s (the predecessor company) selected consolidated financial data for each of the periods indicated, prepared in accordance with US GAAP. You should read this information in conjunction with AerCap Holdings N.V.’s audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects”.

AerCap Holdings N.V. was formed as a Netherlands public limited liability company (“naamloze vennootschap”) on July 10, 2006 and acquired all of the assets and liabilities of AerCap Holdings C.V., a Netherlands limited partnership on October 27, 2006. There was no change in accounting basis resulting from this transaction. Since AerCap Holdings C.V. and AerCap Holdings N.V. are entities organized under common control, the historical consolidated financial statements of AerCap Holdings C.V. became the historical consolidated financial statements of AerCap Holdings N.V. AerCap Holdings C.V. was formed on June 27, 2005 for the purpose of acquiring all of the shares and certain liabilities of AerCap B.V. (formerly known as debis Air Finance B.V.), in connection with our acquisition by funds and accounts affiliated with Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., or the 2005 Acquisition. Our consolidated financial data is presented as if AerCap Holdings N.V. had been the acquiring entity of AerCap B.V. on June 30, 2005. The financial information presented as of December 31, 2005 and 2006 and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004 and 2006, and the six months ended June 30, 2005 and December 31, 2005, was derived from AerCap Holdings N.V.’s audited consolidated financial statements included in this annual report. The financial information presented as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2002 and 2003 was derived from AerCap B.V.’s unaudited consolidated financial statements. The financial information presented includes the results of AeroTurbine from the date of its acquisition on April 26, 2006 to December 31, 2006, referred to herein as the AeroTurbine Acquisition.

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Consolidated Income Statement Data:

(a)           Includes share-based compensation of $78.6 million.

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Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Data:

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets Data:

(1)          AerCap Holdings N.V. is a Netherlands public limited liability company (“naamloze vennootschap”) formed on July 10, 2006 for the purpose of acquiring all of the assets and liabilities of AerCap Holdings C.V. AerCap Holdings C.V. is a limited partnership (“commanditaire vennootschap”) formed under the laws of The Netherlands on June 27, 2005 for the purposes of acquiring the share capital, subordinated debt and senior debt of debis AirFinance B.V. (“AerCap B.V.”), which occurred on June 30, 2005. In anticipation of our initial public offering, which closed on November 27, 2006, we changed our corporate structure from a Netherlands partnership to a Netherlands public limited liability company. This change was effected through the acquisition of the assets and liabilities of AerCap Holdings C.V. by AerCap Holdings N.V. on October 27, 2006. This acquisition was a transaction under common control and accordingly, AerCap Holdings N.V. recognized the acquisition of the assets and liabilities of AerCap Holdings C.V. at their carrying values. Additionally, these consolidated financial data are presented as if AerCap Holdings N.V. had been the acquiring entity of AerCap B.V. on June 30, 2005.

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(2)          Includes the results of operations and cash flows for AerCo during 2002 and the three months ended March 31, 2003. On March 31, 2003, we sold a portion of our interest in AerCo and then deconsolidated it from our accounts because it was determined that we were no longer the primary beneficiary of AerCo as of March 31, 2003. The amount of total revenue attributable to AerCo in the three months ended March 31, 2003 was $106.4 million (including $72.2 million of other income).

(3)          We were formed on June 27, 2005; however, we did not commence operations until June 30, 2005, when we acquired all of the shares and certain of the liabilities of AerCap B.V. Our initial accounting period was from June 27, 2005 to December 31, 2005, but we generated no material revenue or expense between June 27, 2005 and June 30, 2005 and did not have any material assets before the 2005 Acquisition. For convenience of presentation only, we have labeled our initial accounting period in the table headings in this annual report as the six months ended December 31, 2005.

(4)          Includes the results of AeroTurbine for the period from April 26, 2006 (date of acquisition) to December 31, 2006.

(5)          Includes aircraft impairment, investment impairment and goodwill impairment.

(6)          We define EBITDA as income (loss) from continuing operations before provision for income taxes, interest on debt and depreciation and amortization. We use EBITDA to assess our consolidated financial and operating performance, and we believe this non-US GAAP measure is helpful in identifying trends in our performance. In addition, EBITDA is a measure that is required by one of our debt lenders to calculate our compliance with certain covenants. EBITDA provides us with a useful measure of our operating performance because it assists us in comparing our operating performance in different periods without the impact of our capital structure (primarily interest charges on our outstanding debt) and non-cash expenses related to our long-lived asset base (primarily depreciation and amortization). This measure provides an assessment of controllable revenue and expenses and enhances our ability to make decisions with respect to resource allocation and whether we are meeting established financial goals. Accordingly, EBITDA measures our financial performance based on operational factors that management can impact in the short-term, such as our cost structure or expenses, and on a more medium-term basis, our revenues.

EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be viewed in isolation. EBITDA is a measure of operating performance that is not calculated in accordance with US GAAP. EBITDA should not be considered a substitute for net income, income from operations or cash flows provided by or used in operations, as determined in accordance with US GAAP. For more detailed discussion, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Management’s Use of EBITDA”.

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RISK FACTORS

Risks Related to Our Business

Our business model depends on the continual re-leasing of our aircraft and engines when current leases expire, and we may not be able to do so on favorable terms, if at all.

Our business model depends on the continual re-leasing of our aircraft and engines when our current leases expire in order to generate sufficient revenues to finance our growth and operations and pay our debt service obligations. Between December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2009, aircraft leases accounting for approximately 44.7% of our lease revenues for the year ended December 31, 2006, are scheduled to expire and the aircraft subject to those leases will need to be re-leased or extended. In addition, nearly all of our engines are subject to short-term leases, which are generally less than 180 days. Our ability to re-lease our aircraft and engines will depend on general market and competitive conditions at the time the leases expire. The general market and competitive conditions may be affected by many factors which are outside of our control.

In 2006, we generated $35.7 million of revenues from leases that were scheduled to expire, in 2007, $61.8 million of revenues from leases that were scheduled to expire in 2008 and $100.9 million of revenues from leases that were scheduled to expire in 2009. Since we lease most of our engines under short-term leases (90 to 180 days), we generally re-lease our engines at least once a year. If we are unable to re-lease an aircraft or engine on acceptable terms, our lease revenue may decline and we may need to sell the aircraft or engines at unfavorable prices to provide adequate funds for our debt service obligations and to otherwise finance our growth and operations.

If we are unable to successfully integrate AeroTurbine, we may not be able to implement our business strategy.

We acquired AeroTurbine in April 2006. Our inability to integrate AeroTurbine would adversely affect a critical component of our business strategy which is focused on leveraging our ability to manage aircraft profitably throughout their lifecycle. AeroTurbine’s engine leasing business, airframe and engine disassembly business and its MRO capabilities are critical components of this strategy because we believe that these businesses and capabilities broaden our ability to extract value from a wide range of aircraft assets, particularly older aircraft, and to lower our maintenance costs. Our ability to successfully integrate AeroTurbine will depend, in part, on the efforts of the former owners of AeroTurbine who are currently its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. If we are unable to successfully integrate AeroTurbine, we may acquire aircraft and engines that we may not be able to lease at attractive rates, if at all, or profitably disassemble for sale by our parts business. As a result, we may overpay for new aircraft or engines that we acquire. AeroTurbine has different management information and accounting systems than we do, which will need to be integrated into our systems. As we integrate these systems we may discover weaknesses or limitations in AeroTurbine’s management information and accounting systems and internal controls. We may be required to hire additional personnel at AeroTurbine as it transitions to becoming part of our consolidated group. In addition, even if we are able to successfully integrate AeroTurbine, we may be required to incur increased or unanticipated costs. If we are unable to successfully integrate AeroTurbine or if we experience increased costs in integrating AeroTurbine, we may not be able to implement our business strategy, our financial results and growth prospects may be materially and adversely affected, and we may fail to benefit from the synergies we expect to result from the AeroTurbine Acquisition.

Changes in interest rates may adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

We use floating rate debt to finance the acquisition of a significant portion of our aircraft and engines. All of our revolving credit facilities have floating interest rates. As of December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2006, we had $1.8 billion and $2.3 billion, respectively, of indebtedness outstanding that was

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floating rate debt. We incurred floating rate interest expense of $135.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2006. If interest rates increase, we would be obligated to make higher interest payments to our lenders. Our practice has been to hedge the expected future interest payments on a portion of our floating-rate liabilities by entering into derivative contracts. However, we remain exposed to changes in interest rates to the extent that our hedges are not perfectly correlated to our financial liabilities. In addition, if we incur significant fixed rate debt in the future, increased interest rates prevailing in the market at the time of the incurrence or refinancing of such debt will also increase our interest expense.

Changes in interest rates may also adversely affect our lease revenues generated from leases with lease rates tied to floating interest rates. In the year ended December 31, 2006, 30.7% of our lease revenue was attributable to leases tied to floating interest rates. Therefore, if interest rates were to decrease, our lease revenue would decrease. In addition, because our fixed rate leases are based, in part, on prevailing interest rates at the time we enter into the lease; if interest rates decrease, new leases we enter into will be at lower lease rates and our lease revenue will be adversely affected. As of December 31, 2006, if interest rates were to increase by 1%, we would expect to incur an increase in interest expense on our floating rate indebtedness of approximately $5.6 million on an annualized basis, excluding the offsetting benefits of interest rate hedges currently in effect, and, if interest rates were to decrease by 1%, we would expect to generate $11.0 million less lease revenue on an annualized basis.

Leasing, financing and sales of aircraft, engine, and parts has historically experienced prolonged periods of oversupply during which lease rates and aircraft values have declined, and any future oversupply could materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

In the past, the aircraft and engine leasing, buying and selling businesses have experienced prolonged periods of aircraft and engine oversupply. The oversupply of a specific type of aircraft or engine is likely to depress the lease rates for and the value of that type of aircraft or engine. The supply and demand for aircraft and engines is affected by various cyclical and non-cyclical factors that are outside of our control, including:

·       passenger and air cargo demand;

·       fuel costs and general economic conditions;

·       geopolitical events, including war, prolonged armed conflict and acts of terrorism;

·       outbreaks of communicable diseases and natural disasters;

·       governmental regulation;

·       interest rates;

·       the availability of credit;

·       airline restructurings and bankruptcies;

·       manufacturer production levels and technological innovation;

·       manufacturers merging or exiting the industry or ceasing to produce aircraft types;

·       retirement and obsolescence of aircraft models;

·       reintroduction into service of aircraft previously in storage; and

·       airport and air traffic control infrastructure constraints.

These factors may produce sharp and prolonged decreases in aircraft and engine lease rates and values, and have a material adverse effect on our ability to re-lease our aircraft and engines and/or sell our

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aircraft engines and parts at acceptable prices. Any of these factors could materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Our financial condition is dependent, in part, on the financial strength of our lessees; lessee defaults and other credit problems could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Our financial condition depends on the financial strength of our lessees, our ability to diligence and appropriately assess the credit risk of our lessees and the ability of lessees to perform under their leases. In 2006, we generated 54.5% of our revenues from leases to the airline industry, and as a result, we are indirectly affected by all the risks facing airlines today. The ability of our lessees to perform their obligations under our leases will depend primarily on the lessee’s financial condition and cash flow, which may be affected by factors outside our control, including:

·       competition;

·       fare levels;

·       passenger and air cargo rates;

·       passenger and air cargo demand;

·       geopolitical and other events, including war, acts of terrorism, outbreaks of epidemic diseases and natural disasters;

·       increases in operating costs, including the price and availability of jet fuel and labor costs;

·       labor difficulties;

·       economic conditions and currency fluctuations in the countries and regions in which the lessee operates; and

·       governmental regulation and associated fees affecting the air transportation business.

Generally, airlines with high debt leverage are more likely than airlines with stronger balance sheets to seek operating leases. As a result, many of our existing lessees are in a weakened financial condition and may suffer liquidity problems, and, at any point in time, may experience lease payment difficulties or be significantly in arrears in their obligations under our operating leases. Some lessees encountering financial difficulties may seek a reduction in their lease rates or other concessions, such as a decrease in their contribution toward maintenance obligations. Any future downturns in the airline industry could greatly exacerbate the weakened financial condition and liquidity problems of some of our lessees and further increase the risk of delayed, missed or reduced rental payments. We may not correctly assess the credit risk of each lessee or charge lease rates which correctly reflect the related risks and our lessees may not be able to continue to meet their financial and other obligations under our leases in the future. A delayed, missed or reduced rental payment from a lessee decreases our revenues and cash flow. Our default levels may increase over time if economic conditions deteriorate. If lessees of a significant number of our aircraft or engines default on their leases, our financial results and growth prospects will be adversely affected.

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The value and lease rates of our aircraft and engines could decline and this would have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

Aircraft and engine values and lease rates have historically experienced sharp decreases due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, decreases in passenger and air cargo demand, increases in fuel costs, government regulation and increases in interest rates. In addition to factors linked to the aviation industry generally, many other factors may affect the value and lease rates of our aircraft and engines, including:

·       the particular maintenance, operating history and documentary records of the aircraft or engine;

·       the number of operators using that type of aircraft or engine;

·       the regulatory authority under which the aircraft or engine is operated;

·       whether the aircraft or engine is subject to a lease and, if so, whether the lease terms are favorable to the lessor;

·       any renegotiation of a lease on less favorable terms;

·       the negotiability of clear title free from mechanics liens and encumbrances;

·       any regulatory and legal requirements that must be satisfied before the aircraft can be purchased, sold or re-leased;

·       compatibility of our aircraft configurations or specifications with other aircraft owned by operators of that type;

·       comparative value based on newly manufactured competitive aircraft or engines; and

·       the availability of spare parts.

Any decrease in the value and lease rates of aircraft or engines which may result from the above factors or other unanticipated factors, may have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

The concentration of some aircraft and engine models in our aircraft and engine portfolios could adversely affect our business and financial results should any problems specific to these particular models occur.

Due to the high concentration of Airbus A320 family aircraft and CFM56 family engines in our aircraft and engine portfolios, our financial results and growth prospects may be adversely affected if the demand for these aircraft or engine models declines, if they are redesigned or replaced by their manufacturer or if these aircraft or engine models experience design or technical problems. As of December 31, 2006, 85.4% of the net book value of our aircraft portfolio was represented by Airbus aircraft. Our owned aircraft portfolio included 13 aircraft types, the three highest concentrations of which together represented 73.4% of our aircraft by net book value. The three highest concentrations were Airbus A320 aircraft, representing 35.5% of the net book value of our aircraft portfolio, Airbus A321 aircraft, representing 22.7% of the net book value of our aircraft portfolio, and Airbus A330 aircraft, representing 15.2% of the net book value of our aircraft portfolio, as of December 31, 2006. No other aircraft type represented more than 10% of our portfolio by net book value. In addition to our significant number of existing Airbus aircraft, we have 79 new Airbus A320 family aircraft on order either directly or indirectly through our consolidated joint venture, AerVenture, and have 20 new Airbus A330-200 widebody aircraft on order. We also have a significant concentration of CFM56 engines in our engine portfolio. As of December 31, 2006, 86.6% of the net book value of our engine portfolio was represented by CFM56 engines and 8.6% was represented by CF6 engines.

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Should any of these aircraft or engine types or aircraft manufactured by Airbus in general encounter technical or other problems, the value and lease rates of those aircraft or engines will likely decline, and we may be unable to lease the aircraft or engines on favorable terms, if at all. Any significant technical problems with any such aircraft or engine models could result in the grounding of the aircraft or engines.

In addition, if Airbus experiences further financial difficulty or if its restructuring plan is unsuccessful, we could be adversely affected. Airbus has announced that production delays on Airbus’s A380 megajet are expected to reduce profits from 2007 to 2010 by $6 billion. Airbus has also announced that it will need to spend up to $13 billion to redesign its A350 aircraft and that the service entry of its A350 XWB aircraft would be delayed by approximately one year to 2013.

In response to the developments, in February 2007 Airbus presented the details of its Power8 restructuring plan, which is designed to address the challenges of the weak US dollar, increased competitive pressure, the financial costs related to the A380 delays and the need to meet Airbus future investment requirements. As part of Power8, Airbus management is expected to implement stringent cost reduction measures, including the reduction of up to 10,000 positions across the Airbus partner countries. Certain of Airbus’ labor unions have threatened to strike if the restructuring plan is implemented.

If Airbus experiences further financial and other difficulties and is unable to deliver the aircraft we have ordered from it on time or at all, we could lose the benefit of the terms of our purchase contract for 20 A330 aircraft and AerVenture’s purchase contract and we may be unable to obtain replacement aircraft on comparable terms, or at all, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and growth prospects. If Airbus were to enter into reorganization or bankruptcy, we could in addition lose payments made towards aircraft not yet delivered.

Any decrease in the value and lease rates of our aircraft and engines may have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

We are indirectly subject to many of the economic and political risks associated with emerging markets, which could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

A significant number of our aircraft and engines are leased to airlines in emerging market countries. As of December 31, 2006, we leased 57.7% of our aircraft and 47.1% of our engines, weighted by net book value, to airlines in emerging market countries. The emerging markets in which our aircraft are operated include Thailand, India, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Jamaica, Malaysia, Colombia, Mexico, Nepal, Turkey, Hungary, Trinidad and Tobago, Russia, Brazil, the Slovak Republic and Indonesia.

Emerging market countries have less developed economies that are more vulnerable to economic and political problems and may experience significant fluctuations in gross domestic product, interest rates and currency exchange rates, as well as civil disturbances, government instability, nationalization and expropriation of private assets and the imposition of taxes or other charges by government authorities. The occurrence of any of these events in markets served by our lessees and the resulting economic instability that may arise could adversely affect the value of our ownership interest in aircraft or engines subject to lease in such countries, or the ability of our lessees which operate in these markets to meet their lease obligations. As a result, lessees which operate in emerging market countries may be more likely to default than lessees that operate in developed countries. In addition, legal systems in emerging market countries may be less developed, which could make it more difficult for us to enforce our legal rights in such countries. For these and other reasons, our financial results and growth prospects may be materially and adversely affected by adverse economic and political developments in emerging market countries.

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If our lessees encounter financial difficulties and we decide to restructure our leases, the restructuring would likely result in less favorable leases which could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

If a lessee is late in making payments, fails to make payments in full or in part under a lease or has advised us that it will fail to make payments in full or in part under a lease in the future, we may elect or be required to restructure the lease, which could result in less favorable terms or termination of a lease without receiving all or any of the past due amounts. We may be unable to agree upon acceptable terms for some or all of the requested restructurings and as a result may be forced to exercise our remedies under those leases. If we, in the exercise of our remedies, repossess an aircraft or engine, we may not be able to re-lease the aircraft or engine promptly at favorable rates, if at all. You should expect that restructurings and/or repossessions with some lessees will occur in the future. The terms and conditions of possible lease restructurings may result in a significant reduction of lease revenue, which may adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

If we or our lessees fail to maintain our aircraft or engines, their value may decline and we may not be able to lease or re-lease our aircraft and engines at favorable rates, if at all, which would adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

We may be exposed to increased maintenance costs for our leased aircraft and engines associated with a lessee’s failure to properly maintain the aircraft or engine or pay supplemental maintenance rent. If an aircraft or engine is not properly maintained, its market value may decline which would result in lower revenues from its lease or sale. Under our leases, our lessees are primarily responsible for maintaining the aircraft and engines and complying with all governmental requirements applicable to the lessee and the aircraft and engines, including operational, maintenance, government agency oversight, registration requirements and airworthiness directives. Although we require many of our lessees to pay us a supplemental maintenance rent, failure of a lessee to perform required maintenance during the term of a lease could result in a decrease in value of an aircraft or engine, an inability to re-lease an aircraft or engine at favorable rates, if at all, or a potential grounding of an aircraft or engine. Maintenance failures by a lessee would also likely require us to incur maintenance and modification costs upon the termination of the applicable lease, which could be substantial, to restore the aircraft or engine to an acceptable condition prior to sale or re-leasing. Supplemental maintenance rent paid by our lessees may not be sufficient to fund our maintenance costs. Our lessees’ failure to meet their obligations to pay supplemental maintenance rent or perform required scheduled maintenance or our inability to maintain our aircraft or engines may materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Competition from other aircraft or engine lessors with greater resources or a lower cost of capital than us could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

The aircraft and engine leasing industry is highly competitive. Our competition is comprised of major aircraft leasing companies including GE Commercial Aviation Services, International Lease Finance Corp., CIT Group, Aviation Capital Group, Pegasus Aviation, GATX Air, Air Castle Limited, RBS Aviation Capital, AWAS, Babcock & Brown, Boeing Capital Corp., Pembroke Group Ltd. and Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise, and six major engine leasing companies, including GE Engine Leasing, Engine Lease Finance Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Engine Leasing LLC, Willis Lease Finance Corporation, Rolls-Royce and Partners Finance and Shannon Engine Support Ltd. Some of our competitors are significantly larger and have greater resources or lower cost of capital than us; accordingly, they may be able to compete more effectively in one or more of our markets. On October 18, 2006, GE Commercial Aviation Services completed the acquisition of The Memphis Group, Inc., an aircraft parts trading company. This acquisition could provide competition to our integrated business strategy.

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In addition, we may encounter competition from other entities such as:

·       airlines;

·       aircraft manufacturers and MRO organizations;

·       financial institutions, including those seeking to dispose of re-possessed aircraft at distressed prices;

·       aircraft brokers;

·       public and private partnerships, investors and funds with more capital to invest in aircraft and engines; and

·       other aircraft and engine leasing companies and MRO organizations that we do not currently consider our major competitors.

Some of these competitors have greater operating and financial resources and access to lower capital costs than us. We may not always be able to compete successfully with such competitors and other entities, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

We are exposed to significant regional political and economic risks due to the concentration of our lessees in certain geographical regions which could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Through our lessees, we are exposed to local economic and political conditions. Such adverse economic and political conditions include additional regulation or, in extreme cases, requisition of our aircraft or engines. The effect of these conditions on payments to us will be more or less pronounced, depending on the concentration of lessees in the region with adverse conditions. The airline industry is highly sensitive to general economic conditions. A recession or other worsening of economic conditions or a terrorist attack, particularly if combined with high fuel prices or a weak Euro or other local currency, may have a material adverse effect on the ability of our lessees to meet their financial and other obligations under our leases.

Lease rental revenues from lessees based in Asia accounted for 43.5% of our lease revenues in 2006. The outbreak of SARS in 2003 had a significant negative effect on the Asian economy, particularly in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Asian airline industry has since recovered and is currently experiencing strong growth; however, a recurrence of SARS or the outbreak of another epidemic disease, such as avian influenza, which many experts believe would originate in Asia, could materially and adversely affect the Asian airline industry.

Lease rental revenues from lessees based in Europe accounted for 34.9% of our lease revenues in 2006. Commercial airlines in Europe face, and can be expected to continue to face, increased competitive pressures, in part as a result of the deregulation of the airline industry by the European Union and the resulting expansion of low-cost carriers. European countries generally have relatively strict environmental regulations and traffic constraints that can restrict operational flexibility and decrease aircraft productivity, which could significantly increase operating costs of all aircraft, including our aircraft, thereby adversely affecting our lessees.

Lease rental revenues from lessees based in North America accounted for 12.8% of our lease revenues in 2006. During the past 15 years, a number of North American passenger airlines filed for bankruptcy and several major U.S. airlines ceased operations altogether. The outbreak of SARS, the war and prolonged conflict in Iraq and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States have imposed additional financial burdens on most U.S. airlines as a result of increased expenses due to tightened security requirements and have in certain cases led to a temporary reduction in demand for air travel. Lease revenues from lessees based in the Caribbean, accounted for 2.2% of our lease revenues in 2006.

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Lease revenues from lessees based in Latin America account for 6.6% of our lease revenues in 2006. The economies of Latin American countries are generally characterized by lower levels of foreign investment when compared to industrialized countries and greater economic volatility. Any economic downturn in the Latin American or the Caribbean economies may adversely affect the operations of our lessees in these regions.

Our substantial indebtedness incurred to acquire our aircraft and engines requires significant debt service payments.

As of December 31, 2006, our consolidated indebtedness was $2.6 billion and our interest expense (including the impact of hedging activities) was $166.2 million in 2006. Due to the capital intensive nature of our business and our strategy of expanding our aircraft and engine portfolios, we expect that we will incur additional indebtedness in the future and continue to maintain high levels of indebtedness. We currently have 79 new A320 family aircraft and 20 new A330-200 widebody aircraft on order from Airbus. When we acquire all 99 of the Airbus aircraft, over the next four years, we expect to incur in excess of $4.0 billion of indebtedness to finance the purchase price of the aircraft. High levels of indebtedness may limit our cash flow available for capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes and may have a material adverse effect on our earnings and growth prospects.

In addition, covenants in some of the indebtedness incurred by our subsidiaries prevent our subsidiaries from paying dividends to us if we or the relevant subsidiary do not meet specified financial ratios. In addition, the terms of the Aircraft Lease Securitisation indebtedness allow for distributions on the subordinated notes held by us only after the senior classes of notes are repaid.

Aircraft have limited economically useful lives and depreciate over time, which can adversely affect our financial condition and growth prospects.

As our aircraft age, they will depreciate and generally the aircraft will generate lower revenues and cash flows. If we do not replace our older depreciated aircraft with newer aircraft, our ability to maintain or increase our revenues and cash flows will decline. In addition, since we depreciate our aircraft for accounting purposes on a straight line basis to the aircraft’s estimated residual value over its estimated useful life, if we dispose of an aircraft for a price that is less than the depreciated book value of the aircraft on our balance sheet, we will recognize a loss on the sale.

Our failure to maintain effective internal controls could have a material adverse effect on our business in the future and on our access to the capital markets.

Any failure to maintain adequate internal control over financial reporting or to implement required, new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could cause us to report material weaknesses or other deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting and could result in a more than remote possibility of errors or misstatements in our consolidated financial statements that would be material. Although we are not currently subject to the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we are in the process of documenting and testing our internal controls in order to enable us to satisfy those requirements as of December 31, 2007. Beginning with our next annual report on Form 20-F, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our management will be required to assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, and we will be required to have our independent registered public accounting firm audit management’s assessment and the operating effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. If our management or our independent registered public accounting firm were to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective, investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information and the value of our ordinary shares could be adversely impacted. Our failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls could have a material adverse effect on our business in the future and on our access to the capital

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markets. In addition, in connection with our compliance with Section 404 and the other applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time, and may need to hire additional accounting and financial staff, to assure that we comply with these requirements. Compliance may also make some of our activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, we expect these rules and regulations to make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and other liability insurance, and we may be required to incur substantial costs to maintain current levels of coverage. The additional management attention and costs relating to compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could materially and adversely affect our growth and financial results.

The advanced age of some of our aircraft may cause us to incur higher than anticipated maintenance expenses, which could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

As of December 31, 2006, we owned 64 aircraft that were over ten years of age, representing 29.7% of the net book value of our aircraft portfolio. In general, the costs of operating an aircraft, including maintenance expenditures, increase as they age. In addition, older aircraft are typically less fuel-efficient, noisier and produce higher levels of emissions, than newer aircraft and may be more difficult to re-lease or sell. In a depressed market, the value of older aircraft may decline more rapidly than the values of newer aircraft and our operating results may be adversely affected. Increased variable expenses like fuel, maintenance and increased governmental regulation could make the operation of older aircraft or engines less profitable and may result in increased lessee defaults. Incurring higher than anticipated maintenance expenses associated with the advanced age of some of our aircraft or our inability to sell or re-lease such older aircraft would materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

The advent of superior aircraft and engine technology could cause our existing aircraft and engine portfolio to become outdated and therefore less desirable, which could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

As manufacturers introduce technological innovations and new types of aircraft and engines, some of the aircraft and engines in our aircraft and engine portfolios may become less desirable to potential lessees. In addition, the imposition of increased regulation regarding stringent noise or emissions restrictions may make some of our aircraft and engines less desirable in the marketplace. Any of these risks may adversely affect our ability to lease or sell our aircraft or engines on favorable terms, if at all, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

If our lessees’ insurance coverage is insufficient, it could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

While we do not directly control the operation of any of our aircraft or engines, by virtue of holding title to aircraft, directly or indirectly, in certain jurisdictions around the world, we could be held strictly liable for losses resulting from the operation of our aircraft and engines, or may be held liable for those losses on other legal theories. We require our lessees to obtain specified levels of insurance and indemnify us for, and insure against, liabilities arising out of their use and operation of the aircraft.

However, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, aviation insurers significantly reduced the amount of insurance coverage available to airlines for liability to persons other than employees or passengers for claims resulting from acts of terrorism, war or similar events. At the same time, aviation insurers significantly increased the premiums for third-party war risk and terrorism liability insurance and coverage in general. As a result, the amount of third-party war risk and terrorism liability insurance that is commercially available at any time may be below the amount stipulated in our leases.

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Our lessees’ insurance or other coverage may not be sufficient to cover all claims that may be asserted against us arising from the operation of our aircraft and engines by our lessees. Inadequate insurance coverage or default by lessees in fulfilling their indemnification or insurance obligations will reduce the proceeds that would be received by us in the event we are sued and are required to make payments to claimants, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

If we incur significant costs resulting from lease defaults it could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

If we are required to repossess an aircraft or engine after a lessee default, we may be required to incur significant unexpected costs. Those costs include legal and other expenses of court or other governmental proceedings, including the cost of posting surety bonds or letters of credit necessary to effect repossession of aircraft or engine, particularly if the lessee is contesting the proceedings or is in bankruptcy. In addition, during these proceedings the relevant aircraft or engine is not generating revenue. We may also incur substantial maintenance, refurbishment or repair costs that a defaulting lessee has failed to pay and that are necessary to put the aircraft or engine in suitable condition for re-lease or sale. It may also be necessary to pay off liens, taxes and other governmental charges on the aircraft to obtain clear possession and to remarket the aircraft effectively, including, in some cases, liens that the lessee may have incurred in connection with the operation of its other aircraft. We may also incur other costs in connection with the physical possession of the aircraft or engine.

We may also suffer other adverse consequences as a result of a lessee default and the related termination of the lease and the repossession of the related aircraft or engine. Our rights upon a lessee default vary significantly depending upon the jurisdiction and the applicable law, including the need to obtain a court order for repossession of the aircraft and/or consents for de-registration or re-export of the aircraft. When a defaulting lessee is in bankruptcy, protective administration, insolvency or similar proceedings, additional limitations may apply. Certain jurisdictions give rights to the trustee in bankruptcy or a similar officer to assume or reject the lease or to assign it to a third party, or entitle the lessee or another third party to retain possession of the aircraft or engine without paying lease rentals or performing all or some of the obligations under the relevant lease. In addition, certain of our lessees are owned in whole, or in part, by government-related entities, which could complicate our efforts to repossess our aircraft or engines in that government’s jurisdiction. Accordingly, we may be delayed in, or prevented from, enforcing certain of our rights under a lease and in re-leasing the affected aircraft or engine.

If we repossess an aircraft or engine, we will not necessarily be able to export or de-register and profitably redeploy the aircraft or engine. For instance, where a lessee or other operator flies only domestic routes in the jurisdiction in which the aircraft or engine is registered, repossession may be more difficult, especially if the jurisdiction permits the lessee or the other operator to resist de-registration. We may also incur significant costs in retrieving or recreating aircraft or engine records required for registration of the aircraft or engine, and in obtaining the certificate of airworthiness for an aircraft. If we incur significant costs repossessing our aircraft or engines, are delayed in repossessing our aircraft or engines or are unable to obtain possession of our aircraft or engines as a result of lessee defaults, our financial results and growth prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

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If we provide MRO services to third-parties, we may lose some of our existing MRO service provider customers who lease our engines and purchase our parts.

A significant portion of our short-term engine leases are to engine MRO service providers, which in turn use the engines to provide their customers with spare engines while the MRO service provider repairs the customer’s engines. Also, a significant portion of our engine parts are sold directly to our engine MRO service provider customers. If we provide MRO services directly to third parties we would compete directly with some of our MRO service provider customers. Some of these MRO service provider customers may choose to lease engines and purchase parts from our competitors with whom they do not directly compete in their MRO business.

If our lessees fail to appropriately discharge aircraft liens, we may be obligated to pay the aircraft liens, which could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

In the normal course of their business, our lessees are likely to incur aircraft and engine liens that secure the payment of airport fees and taxes, custom duties, air navigation charges, including charges imposed by Eurocontrol, landing charges, crew wages, repairer’s charges, salvage or other liens that may attach to our aircraft or engine. These liens may secure substantial sums that may, in certain jurisdictions or for certain types of liens, particularly liens on entire fleets of aircraft, exceed the value of the particular aircraft or engine to which the liens have attached. Aircraft and engines may also be subject to mechanical liens as a result of routine maintenance performed by third parties on behalf of our customers. Although the financial obligations relating to these liens are the responsibility of our lessees, if they fail to fulfill their obligations, the liens may attach to our aircraft or engines and ultimately become our responsibility. In some jurisdictions, aircraft and engine liens may give the holder thereof the right to detain or, in limited cases, sell or cause the forfeiture of the aircraft or engine.

Until they are discharged, these liens could impair our ability to repossess, re-lease or sell our aircraft or engines. Our lessees may not comply with their obligations under their leases to discharge aircraft liens arising during the terms of their leases. If they do not, we may find it necessary to pay the claims secured by such aircraft liens in order to repossess the aircraft or engine. Such payments would materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Failure to obtain certain required licenses, certificates and approvals could adversely affect our ability to re-lease or sell aircraft and engines, our ability to perform maintenance services or to provide cash management services, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Under our leases, we may be required in some instances to obtain specific licenses, consents or approvals for different aspects of the leases. These required items include consents from governmental or regulatory authorities for certain payments under the leases and for the import, re-export or deregistration of the aircraft and engines. Subsequent changes in applicable law or administrative practice may increase such requirements. In addition, a governmental consent, once given, might be withdrawn. Furthermore, consents needed in connection with future re-leasing or sale of an aircraft or engine may not be forthcoming. To perform some of our cash management services and insurance services from Ireland under our management arrangements with our joint ventures and securitization entities, we require a license from the Irish regulatory authorities, which we have obtained. In addition, to meet our MRO customers’ requirements to maintain certain flight certifications, AeroTurbine requires certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, and European Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, which it has obtained. A failure to maintain these licenses or certificates or obtain any required license or certificate, consent or approval, or the occurrence of any of the foregoing events, could adversely affect our ability to provide qualifying services or re-lease or sell our aircraft or engines, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

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Our ability to operate in some countries is restricted by foreign regulations and controls on investments.

Many countries restrict or control foreign investments to varying degrees, and additional or different restrictions or policies adverse to us may be imposed in the future. These restrictions and controls have limited, and may in the future restrict or preclude, our investment in joint ventures or the acquisition of businesses outside of the United States, or may increase the cost to us of entering into such transactions. Various governments, particularly in the Asia/Pacific region, require governmental approval before foreign persons may make investments in domestic businesses and also limit the extent of any such investments. Furthermore, various governments may require governmental approval for the repatriation of capital by, or the payment of dividends to, foreign investors. Restrictive policies regarding foreign investments may increase our costs of pursuing growth opportunities in foreign jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

There are a limited number of aircraft and engine manufacturers and the failure of any manufacturer to meet its aircraft and engine delivery obligations to us could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

The supply of commercial jet aircraft is dominated by two airframe manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, and three engine manufacturers, GE Aircraft Engines, Rolls-Royce plc and Pratt & Whitney. As a result, we are dependent on these manufacturers’ success in remaining financially stable, producing products and related components which meet the airlines’ demands and fulfilling their contractual obligations to us. Airbus has recently made a series of announcements relating to significant delays and cost overruns in the manufacturing process for the new commercial jet it is developing, the A380 megajet. These delays and cost overruns have resulted in several changes of Airbus’s top management and could lead to Airbus customers canceling existing orders, which would aggravate Airbus’s economic difficulties.

Further, competition between Airbus and Boeing for market share is escalating and may cause instances of deep discounting for certain aircraft types, which could adversely affect our ability to obtain an attractive price when we attempt to sell our aircraft in the aftermarket. Should the manufacturers fail to respond appropriately to changes in the market environment or fail to fulfill their contractual obligations, we may experience:

·       missed or late delivery of aircraft and engines ordered by us and an inability to meet our contractual obligations to our customers, resulting in lost or delayed revenues, lower growth rates and strained customer relationships;

·       an inability to acquire aircraft and engines and related components on terms which will allow us to lease those aircraft and engines to customers at a profit, resulting in lower growth rates or a contraction in our aircraft portfolio;

·       a market environment with too many aircraft and engines available, creating downward pressure on demand for the aircraft and engines in our fleet and reduced market lease rates and sale prices;

·       poor customer support from the manufacturers of aircraft, engines and components resulting in reduced demand for a particular manufacturer’s product, creating downward pressure on demand for those aircraft and engines in our fleet and reduced market lease rates and sale prices for those aircraft and engines; and

·       reduction in our competitiveness due to deep discounting by the manufacturers, which may lead to reduced market lease rates and sale prices and may affect our ability to remarket or sell some of the aircraft and engines in our portfolio.

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We will need additional capital to finance our growth, and we may not be able to obtain it on terms acceptable to us, if at all, which may limit our ability to grow and compete in the aircraft and engine leasing and trading markets.

We will need additional capital to continue to expand our business by acquiring additional aircraft, engines and other aviation assets, and financing may not be available to us or may be available to us only on terms that are not favorable. We initially finance the acquisition of aircraft through a combination of medium-term revolving credit facilities and long-term debt structures. Once we obtain a sufficient number and diversity of aircraft financed with medium-term revolving credit facilities, we generally refinance these facilities with long-term debt structures, including securitizations, tax advantaged structures and bank loans. As a result, we are subject to the risk that we will not be able to acquire, during the period that our credit facilities are available, a sufficient amount of eligible aircraft and engines to allow for an issuance of long-term debt. If we are unable to raise additional funds or obtain capital on terms acceptable to us, we may have to delay, modify or abandon some or all of our growth strategies. Further, if additional capital is raised through the issuance of additional equity securities, the percentage ownership of our then current shareholders would be diluted. Newly issued equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our ordinary shares. See “Item 10. Additional Information—Memorandum and articles of association”.

We are subject to various environmental regulations that may have an adverse impact on our financial results and growth prospects.

Governmental regulations regarding aircraft and engine noise and emissions levels apply based on where the relevant airframe is registered, and where the aircraft is operated. For example, jurisdictions throughout the world have adopted noise regulations which require all aircraft to comply with noise level standards. In addition to the current requirements, the United States and the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, have adopted a new, more stringent set of standards for noise levels which will apply to engines manufactured or certified beginning in 2006. Currently, United States regulations would not require any phase-out of aircraft that qualify with the current standards, but the European Union has established a framework for the imposition of operating limitations on aircraft that do not comply with the new standards. These regulations could limit the economic life of our aircraft and engines, reduce their value, limit our ability to lease or sell the non-compliant aircraft and engines or, if engine modifications are permitted, require us to make significant additional investments in the aircraft and engines to make them compliant.

In addition to more stringent noise restrictions, the United States and other jurisdictions are beginning to impose more stringent limits on the emission of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions from engines, consistent with current ICAO standards. These limits generally apply only to engines manufactured after 1999. None of our 61 aircraft engines were manufactured after 1999. Concerns over global warming could result in more stringent limitations on the operation of aircraft powered by older, non-compliant engines.

Our operations are subject to various federal, state and local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations in the United States, including those relating to the discharge of materials into the air, water and ground, the generation, storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials, and the health and safety of its employees. A violation of these laws and regulations or permit conditions can result in substantial fines, permit revocation or other damages. Many of these laws impose liability for clean-up of contamination that may exist at our facilities (even if we did not know of or were not responsible for the contamination) or related personal injuries or natural resource damages or costs relating to contamination at third-party waste disposal sites where we have sent or may send waste. We cannot assure you that we will be at all times in complete compliance with these laws, regulations or permits. We may have liability under environmental laws or be subject to legal actions brought by

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governmental authorities or other parties for actual or alleged violations of, or liability under, environmental, health and safety laws, regulations or permits.

We are the manager for several securitization vehicles and joint ventures and our financial results would be adversely affected if we were removed from these positions.

We are the aircraft manager for various securitization vehicles, joint ventures and third parties and receive annual fees for these services. In 2006, we generated revenue of $14.1 million from providing aircraft management services to non-consolidated securitization vehicles and joint ventures and third parties. We may be removed as manager by the affirmative vote of a requisite number of holders of the securities issued by the securitization vehicles upon the occurrence of specified events and at specified times under our joint venture agreements. If we are removed, in the case of our consolidated securitization vehicles and joint ventures, our expenses would increase since such securitization vehicles or joint ventures would have to hire an outside aircraft manager and, in the case of non-consolidated securitization vehicles, joint ventures and third parties, our revenues would decline as a result of the loss of our fees for providing management services to such entities. If we are removed as aircraft manager for any securitization vehicle or joint venture that generates a significant portion of our management fees, our financial results and growth prospects could be materially and adversely affected.

Our limited control over our joint ventures may delay or prevent us from implementing our business strategy which may adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

We are currently joint venture partners in several joint ventures, including AerVenture, a consolidated joint venture which has entered into a purchase agreement with Airbus for the purchase of up to 70 A320 family aircraft, and it is our strategy to enter into additional joint ventures in the future. Under the AerVenture joint venture agreement, we share control over significant decisions with our joint venture partner. For example, we may not, without the consent of our AerVenture joint venture partner, cause AerVenture to incur any debt outside the ordinary course of business, buy or sell assets or pay dividends to us. Since we have limited control over AerVenture and certain of our other joint ventures and may not be able to exercise control over any future joint venture, we may not be able to require AerVenture or such other joint ventures to take actions that we believe are necessary to implement our business strategy. Accordingly, this limited control could have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

The departure of senior managers could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Our future success depends, to a significant extent, upon the continued service of our senior management personnel. For a description of the senior management team, see “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees”. The departure of senior management personnel could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our business strategy, including the integration of AeroTurbine.

In certain countries, an engine affixed to an aircraft may become an accession to the aircraft and we may not be able to exercise our ownership rights over the engine.

In some jurisdictions, an engine affixed to an aircraft may become an accession to the aircraft, so that the ownership rights of the owner of the aircraft supersede the ownership rights of the owner of the engine. If an aircraft is security for the owner’s obligations to a third party, the security interest in the aircraft may supersede our rights as owner of the engine. This legal principle could limit our ability to repossess an engine in the event of an engine lease default while the aircraft with our engine installed remains in such jurisdiction. We would suffer a substantial loss if we were not able to repossess engines leased to lessees in these jurisdictions, which would materially and adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

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Risks Related to the Aviation Industry

As high fuel prices continue to affect the profitability of the aviation industry, our lessees might not be able to meet their lease payment obligations, which would adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Fuel costs represent a major expense to companies operating in the aviation industry. Fuel prices fluctuate widely depending primarily on international market conditions, geopolitical and environmental events and currency/exchange rates. As a result, fuel costs are not within the control of lessees and significant increases in fuel costs would materially and adversely affect their operating results.

Factors such as natural disasters can significantly affect fuel availability and prices. In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita inflicted widespread damage along the Gulf Coast of the United States, causing significant disruptions to oil production, refinery operations and pipeline capacity in the region, and to oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. These disruptions resulted in decreased fuel availability and higher fuel prices.

Fuel prices currently remain at historically high levels. The continuing high cost of fuel has had, and sustained high costs in the future may continue to have, a material adverse affect on airlines’ profitability, including our lessees. Due to the competitive nature of the aviation industry, operators have been and may continue to be unable to pass on increases in fuel prices to their customers by increasing fares in a manner that fully off-sets the increased fuel costs they have incurred. In addition, they may not be able to manage this risk by appropriately hedging their exposure to fuel price fluctuations. If fuel prices remain at historically high levels or increase further due to future terrorist attacks, acts of war, armed hostilities, natural disasters or for any other reason, they are likely to cause our lessees to incur higher costs and/or generate lower revenues, resulting in an adverse affect on their financial condition and liquidity. Consequently, these conditions may adversely affect our lessees’ ability to make rental and other lease payments, result in lease restructurings and/or aircraft and engine repossessions, increase our costs of servicing and marketing our aircraft and engines, impair our ability to re-lease them or otherwise dispose of them on a timely basis at favorable rates or terms, if at all, and reduce the proceeds received for such assets upon any disposition. Any of these events could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

If the effects of terrorist attacks and geopolitical conditions continue to adversely affect the financial condition of the airlines, our lessees might not be able to meet their lease payment obligations, which would adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

As a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and subsequent terrorist attacks abroad, notably in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe, increased security restrictions were implemented on air travel, costs for aircraft insurance and security measures have increased, passenger and cargo demand for air travel decreased and operators have faced and continue to face increased difficulties in acquiring war risk and other insurance at reasonable costs. In addition, war or armed hostilities, or the fear of such events could further exacerbate many of the problems experienced as a result of terrorist attacks. Uncertainty regarding the situation in Iraq and tension over Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear programs, may lead to further instability in the Middle East. Future terrorist attacks, war or armed hostilities, or the fear of such events, could further adversely affect the aviation industry and may have an adverse effect on the financial condition and liquidity of our lessees, aircraft and engine values and rental rates, and may lead to lease restructurings or repossessions, all of which could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

Terrorist attacks and adverse geopolitical conditions have adversely affected the aviation industry and concerns about such events could also result in:

·       higher costs to the airlines due to the increased security measures;

·       decreased passenger demand and revenue due to the inconvenience of additional security measures;

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·       uncertainty of the price and availability of jet fuel and the cost and practicability of obtaining fuel hedges under current market conditions;

·       higher financing costs and difficulty in raising the desired amount of proceeds on favorable terms, if at all;

·       significantly higher costs of aviation insurance coverage for future claims caused by acts of war, terrorism, sabotage, hijacking and other similar perils, and the extent to which such insurance has been or will continue to be available;

·       inability of airlines to reduce their operating costs and conserve financial resources, taking into account the increased costs incurred as a consequence of terrorist attacks and geopolitical conditions, including those referred to above; and

·       special charges recognized by some operators, such as those related to the impairment of aircraft and engines and other long lived assets stemming from the grounding of aircraft as a result of terrorist attacks, the economic slowdown and airline reorganizations.

Future terrorist attacks, acts of war or armed hostilities may cause certain aviation insurance to become available only at significantly increased premiums, which may be for reduced amounts of coverage that are insufficient to comply with the levels of insurance coverage currently required by aircraft and engine lenders and lessors or by applicable government regulations, or to be not available at all.

Although the Aircraft Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act adopted in the United States on September 22, 2001 and similar programs instituted by the governments of other countries provide for limited government coverage under government programs for specified types of aviation insurance, these programs may not continue and governments may not pay under these programs in a timely fashion.

Future terrorist attacks, acts of war or armed hostilities are likely to cause our lessees to incur higher costs and to generate lower revenues, which could result in an adverse effect on their financial condition and liquidity. Consequently, these conditions may affect their ability to make rental and other lease payments to us or obtain the types and amounts of insurance required by the applicable leases, which may in turn lead to aircraft groundings, may result in additional lease restructurings and repossessions, may increase our cost of re-leasing or selling the aircraft and may impair our ability to re-lease or otherwise dispose of them on a timely basis at favorable rates or on favorable terms, if at all, and may reduce the proceeds received for our aircraft and engines upon any disposition. These results could adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

The effects of SARS or other epidemic diseases may adversely affect the airline industry in the future, which might cause our lessees to not be able to meet their lease payment obligations to us, which would adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

The linking of the 2003 outbreak of SARS to air travel materially and adversely affected passenger demand for air travel at that time. While the World Heath Organization’s travel bans related to SARS were lifted, SARS had a continuing negative affect on the aviation industry, which was evidenced by a sharp reduction in passenger bookings and the cancellation of many flights after the air travel bans had been lifted. While these effects were felt most acutely in Asia, the effect of SARS on the aviation industry also adversely affected other areas, including North America.

Since 2003, there have been several outbreaks of avian influenza, beginning in Asia and, most recently, spreading to certain parts of Africa and Europe. Although human cases of avian influenza so far have been limited in number, the World Health Organization has expressed serious concern that a human influenza pandemic could develop from the avian influenza virus. In such an event, numerous responses,

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including travel restrictions, might be necessary to combat the spread of the disease. Additional outbreaks of SARS or other diseases, such as avian influenza, or the fear of such events, could adversely affect passenger demand for air travel and the aviation industry. These consequences could result in our lessees’ inability to satisfy their lease payment obligations to us, which in turn would adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

The passenger aviation industry is inherently cyclical and a significant downturn in the industry would adversely impact our lessees’ ability to make payments to us, which would adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

The years 2001 through 2004 were characterized by falling demand and rising costs. This industry downturn was exacerbated by the terrorist attacks on 9/11, prolonged military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, rising fuel prices, SARS and avian influenza. As a result, the global airline industry experienced significant financial losses. Many airlines, including some of our lessees, announced or implemented reductions in capacity, service and workforce. Additionally, many airlines sought protection under bankruptcy laws. The airline bankruptcies and the reduction in demand led to the grounding of significant numbers of aircraft and engines and the negotiation of reductions in lease rental rates, which depressed aircraft and engine market values.

While the down cycle has ended and the world’s airlines are currently generally performing well, an industry downturn is likely to occur again in the future and the impact could be similar to the impact of the prior downturn. Such a downturn would likely place already financially weakened lessees under further duress, once again putting downward pressure on lease rates. As in the previous downturn, the grounding of undesirable older aircraft would also play a role in depressing aircraft and engine market values.

Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure

If the ownership of our ordinary shares continues to be highly concentrated, it may prevent you and other minority shareholders from influencing significant corporate decisions and may result in conflicts of interest.

Funds and accounts affiliated with Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., or Cerberus, have voting control over approximately 69.3% of our ordinary shares, including shares or options held by members of our senior management, our non-executive directors and a consultant in Bermuda holding companies which are our indirect shareholders. As a result, Cerberus is able to control fundamental corporate matters and transactions, including the appointment of a majority of our directors, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations or acquisitions, the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, the amendment of our articles of association and our dissolution. This concentration of ownership may delay, deter or prevent acts that would be favored by our other shareholders, such as a change of control transaction that would result in the payment of a premium to our other shareholders. In addition, this concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our ordinary shares if the perception among investors exists that owning shares in a company with a significant shareholder is not desirable.

We are a Netherlands public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) and it may be difficult for you to obtain or enforce judgments against us or our executive officers, some of our directors and some of our named experts in the United States.

We were formed under the laws of The Netherlands and, as such, the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and the civil liability of our directors will be governed by the laws of The Netherlands and our articles of association. The rights of shareholders under the laws of The Netherlands may differ from the rights of shareholders of companies incorporated in other jurisdictions. Some of the named experts referred to in this annual report are not residents of the United States, and most of our directors and our executive officers and most of our assets and the assets of our directors are located outside the

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United States. In addition, under our articles of association, all lawsuits against us and our directors and executive officers shall be governed by the laws of The Netherlands and must be brought exclusively before the Courts of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. As a result, you may not be able to serve process on us or on such persons in the United States or obtain or enforce judgments from U.S. courts against them or us based on the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States. There is doubt as to whether Netherlands courts would enforce certain civil liabilities under U.S. securities laws in original actions and enforce claims for punitive damages.

Under our articles of association, we indemnify and hold our directors, officers and employees harmless against all claims and suits brought against them, subject to limited exceptions. Under our articles of association, to the extent allowed by law, the rights and obligations among or between us, any of our current or former directors, officers and employees and any current or former shareholder shall be governed exclusively by the laws of The Netherlands and subject to the jurisdiction of the Netherlands courts, unless such rights or obligations do not relate to or arise out of their capacities listed above. Although there is doubt as to whether U.S. courts would enforce such provision in an action brought in the United States under U.S. securities laws, such provision could make enforcing judgments obtained outside of The Netherlands more difficult to enforce against our assets in The Netherlands or jurisdictions that would apply Netherlands law.

Our international operations expose us to economic and legal risks associated with a global business.

We conduct our business in many countries, and we anticipate that revenue from our international operations, particularly from the Asia/Pacific region, will continue to account for a significant amount of our future revenue. There are risks inherent in conducting our business internationally, including:

·       general political and economic instability in international markets;

·       limitations in the repatriation of our assets, including cash;

·       expropriation of our international assets;

·       different liability standards and less developed legal systems that may be less predictable than those in the United States; and

·       intellectual property laws of countries that do not protect our international rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States.

These factors may have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

If our subsidiaries do not make distributions to us we will not be able to pay dividends.

Substantially all of our assets are held by and our revenues are generated by our subsidiaries. We will be limited in our ability to pay dividends unless we receive dividends or other cash flow from our subsidiaries. Substantially all of our owned aircraft are held through special purpose subsidiaries or finance structures which borrow funds to finance or refinance the aircraft. The terms of such financings place restrictions on distributions of funds to us. If these limitations prevent distributions to us or our subsidiaries do not generate positive cash flows, we will be limited in our ability to pay dividends and may be unable to transfer funds between subsidiaries if required to support our subsidiaries.

Risks Related to Taxation

We may become a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

We do not believe we are currently a PFIC and we intend to conduct our affairs in a manner that will reduce the likelihood of our being a PFIC. The determination as to whether a foreign corporation is a

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PFIC is a complex determination based on all of the relevant facts and circumstances and depends on the classification of various assets and income under PFIC rules. In our case, the determination is further complicated by the application of the PFIC rules to leasing companies and to joint ventures and financing structures common in the aircraft leasing industry. If we are or become a PFIC, U.S. shareholders may be subject to increased U.S. federal income taxes on a sale or other disposition of our ordinary shares and on the receipt of certain distributions and will be subject to increased U.S. federal income tax reporting requirements. See “Item 10. Additional Information—U.S. Tax Considerations” for a more detailed discussion of the consequences to you if we are treated as a PFIC and a discussion of certain elections that may be available to mitigate the effects of that treatment. We urge you to consult your own tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to your particular circumstances.

We may become subject to income or other taxes in jurisdictions which would adversely affect our financial results and growth prospects.

We and our subsidiaries are subject to the income tax laws of Ireland, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United States and other jurisdictions in which our subsidiaries are incorporated or based. In addition, we or our subsidiaries may be subject to additional income or other taxes in these and other jurisdictions by reason of the management and control of our subsidiaries, our activities and operations, where our aircraft operate or where the lessees of our aircraft (or others in possession of our aircraft) are located. Although we have adopted guidelines and operating procedures to ensure our subsidiaries are appropriately managed and controlled to reduce the exposure to such additional taxation, no assurance can be given that we will not be subject to such taxes in the future and that such taxes will not be substantial. The imposition of such taxes could have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

We may incur current tax liabilities in our primary operating jurisdictions in the future.

While we have not incurred material income tax liabilities in our primary operating jurisdictions in the past due to, among other things, accelerated tax depreciation, deductible financing expenses and intercompany servicing arrangements, we may incur material income tax liabilities in those jurisdictions in the future. Due to the AeroTurbine Acquisition, we expect to pay U.S. income taxes in the future. If we become subject to material income taxes in any of our other primary operating jurisdictions, our increased tax liabilities could adversely affect our cash flows and have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

We may become subject to additional Irish taxes based on the extent of our operations carried on in Ireland.

Our Irish tax resident subsidiaries are currently subject to Irish corporate income tax on trading income at a rate of 12.5%, on capital gains at 20%, and on other income at 25%. We expect that substantially all of our Irish income will be treated as trading income for tax purposes in future periods. As of December 31, 2006, we had $355.7 million of Irish tax losses available to carry forward against our trading income. The continued application of the 12.5% tax rate to trading income generated in our Irish tax resident subsidiaries and the ability to carry forward Irish tax losses to shelter future taxable trading income depends in part on the extent and nature of activities carried on in Ireland both in the past and in the future. AerCap Ireland and its Irish tax resident subsidiaries intend to carry on their activities in Ireland so that the 12.5% rate of tax applicable to trading income will apply and that they will be entitled to shelter future income with tax losses that arose from the same trading activity. There can be no assurance that we will continue to be entitled to apply our loss carryforwards against future taxable trading income in Ireland.

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We may fail to qualify for benefits under one or more tax treaties.

We do not expect that our subsidiaries located outside of the United States will have any material U.S. federal income tax liability by reason of activities we carry out in the United States and the lease of assets to lessees that operate in the United States. However, this conclusion will depend, in part, on continued qualification for the benefits of income tax treaties between the United States and other countries in which we are subject to tax (particularly The Netherlands and Ireland). That in turn will depend for the most part on the nature and level of activities carried on by our subsidiaries in each jurisdiction.

There can be no assurance that the nature of our activities will be such that our subsidiaries will continue to qualify for the benefits of the income tax treaties with the United States or that we will otherwise qualify for treaty benefits. Failure to so qualify could result in the imposition of U.S. federal taxes which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results and growth prospects.

Item 4.                        Information on the Company

We are an integrated global aviation company with a leading market position in aircraft and engine leasing, trading and parts sales. We possess extensive aviation expertise that permits us to extract value from every stage of an aircraft’s lifecycle across a broad range of aircraft and engine types. It is our strategy to acquire aviation assets at attractive prices, lease the assets to suitable lessees, and manage the funding and other lease related costs efficiently. We also provide aircraft management services and perform aircraft and engine MRO services and aircraft disassemblies through our certified repair stations. We believe that by applying our expertise through an integrated business model, we will be able to identify and execute on a broad range of market opportunities that we expect will generate attractive returns for our shareholders. We are headquartered in Amsterdam and have offices in Ireland, Florida and Arizona with a total of 351 people.

We operate our business on a global basis, providing aircraft, engines and parts to customers in every major geographical region. As of December 31, 2006, we owned 131 aircraft and 51 engines, managed 103 aircraft, had 99 new aircraft and 6 new engines on order, had entered into a purchase contract for one aircraft and had executed letters of intent to purchase an additional 10 aircraft.

We lease most of our aircraft to airlines under operating leases. Under an operating lease, the lessee is responsible for the maintenance and servicing of the equipment during the lease term and the lessor receives the benefit, and assumes the risk, of the residual value of the equipment at the end of the lease. As of December 31, 2006, our owned and managed aircraft and engines were leased to 106 commercial airline and cargo operator customers in 47 countries and are managed from our offices in The Netherlands, Ireland and the United States. We expect to expand our leasing activity in Asia and in China in particular through our AerDragon joint venture with China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Group Corporation, which commenced operations in October 2006.

We have the infrastructure, expertise and resources to execute a large number of diverse aircraft and engine transactions in a variety of market conditions. From January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2006, we have executed over 800 aircraft and engine transactions, including 231 aircraft leases, 214 engine leases, 126 aircraft purchase or sale transactions, 130 engine purchase or sale transactions and the disassembly of 36 aircraft and 99 engines. Our teams of dedicated marketing and asset trading professionals have been successful in leasing and trading our aircraft and engine portfolios. Between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2006, our weighted average owned aircraft utilization rate was 99.1%.

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We were formed as a Netherlands public limited liability company (“naamloze vennootschap”) on July 10, 2006 to acquire all of the assets and liabilities of AerCap Holdings C.V. a Netherlands limited partnership. AerCap Holdings C.V. was formed on June 27, 2005 for the purpose of acquiring all of the shares and certain liabilities of AerCap B.V. (formerly known as debis AirFinance B.V.). On June 30, 2005, AerCap Holdings C.V. acquired all of AerCap B.V.’s shares and the liabilities owed by AerCap B.V. to its prior shareholders for a total consideration of $1.37 billion, $370.0 million of which was funded with equity contributions from funds and accounts affiliated with Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., or Cerberus. On April 26, 2006, we acquired all of the existing share capital of AeroTurbine, Inc. an engine trading and leasing and parts sales company. On October 27, 2006, AerCap Holdings N.V. acquired all of the assets and liabilities of AerCap Holdings C.V. On November 27, 2006, we completed the initial public offering of 6.8 million of our ordinary shares on The New York Stock Exchange.

Our principal executive offices are located at Evert van de Beekstraat 312, 1118 CX Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands, and our general telephone number is +31 20 655-9655. Our website address is www.aercap.com. Information contained on our website does not constitute a part of this annual report. Puglisi & Associates is our authorized representative in the United States. The address of Puglisi & Associates is 850 Liberty Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, DE 19711 and their general telephone number is (302) 738-6680.

Our Business Strategy

We intend to pursue the following business strategies:

Leverage Our Ability to Manage Aircraft and Engines Profitably throughout their Lifecycle.   We intend to continue to leverage our integrated business model by selectively:

·       purchasing aircraft and engines directly from manufacturers;

·       taking advantage of price incentives offered by sellers for the purchase of entire portfolios of aircraft and engines of varying ages and types;

·       using our global customer relationships to obtain favorable lease terms and reduce time off-lease;

·       selling select aircraft and engines;

·       disassembling older airframes and engines for sale of their component parts; and

·       providing management services to securitization vehicles, our joint ventures and other aircraft owners at limited incremental cost to us.

Our ability to profitably manage aircraft throughout their lifecycle depends in part on our successful integration of AeroTurbine, which we acquired in April 2006, our ability to successfully lease aircraft and engines at profitable rates and our ability to source acquisition opportunities of new and used aircraft at favorable prices.

Expand Our Aircraft and Engine Portfolio.   We intend to grow our portfolio of aircraft and engines through portfolio purchases, new aircraft purchases, airline refleetings, and other opportunistic aircraft and engine purchases. We will rely on our experienced team of aircraft and engine market professionals to identify and purchase assets we believe are being sold at attractive prices or that we believe will increase in demand and value. In addition, we will continue to rebalance our aircraft and engine portfolios through acquisitions, sales and selective disassemblies to maintain the appropriate mix of aviation assets to meet our customers’ needs.

Focus on High Growth Markets.   Although we maintain a geographically diverse portfolio, we focus on high growth airline markets such as the Asia/Pacific market. In May 2006, we entered into a joint venture with China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Group Corporation, a state-owned aviation

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service engaged in the import and export of civil aviation products and the leasing and maintenance of aircraft, engines and aviation parts. This joint venture enhances our presence in the increasingly important China market and will enhance our ability to lease our aircraft and engines throughout the entire Asia/Pacific region.

Enter into Joint Ventures to Obtain Economies of Scale.   We intend to continue to leverage our leading market position, extensive knowledge of the aircraft and engine leasing markets and aircraft and engine management capabilities by entering into joint ventures that increase our purchasing power and our ability to obtain price discounts on large aircraft orders. For example, by recently structuring a large aircraft purchase from Airbus through a 50% owned consolidated joint venture, we were able to increase the number of aircraft we ordered from 35 to 70 and obtained significantly more favorable terms than would otherwise have been available to us. We expect to generate fees from our joint ventures by providing them with aircraft management services.

Obtain Maintenance Cost Savings.   We intend to lower our aircraft and engine maintenance costs by using aircraft and engine parts we obtain from the selective disassembly of acquired and existing airframes and engines. We intend to achieve further maintenance cost savings by using our FAA and EASA certified repair station to perform a variety of value-added MRO services on our aircraft and engines that would otherwise be outsourced at significantly higher costs.

Acquire Complementary Businesses.   We intend to selectively pursue acquisitions that we believe will enhance our ability to manage aircraft and engines profitably throughout their lifecycle. The synergies, economies of scale and operating efficiencies we expect to derive from our acquisitions will allow us to strengthen our competitive advantages and diversify our sources of revenue.

Aircraft

Overview

We operate our aircraft business on a global basis. As of December 31, 2006, we owned and managed 234 aircraft. We owned 127 aircraft in our aircraft business, managed 103 aircraft and had an additional 4 aircraft which we intend to disassemble for the sale of their parts or sell at the end of their leases. As of December 31, 2006, we leased these aircraft to 88 commercial airline and cargo operator customers in 45 countries. In addition, as of December 31, 2006, we had 79 new narrowbody aircraft on order, including 9 directly and 70 through our consolidated joint venture, AerVenture, 20 new widebody aircraft on order, had entered into a purchase contract for one aircraft and had executed letters of intent for the purchase of 10 additional aircraft. Including all owned and managed aircraft, aircraft under contract or letter of intent and aircraft in our order book, our portfolio totals 344 aircraft.

Over the life of the aircraft, we seek to increase the returns on our investments by managing our aircraft’s lease rates, time off-lease, financing costs and maintenance costs, and by carefully timing their sale or disassembly. We lease most of our aircraft to airlines under operating leases. Under an operating lease, the lessee is responsible for the maintenance and servicing of the equipment during the lease term and the lessor receives the benefit, and assumes the risk, of the residual value of the equipment at the end of the lease. Rather than purchase their aircraft, many airlines operate their aircraft under operating leases because operating leases reduce their capital requirements and costs and allow them to manage their fleet more efficiently. Over the past 20 years, the world’s airlines have increasingly turned to operating leases to meet their aircraft needs.

Our contract lease terms generally range from 12 months to 120 months. By varying our lease terms, we mitigate the effects of changes in cyclical market conditions at the time aircraft become eligible for re-lease. In periods of strong aircraft demand, we seek to enter into medium and long-term leases to lock-in the generally higher market lease rates during those periods, while, in periods of low aircraft

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demand we seek to enter into short-term leases to mitigate the effects of the generally lower market lease rates during those periods. In addition, we generally seek to reduce our leasing transition costs by entering into lease extensions rather than taking re-delivery of the aircraft and leasing it to a new customer. The terms of our lease extensions reflect the market conditions at the time the lease extension is signed and typically contain different terms than the original lease.

Upon expiration of an operating lease, we extend the lease term, take redelivery of the aircraft, remarket and re-lease it to new lessees, sell the aircraft, or transfer the aircraft to our disassembly business for sale of its parts. Typically, we re-lease our leased aircraft well in advance of the expiration of the then current lease and deliver the aircraft to a new lessee in less than two months following redelivery by the prior lessee. During the period in which an aircraft is in between leases, we typically perform routine inspections and the maintenance necessary to place the aircraft in the required condition for delivery and, in some cases, make modifications requested by our next lessee.

Our extensive experience, global reach and operating capabilities allow us to rapidly complete numerous aircraft transactions, which enables us to increase the returns on our aircraft investments and reduce the time that our aircraft are not generating revenue for us. We successfully executed 376 aircraft transactions between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2006.

The following tables set forth information regarding the aircraft transactions we have executed between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2006, the number of initial leases and re-leases we entered into, the number of leases we extended, the number of leases we restructured, the number of aircraft we purchased and the number of aircraft we sold. The trends shown in the table reflect the execution of the various elements of our leasing strategy for our owned and managed portfolio, as described further below.

(1)          Average lease term of new leases and re-leases contracted during the period. The average lease term for new leases and re-leases is calculated by reference to the period between the date of contractual delivery to the date of contractual redelivery of the aircraft.

(2)          Average lease term for aircraft extensions contracted during the period. The average lease term for lease extensions is calculated by reference to the period between the date of the original expiration of the lease and the new expiration date.

(3)          Our utilization rate for aircraft is calculated based on the average number of months the aircraft are on lease each year. The utilization rate is weighted proportionate to the net book value of the aircraft at the end of the period measured.

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(1)          Average lease term of new leases and re-leases contracted during the period. The average lease term for new leases and re-leases is calculated by reference to the period between the date of contractual delivery to the date of contractual redelivery of the aircraft.

(2)          Average lease term for aircraft lease extensions contracted during the period. The average lease term for lease extensions is calculated by reference to the period between the date of the original expiration of the lease and the new expiration date.

The tables above illustrate how we have implemented our leasing strategies in response to changing trends in the aircraft leasing market. For example, in 2004 in response to changing market conditions, several airlines reduced their excess capacity by not renewing their aircraft operating leases. We were able to lessen the effects of the low number of lease extensions by identifying airlines that were increasing their capacity, including low cost carriers, and re-leasing our aircraft to those airlines. In addition, since aircraft lease rates were relatively low in 2004, we shortened the terms of our leases to position our portfolio to take advantage of an expected upturn in the aircraft leasing market which would result in higher lease rates in the future. In contrast, in 2005, as the commercial airline sector strengthened, we lengthened the terms of our owned aircraft leases to lock-in the generally higher lease rates prevailing in the market at the time. Leases of new aircraft generally have longer terms than used aircraft which are re-leased. The average lease term for new leases increased significantly in 2006 due to the fact that we contracted to lease six aircraft from our order book to one customer, each for nine years. We have experienced a lower level of lease extension activity in 2006 as we had fewer aircraft requiring remarketing because of the high number of aircraft we leased in 2005 that were scheduled to come off lease in 2006 and 2007. For our managed aircraft, the average term of the extensions decreased in the year ended December 31, 2006 mainly due to two short extensions for Fokker aircraft.

Before making any decision to lease an aircraft, we perform a review of the prospective lessee, which generally includes reviewing financial statements, business plans, cash flow projections, maintenance records, operational performance histories, hedging arrangements for fuel, foreign currency and interest rates and relevant regulatory approvals and documentation. We also typically perform on-site credit reviews for new lessees which typically includes extensive discussions with the prospective lessee’s management before we enter into a new lease. Depending on the credit quality and financial condition of the lessee, we may require the lessee to obtain guarantees or other financial support from an acceptable financial institution or other third parties.

We require our aircraft lessees to provide us with security deposits in order to protect the value of our assets. We require all of our lessees to provide a security deposit for their performance under their leases, including the return of the aircraft in the specified condition at the expiration of the lease. The size of the security deposit is typically equal to two months’ rent.

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All of our lessees are responsible for their maintenance costs during the lease term. Based on the credit quality of the lessee, we require some of our lessees to pay supplemental maintenance rent to cover scheduled major component maintenance costs. If a lessee pays the supplemental maintenance rent we reimburse them for their maintenance costs up to the amount of their supplemental maintenance rent payments. Under the terms of our leases, at lease expiration to the extent that a lessee has paid us more supplemental maintenance rent than we have reimbursed them for their maintenance costs, we retain the excess rent. As of December 31, 2006, 45 of our owned aircraft lessees provided for the payment of supplemental maintenance rent. Whether a lessee pays supplemental maintenance rent or not, we typically agree to compensate a lessee for scheduled maintenance on airframe and engines related to the prior utilization of the aircraft. For this prior utilization, we have typically received compensation from prior lessees.

In all cases, we require the lessee to reimburse us for any costs we incur if the aircraft is not in the required condition upon redelivery, and we compensate the lessee to the extent the aircraft is returned in a better condition than required upon redelivery. All of our leases contain extensive provisions regarding our remedies and rights in the event of a default by the lessee, and specific provisions regarding the required condition of the aircraft upon its redelivery.

Our lessees are also responsible for compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing the leased aircraft and all related costs. We require our lessees to comply with either the FAA, EASA or their foreign equivalent standards.

During the term of our leases, some of our lessees have experienced financial difficulties resulting in the need to restructure their leases. Generally, our restructurings have involved a number of possible changes to the lease’s terms, including the voluntary termination of leases prior to their scheduled expiration, the arrangement of subleases from the primary lessee to a sublessee, the rescheduling of lease payments and the exchange of lease payments for other consideration, including convertible bonds, warrants, shares and promissory notes. We generally seek to receive these and other marketable securities from our restructured leases, rather than deferred receivables. In some cases, we have been required to repossess a leased aircraft and in those cases, we have typically exported the aircraft from the lessee’s jurisdiction to prepare it for remarketing. In the majority of these situations, we have obtained the lessee’s cooperation and the return and export of the aircraft was completed without significant delay, generally within two months. In some situations, however, our lessees have not cooperated in returning aircraft and we have been required to take legal action. In connection with the repossession of an aircraft, we may be required to settle claims on the aircraft or to which the lessee is subject, including outstanding liens on the repossessed aircraft. Since our inception in 1995, we have repossessed 44 aircraft under defaulted leases with 19 different lessees in 14 jurisdictions.

Aircraft Portfolio and Existing Lessees

Our aircraft portfolio consists primarily of modern, technologically advanced and fuel-efficient narrowbody aircraft, with a particular concentration of Airbus A320 family. As of December 31, 2006, we owned and managed 234 aircraft. We owned 127 aircraft, managed 103 aircraft and had an additional four aircraft, which we intend to disassemble for the sale of their parts or sell at the end of their leases. Of the 234 aircraft, 202 were on operating lease, which does not include the four aircraft we intend to disassemble or sell, and 28 were off-lease (four owned and 24 managed). Of the 28 aircraft off lease, seven were subject to our regular remarketing efforts. With respect to the other 21 aircraft (all Fairchild Dornier 328s), we have been instructed by the client to market the aircraft for sale, rather than seek to re-lease them. As of December 31, 2006, we leased the 202 aircraft on operating leases to 88 commercial airline and cargo operator customers in 45 countries. The weighted average age of our 127 owned aircraft was 7.6 years as of December 31, 2006.

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The following table provides details regarding our aircraft portfolio by type of aircraft as of December 31, 2006:

 

Aircraft on Order or Subject to Letters of Intent.

We have a large number of new aircraft on order, either directly or indirectly through our consolidated joint venture, AerVenture, and have signed letters of intent for the purchase of a number of additional aircraft.

Aircraft on Order.   In 1999, we signed an aircraft purchase order with Airbus for the purchase of 32 new A320 family aircraft. As of December 31, 2006, nine aircraft remained to be delivered under the agreement. The remaining aircraft consist of three A319 aircraft, four A320 aircraft and two A321 aircraft. All of these aircraft are schedule to be delivered before the end of 2007.

In January 2006, our consolidated joint venture, AerVenture, placed an order with Airbus for the purchase of 70 new A320 family aircraft. As of December 31, 2006, all 70 of the aircraft remained to be delivered under the agreement. The AerVenture order consists of 23 A319 aircraft and 47 A320 aircraft. The initial delivery schedule for the AerVenture aircraft includes 12 aircraft to be delivered before the end of 2008 and 58 aircraft to be delivered before the end of 2010.

In December 2006, we placed an order with Airbus to acquire 20 new A330-200 widebody aircraft. The delivery schedule for the A330-200 aircraft order includes ten aircraft to be delivered in 2009 and ten aircraft to be delivered in 2010.

Aircraft Subject to Purchase Agreements or Letters of Intent.   In December, 2006, we entered into a contract to sell two Fokker 100 aircraft to an airline. These aircraft were sold in January 2007.

In addition, in November 2006, we entered into a letter of intent with Air Castle for the sale of an A330 aircraft. This aircraft was sold in February 2007.

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The table below summarizes our currently outstanding letters of intent to purchase and sell new and used aircraft. Although we expect to be able in each case to negotiate final purchase documentation with respect to our letters of intent, we may not be able to do so and therefore these purchases and sales may not in fact occur.

Letters of Intent

 

Lessees

The following table provides information regarding the percentage of lease revenue arising from leases of aircraft to the indicated lessees of our owned aircraft portfolio for the year ended December 31, 2006.

(1)          Commercial name for Delta Air Transport N.V./S.A.

(2)          No other lessee accounted for more than 2.0% of our lease revenue in 2006.

We lease our aircraft to lessees located in numerous and diverse geographical regions and have focused our leasing efforts on the fast growing Asia/Pacific market.

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The following table sets forth the percentage of our total lease revenue by country in which we lease our owned aircraft for the year ended December 31, 2006.

(1)          No other country accounted for more than 1.0% of our lease revenue in 2006.

As of December 31, 2006, leases representing approximately 44.7% of our lease revenues in 2006 were scheduled to expire before December 31, 2009. As of December 31, 2006, our 123 owned aircraft which are on lease (excluding the four aircraft that we intend to disassemble or sell at the end of their leases) had an average remaining lease period per aircraft of 31.5 months.

The following table sets forth as of December 31, 2006 the number of leases that were scheduled to expire between December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2015 as a percentage of our 2006 lease revenue.

(1)          The percentage of lease revenue reflected in the table above does not sum to 100% because it does not include lease revenue from our owned aircraft that were sold in  2006 (2.0%), lease revenue from

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our four aircraft that were off lease as of December 31, 2006 (7.2%), lease revenue from our managed aircraft that were subject to our lease-in and lease-out transactions in 2006 (5.3%) and engine lease revenue (6.7%).

(2)          On December 31, 2006, we had four aircraft off lease. We have excluded four aircraft which we intend to disassemble for the sale of their parts or otherwise sell at the end of their leases.

Aircraft Acquisitions and Dispositions

From January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2006, we purchased 56 aircraft and sold 47 aircraft, excluding our managed aircraft (57 and 69 aircraft, respectively, including our managed aircraft). In addition, we have negotiated and entered into contracts to purchase an additional 99 new aircraft, 29 directly and 70 through a joint venture, entered into a purchase contract to purchase one aircraft and have executed letters of intent to purchase an additional ten aircraft. By selling our subordinated interests in securitization vehicles at two different occasions in past years, we also disposed of two large portfolios of aircraft totaling 272 aircraft. We have a portfolio management team of 20 professionals who are dedicated to sourcing, analyzing and executing aircraft and engine acquisition and disposition opportunities.

Due to the AeroTurbine Acquisition and our large order book of aircraft, we believe that we are well positioned to take advantage of trading opportunities and expand our aircraft portfolio. We believe that our global network of strong relationships with airlines, aircraft manufacturers, MRO service providers and commercial and financial institutions gives us a competitive advantage in sourcing and executing transactions.

We purchase new and used aircraft directly from aircraft manufacturers, airlines, financial investors, other aircraft leasing and finance companies. The aircraft we purchase are both on-lease and off-lease, depending on market conditions and the composition of our portfolio. We believe there are additional opportunities to purchase aircraft at attractive prices from other investors in aircraft assets who lack the infrastructure to manage their aircraft throughout their lifecycle. The buyers of our aircraft include airlines, investors and other aircraft leasing companies. We primarily acquire aircraft at attractive prices in two ways: by purchasing large quantities of aircraft directly from manufacturers to take advantage of volume discounts, and by purchasing portfolios consisting of aircraft of varying types and ages. In addition, we also opportunistically purchase individual aircraft that we believe are being sold at attractive prices, or that we expect will increase in demand and or residual value. Through our airline marketing team, which is in frequent contact with airlines worldwide, we are also able to identify attractive acquisition and disposition opportunities. We sell our aircraft when we believe the market price for the type of aircraft has reached its peak, or to rebalance the composition of our portfolio to meet changing customer demands.

Our dedicated, full-time portfolio management group consists of marketing, financial, engineering, technical and credit professionals. Prior to a purchase, this group analyzes the aircraft’s price, fit in our portfolio, specification/configuration, maintenance history and condition, the existing lease terms, financial condition and credit worthiness of the existing lessee, the jurisdiction of the lessee, industry trends, financing arrangements and the aircraft’s redeployment potential and values, among other factors.

Our revolving credit facilities are designed to allow us to rapidly execute our trading strategies by providing us with large-scale committed funding to acquire new and used aircraft, engines and parts. As of December 31, 2006, we had $735.4 million of committed undrawn credit facilities that allow us to purchase aircraft of up to 15 years of age and $154.3 million of committed undrawn credit facilities that allow us to purchase a broad variety of aircraft engine and part types of any age. In addition, we have $386.0 million of undrawn amounts under a borrowing facility with commercial banks, which is guaranteed by European export credit agencies.

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Joint Ventures

We expect to conduct an increasing portion of our business in the future through joint ventures. Entering into joint venture arrangements allows us to:

·       order new aircraft and engines in larger quantities to increase our buying power and economic leverage;

·       increase the diversity of our portfolio;

·       obtain stable servicing revenues; and

·       diversify our exposure to the economic risks related to aircraft and engine purchases.

AerVenture.   In December 2005, we established AerVenture. In January 2006, LoadAir, an investment and construction company based in Kuwait City, purchased a 50% equity interest in AerVenture. We have invested $25.0 million in AerVenture and LoadAir has invested $25.0 million in AerVenture. We have each agreed to make additional equity contributions of up to $90.0 million. We consolidate AerVenture’s financial results in our financial statements. We have developed AerVenture as a joint venture because this structure allows us to leverage our buying power to achieve more favorable aircraft acquisition terms. We have entered into exclusive agreements to provide management and marketing services to AerVenture in return for aircraft management fees and specified incentive fees which are tied to the profitability of AerVenture. Payments under these agreements will not provide any additional revenues as a result of consolidation. These agreements may be terminated by AerVenture in 2014.

In January 2006, AerVenture placed an order with Airbus for up to 70 new A320 family aircraft which will be delivered between 2007 and 2010. AerVenture closed a credit facility for a total amount of $119.0 million that will finance the pre-delivery payments on the first 30 aircraft to be delivered. Upon delivery of the aircraft, AerVenture will be required to arrange financing to cover the entire purchase price, including refinancing the predelivery payments, which is not covered by the joint venture’s equity contributions. The initial delivery schedule includes 12 aircraft to be delivered before the end of 2008 and 58 aircraft to be delivered before the end of 2010.

AerDragon.   In May 2006, we signed a joint venture agreement with China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Group Corporation and affiliates of Calyon establishing AerDragon. AerDragon consists of two companies, Dragon Aviation Leasing Company limited, based in Beijing with a registered capital of $10.0 million and AerDragon Aviation Partners Limited, based in Ireland with a registered capital of $50.0 million. AerDragon is 50% owned by China Aviation and 25% owned by each of us and Calyon. Following receipt of the local Chinese approvals required for it to begin operations, AerDragon commenced operations in October 2006. We will act as the exclusive aircraft manager for the joint venture. This contract may be terminated upon the earlier to occur of either July 1, 2009, or the occurrence of specified events, such as AerDragon developing the expertise to manage its own aircraft. In the future, one of the main sources of aircraft for AerDragon is likely to be the acquisition of aircraft through sale leaseback transactions with Chinese airlines. This joint venture enhances our presence in the increasingly important China market and will enhance our ability to lease our aircraft and engines throughout the entire Asia/Pacific region. As of December 31, 2006, we do not consolidate AerDragon’s financial results in our financial statements. AerDragon acquired its first aircraft, an Airbus A320 aircraft in February 2007. This aircraft was acquired directly from Airbus through an assignment of our purchase right under our 1999 agreement with Airbus.

Annabel and Bella.   In 2005, we signed a joint venture agreement with Deucalion Capital Limited to form the Annabel joint venture in which we hold a 25% equity interest. Annabel purchased a used A340 aircraft in 2005. The aircraft is on lease to Sri Lanka Airlines through 2008. In 2006, we signed a

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joint venture agreement with Deucalion to form the Bella joint venture in which we hold a 50% equity interest. Bella purchased two used Airbus A330-322 aircraft in April 2006, one of which is on lease through 2009 and one of which is being remarketed. We receive fee income for providing aircraft management services to both Annabel and Bella. We do not consolidate Annabel’s financial results in our financial statements but consolidate Bella’s financial results in our financial statements. We do not expect these joint ventures to acquire any more aircraft.

Relationship with Airbus

We have a close and longstanding mutually advantageous relationship with Airbus. Our relationship dates back to our formation, when DaimlerChrysler AG (formerly known as Daimler-Benz AG), a principal shareholder of European Aeronautic Defense & Space Company—EADS N.V., an 80% shareholder of Airbus, was one of our founding shareholders. In the last 10 years, we, directly or through our joint ventures, have contracted to purchase over 100 new commercial jet aircraft from Airbus and 24 used aircraft from Airbus. We maintain a wide-ranging dialogue with Airbus seeking mutually beneficial opportunities such as taking delivery of new aircraft on short notice and purchasing used aircraft from airlines seeking to renew their fleet with Airbus aircraft.

Aircraft Services

We are one of the aircraft industry’s leading providers of aircraft asset management and corporate services to securitization vehicles, joint ventures and other third parties. As of December 31, 2006, we had aircraft management and administration service contracts with 14  parties covering over 350 aircraft (including the 70 aircraft on order by AerVenture), two of which accounted for 75% of our aircraft services revenue in 2006. We categorize our aircraft services into aircraft asset management, administrative services and cash management services. Since we have an established operating system to provide these services to manage our own aircraft assets, the incremental cost of providing aircraft management services to securitization vehicles, joint ventures and third parties is limited. Our primary aircraft asset management activities are:

·       remarketing aircraft;

·       collecting rental and maintenance payments, monitoring aircraft maintenance, monitoring and enforcing contract compliance and accepting delivery and redelivery of aircraft;

·       conducting ongoing lessee financial performance reviews;

·       periodically inspecting the leased aircraft;

·       coordinating technical modifications to aircraft to meet new lessee requirements;

·       conducting restructurings negotiations in connection with lease defaults;

·       repossessing aircraft;

·       arranging and monitoring insurance coverage;

·       registering and de-registering aircraft;

·       arranging for aircraft and aircraft engine valuations; and

·       providing market research.

We charge fees for our aircraft management services based primarily on a mixture of fixed retainer amounts, but we also receive performance-based fees related to the managed aircrafts’ lease revenue or sale proceeds, or specific upside sharing arrangements.

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We provide cash management and administrative services to securitization vehicles and joint ventures. As of December 31, 2006, we had four cash management agreements with clients holding an aggregate of 270 aircraft in their portfolios and five administrative agency agreements with clients holding an aggregate of 312 aircraft in their portfolios. Cash management services consist of treasury services such as the financing, refinancing, hedging and on going cash management of these vehicles. Our administrative services consist primarily of accounting and secretarial services, including the preparation of budgets and financial statements, and liaising with, in the case of securitization vehicles, the rating agencies.

Engine and Parts

Overview

On April 26, 2006, we acquired all of the share capital of AeroTurbine. AeroTurbine was established in 1997 and is engaged in engine trading and leasing and the disassembly of airframes and engines for the sale of their component parts to the global aviation industry. We acquired AeroTurbine to:

·       implement our strategy of profitably managing aircraft throughout their lifecycle,

·       diversify our investments in aviation assets,

·       obtain a more significant presence in the market for older aircraft equipment and

·       take advantage of its broad customer base.

To facilitate the integration of AeroTurbine, we have entered into three year employment contracts with key members of its senior management. In addition, our indirect shareholders granted key members of AeroTurbine’s senior management indirect equity interests in us, so that they share a vested interest in achieving the successful integration of our aircraft business with AeroTurbine’s engine and parts business.

Engine Acquisitions and Dispositions

Engine sales and purchases is a core part of our engine and parts business. We believe that our market insight and recurring customer relationships have been the key factors underlying our success in this business. In addition, we opportunistically acquire engines that require maintenance work and refurbish those engines in our MRO operations. By pursuing these acquisition strategies, we believe we have been able to acquire our engines at attractive prices.

We purchase engines for which there is high market demand or for which we believe demand will increase in the future. We opportunistically sell and exchange engines when we believe that the realizable value from a sale or exchange will equal or exceed the realizable value that we would expect to receive from leasing or disassembling the engine for the sale of its parts.

In determining whether to purchase or sell an engine, we assess the value of each engine according to a number of factors, including its hardware composition, airworthiness directive compliance and service bulletin status, life-limited parts thresholds, historical maintenance documentation, performance data and material certifications.

Our extensive experience buying, selling, leasing, repairing and disassembling engines for their parts has provided us with in-depth trading and management expertise across the most popular commercial product lines manufactured by General Electric, CFM International, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and International Aero Engines. We conduct extensive technical and maintenance records due diligence before we purchase each engine. Our experienced team of dedicated acquisition and maintenance professionals is composed of 75 licensed aircraft and engine mechanics and 11 aircraft maintenance record specialists who track and document the maintenance history of each engine that is to be acquired. We are frequently able to correct or reconstruct engine maintenance records, which can lower the maintenance and acquisition

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cost of our engines and aircraft. Since commencing operations in 1997, AeroTurbine has sold over 300 engines, generating revenues in excess of $250 million.

We typically finance the purchase of engines with borrowed funds and internally generated cash flows. We have a $220.0 million committed revolving facility which we can use to fund acquisitions of aircraft, engines and aircraft parts. We believe that we are able to react more rapidly to engine acquisition opportunities than most of our competitors because we have substantial committed financing and can often identify, conduct due diligence and close on prospective acquisitions in less than one week. As of December 31, 2006, we had $154.3 million of funds available under our revolving facility.

Engine Portfolio

We maintain a diverse inventory of high-demand, modern and fuel-efficient engines. As of December 31, 2006, we owned 51 engines and had 6 new engines on order through AerVenture. Our engine portfolio consists primarily of CFM56 series engines, one of the most widely used engines in the commercial aviation market. As of December 31, 2006, 42 of our 51 engines were CFM56 series engines manufactured by CFM International. In August 2006, AerVenture entered into a contract with CFM International to acquire four new spare CFM 56-5B and two new spare CFM 56-7B engines. These engines are scheduled to be delivered over the next 24 months and will be either leased or sold.

We expect to expand and further diversify our engine portfolio in the future through engine acquisitions and aircraft disassemblies. As our aircraft portfolio ages, and specific aircraft become suitable for disassembly, we intend to disassemble such aircraft and remove high demand engines for addition to our engine portfolio, while the remaining airframes and engines will be disassembled for sale of their component parts.

We have the ability to perform limited MRO services on CFM56 series engines, which comprise most of the engines in our engine portfolio. As we obtain sufficient numbers of other engine models, we intend to further develop additional in-house MRO capabilities to achieve greater cost advantages.

Airframe and Engine Disassembly and Parts Sales

Over time, the combined value of a typical aircraft’s parts will eventually exceed the value of the aircraft as a whole operating asset, at which time the aircraft may be retired from service. Traditional aircraft lessors and airlines often retire their aircraft by selling or consigning them to companies that specialize in aircraft and engine disassembly. The AeroTurbine Acquisition has allowed us to incorporate this valuable revenue source into our integrated business model, which is focused on managing aircraft and engines throughout their lifecycle.

We sell airframe parts primarily to aircraft parts distributors and MRO service providers. Airframe parts comprise a broad range of aircraft sub-component groups, including avionics, hydraulics and pneumatic systems, auxiliary power units, landing gear, interiors, flight control surfaces, windows and panels. We have disassembled 62 aircraft for the sale of their parts and we believe that we were among the first to voluntarily and strategically disassemble Boeing 737-300 and Airbus A320 family aircraft. Our aircraft disassembly operations are focused on the strategic acquisition of aircraft with engines that are among the most sought after in the secondary market.

We are focused on developing long-term supply relationships with clients that perform MRO services on aircraft and engines. Parts sales allow us to increase the value of our aircraft and engine assets by putting each sub-component (engines, airframes and related parts) to its most profitable use (sale, lease, and/or disassembly for parts sales). In addition, this capability provides us with an additional cost advantage over our non-integrated competitors by providing us with a critical source of low cost replacement engines and parts to support the maintenance of our aircraft and engine portfolios.

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