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From time-to-time, transactions or scenarios occur that require consideration of whether an operating lease or a finance lease is the best way forward for parties involved. Whilst their structures are similar, there continue to be key differences in how operating and finance leases are structured and function.
Continue Reading Operating lease and finance lease – the key differences

We wrote earlier this year about vertiports as an asset class, and a perceived potential lag in the development of these assets compared to that of the eVTOL aircraft that vertiports are designed to support (you can read that piece here).

This now seems to be changing, and there has been a real sense of momentum building in this space over the last few months – so much so that it can be difficult to keep up, which is why we set out here a few of the key developments shaping vertiports and eVTOL support infrastructure to be aware of.Continue Reading Vertiports 2022: The story so far

The Reed Smith Aviation team were out in force for FIA 2018. It’s always nice to be able to catch up with clients and old industry friends from across the globe on our own doorstep – and even better when it’s in the middle of a heatwave!

New orders

Boeing’s executives are likely to be flying back to Seattle feeling very pleased with the week’s work, having secured/announced $79 billion in orders during the show. Vietjet signed an MoU for an additional 100 Boeing 737 Max aircraft and Hawaiian Airlines also confirmed its order for 10 787-9s, while also confirming purchase rights for an additional 10 aircraft. Overall Airbus announced 93 firm orders and commitments for 338 aircraft, including a commitment from JetBlue for 120 of its new A220 aircraft and a confirmation from AirAsia X for 34 A330neos. Embraer had a much more successful show than last year, securing/announcing 265 orders for variants of its EJets.

There was plenty of lessor activity to note across the week with Goshawk Aviation (20 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft) making its first direct order from Boeing and Jackson Square Aviation (30 Max-family aircraft) making its first direct purchase from any OEM. Macquarie AirFinance ordered 20 A320neos and ACG ordered a further 20 Boeing 737 Max, taking its current order to 100.
Continue Reading Farnborough International Airshow 2018: Notes from the runway