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Navigating successful exits in investments is a strategic endeavour that requires planning, and adaptability to market conditions. This is the case across industries, including the aviation space. As market conditions and investment landscapes evolve, firms and asset owners in this space are increasingly exploring alternative exit strategies to maximise returns and mitigate risks.

Traditional Exit

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The High Court has provided a judgment affirming that a hedge fund which acquired positions in certain tax lease structures is entitled to its claim against Vietnamese airline, Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company (“VietJet”), although the exact substance of that relief has yet to be determined.
Continue Reading Distressed JOLCOs: lessons learnt from recent High Court case

Where some countries have, and successfully at that, positioned themselves as aviation finance hubs by setting a lower corporate tax rate, others, like France, take advantage of their higher taxation environment to offer a very competitive and advantageous financing product, the tax lease. Tax leases in France are used on a variety of assets, including…

The successful issuance last year by Ashland Place Finance of ASHLAND 2023-1, the aviation loan asset backed securitization (ABS), together with the engine ABS, WEST VII, issued by Willis gave glimmers of hope to aircraft lease ABS market participants. This year’s BJETS 2024-1 by Global Jet Capital marks a further significant development for the aviation…

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has finalized its rule requiring U.S. and foreign air carriers to refund costs associated with tickets and ancillary service fees under certain circumstances related to airline delays and cancellations. This rule stems from and responds to President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, issued on…

Aviation infrastructure opportunities are rising due to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market growth. In September 2023, the FAA conditionally approved the first US public-use vertiport. Dubai’s leaders endorsed a vertiport design in February, aiming for a city-wide vertiport network by 2026. Yet, AAM infrastructure lags behind aircraft manufacturing due to development constraints, offering room for growth.
Continue Reading Aviation infrastructure for new technologies

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

In 2021, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced its goal for the global aviation industry to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. The International Civil Aviation Organisation reinforced the commitment to this target at the most recent UN Climate Change Conference. While there are a number of ways to drive aircraft decarbonisation, in recent years, there has been an increased focus on sustainable fuel to power flight.Continue Reading The Take-Off of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The European Union, through its aviation safety authority (EASA) has taken steps to address the future VTOL traffic management challenge with the development of an unmanned traffic management system, called the “U-Space.”…
Continue Reading EASA’s U-Space: The future of air traffic management for drones and VTOL

Julia has recently joined our Transportation team here at Reed Smith, having previously been an attorney and policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Transportation and developing strategy and policy with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (‘US Regulator’) – including in relation to emerging transportation and advanced air mobility (‘AAM’).

The regulatory framework being built to facilitate AAM around the world can seem intimidating, and is changing with a speed and agility that those working in more established modes of transport may not expect. Julia shares some helpful thoughts on this, and we will be sharing more detailed insights soon – so watch this space!Continue Reading We have questions: Julia Norsetter, Policy and Analysis Lead at Reed Smith

Chris leads the Emerging Technology Unit at Global Aerospace, which provides insurance for aviation and aerospace assets with a particular focus on innovation and keeping pace with new technology.

Insurance is a key piece of the puzzle in asset finance, and will be especially important for an entirely new class of assets and supporting infrastructure with their own unique features and risks for owners, operators, passengers, lessors and financiers to understand and accept. Chris very kindly spent some time discussing these risks with us, and provided his thoughts on a few key questions.Continue Reading We have questions: Chris Proudlove, SVP and Underwriting Executive at Global Aerospace

mba Aviation provides a range of specialist aviation support services, from portfolio management software solutions to technical support to investor due diligence to airport revenue enhancement and beyond.

The team is now looking to the future of aviation, and the opportunities and challenges that advanced air mobility (‘AAM’) will generate. mba recently organised the Alternative Lift Exchange: Financing Future Technologies event alongside the Airline Economics conference in New York, providing a specialised forum for those working in and preparing for AAM to gather and share their experience.

We had questions about how and why mba is contributing to the momentum of AAM, and David kindly agreed to answer them.Continue Reading We have questions: David Tokoph, President and CEO of mba Aviation

As Executive Editor of eVTOL Insights, Jason has a unique perspective on the state of the advanced air mobility space, and helps to connect industry players by gathering and sharing news and views from across this dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape.  

For the eVTOL Insights podcast, Jason interviews people working in a range of aspects of advanced air mobility, including everyone from founders and CEOs to engineers and software developers, marketers and certification experts, lawyers and battery designers, and beyond. Given his broad knowledge of this detailed and complex industry network, I thought we might turn the tables and interview Jason – and he kindly agreed.Continue Reading We have questions: Jason Pritchard, Executive Editor of eVTOLInsights.com

Hail a black cab on a busy London street, and you can assume that the driver will follow the ‘rules of the road’ to your destination. However, what can a commuter expect when taxis begin to take flight?

With Airbus, Boeing and even Uber, amongst others, developing and investing in electric take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the concept of flying taxis is quickly becoming a reality rather than a concept relegated to Sci-Fi. Test flights are currently being conducted on eVTOL aircraft, and while estimations for their commercial roll-out vary, it is likely we will see flying taxis in the next few years. One market research company has estimated that 430,000 air taxis will be in operation by 2040. As such, ‘rules of the air’ are in order for the safe operation of air taxis.Continue Reading ‘Rules of the Air’: EASA Publishes World’s First Air Taxi Rules