Lobo Leasing announced it closed the first of a two-part lease agreement with expeditionary airlift services provider AAR Airlift Group, a division of global aerospace and defense company AAR. Collaborating with UK-based partner H-LEASE, Lobo worked closely with AAR to develop a customised fleet planning solution to serve two purposes for the company: first, creating near-term liquidity and flexibility for AAR with sale/leaseback of two Sikorsky S-92As; second, by providing an attractive long-term lease of two new AgustaWestland AW189 super-mediums for AAR’s 10-year SAR contract in the Falkland Islands for the UK Ministry of Defence starting in 2016.
This transaction marks Lobo’s first ownership of the AW189 and deepens their fleet of the strong performing S-92 heavy helicopters. The agreement also expands Lobo’s diversification into the search and rescue (SAR) and government services sectors.
“We combined the economics and characteristics of these two different aircraft and business opportunity profiles to provide a creative and customized fleet-planning solution for AAR – a world-class provider of aviation services to commercial airlines, government agencies and original equipment manufacturers,” said Lobo’s chief executive officer, William Wolf. “Additionally, it was great to work on the transaction with our partner, Tim Blockley of H-LEASE, who sourced the opportunity and contributed to the design and structuring of this complex transaction.”