Month: February 2024

VAI Heli-Expo, Anaheim – 28^th February, 2024: LCI, a leading aviation company, has unveiled a new Flight Path partnership with Airbus Helicopters, which will address the long-term capacity, sustainability and financing requirements of the industry.   

Airbus predicts demand for over 16,000 new helicopters by 2041, with a combined value approaching $130 billion. The new partnership will see LCI and Airbus Helicopters leveraging their combined knowledge, experience and analytical capabilities to identify the infrastructure and financial innovations that will address this demand.

Flight Path builds upon a 20-year relationship between the companies, which most recently culminated in a collaboration agreement to develop advanced air mobility ecosystems around the CityAirbus Next Gen programme. Going forward, it will also include investment in further helicopter units, types and technologies, with a growing emphasis around sustainability.  

The first phase of Flight Path will see the committed delivery of at least seven latest generation Airbus helicopters to LCI by 2025.   

LCI has ordered five new Airbus H145 helicopters, all of which are being placed in its joint venture (JV) with Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL). The first two aircraft are being delivered by the end of March 2024 and will be operated in Oceania.   

In addition, LCI will deliver two H175 helicopters by the end of March 2024. The aircraft will be operated in South America. 

Jaspal Jandu, CEO of LCI, says: “This strategic partnership between LCI and Airbus signals our collective commitment to deliver long-term, sustainable capacity solutions to the market. The combination of Airbus’ long-standing expertise in business development, forecasting and planning, with LCI’s track record in leasing, investing and financial innovation, will enable us to sustainably address the multibillion dollar requirements of the market.” 

LCI’s fleet currently includes over 45 Airbus helicopters. They are deployed by 14 operators in over 10 countries across the globe on a range of missions including emergency medical services, search and rescue and offshore wind. 

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, says: “LCI and Airbus have worked together in close cooperation for almost two decades, culminating most recently in the delivery commitments for seven next generation helicopters. This new partnership is a natural elevation of this relationship and one that reflects our shared capabilities. Together with our partners, Airbus Helicopters is committed to delivering sustainable growth and innovation to its customers as they undertake their mission-critical work.” 

The new partnership aligns with LCI’s long-term commitment to sustainable growth. LCI is a signatory of Aircraft Leasing Ireland’s (ALI) Sustainability Charter, with a commitment to driving forward and achieving responsibility goals, centred around 10 priority sustainability principles, including a commitment to achieving net zero by 2050. 

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About LCI 

LCI is a leading aviation company that is uniquely positioned across the commercial fixed-wing, helicopter and advanced air mobility sectors. Since its inception in 2004, LCI has undertaken approximately US$10 billion of aviation transactions and provides leasing services to operators, Governments and end-users.  

LCI is owned by Libra Group (www.libra.com), a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL) (www.smfl.co.jp). For more information, visit www.lciaviation.com 

For more information, please contact:  

Charlie Hampton / Simon Wheale  

LCI 

Tel: +44 (0)7884 187297  

E-Mail: lci@pembrokeandrye.com  

HAI Heli-Expo, Anaheim – 27^th February, 2024: LCI, a leading aviation company, and Airbus have announced a collaboration agreement to ​jointly develop ecosystems for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). 

The collaboration will focus on the development of partnership scenarios and business models in three core AAM areas: strategy, commercialisation and financing.  

Both partners will collectively develop AAM market perspectives and forecasts, conduct industry research, and harness data analytics to understand new applications and missions. They will support the development of new AAM ​solutions​, evaluate new commercial structures in areas including fleet, battery and charging network solutions​.​​ 

As part of the collaboration, LCI will become a key financial partner for ​Airbus’ Advanced Air Mobility projects​ around certain mission types such as emergency medical services and will leverage its network to aid global take up and acceptance. It will also explore innovative leasing and finance solutions for potential​ customers for CityAirbus NextGen​. 

Jaspal Jandu, CEO of LCI, says: “We are delighted to be forging this new partnership with Airbus. For two decades, LCI and Airbus have delivered capacity and financing solutions to airlines and operators across the globe, and we are now extending that to advanced air mobility.” 

“Transportation and logistical networks have a duty to be efficient, sustainable, and scalable. Both LCI and Airbus take a holistic and pragmatic view of advanced air mobility, including vehicles and also infrastructure, financing, and network adoption. By combining our respective strengths, we will incubate and accelerate an entirely new generation of aviation.” 

Balkiz Sarihan, CEO and Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus, says: “We are excited to extend our long-standing relationship with LCI, an innovative lessor that is globally unique in its positioning across the commercial fixed wing, helicopter and advanced air mobility sectors.” 

​​“LCI’s combination of operational expertise, customer networks, and financial insights, complements Airbus’ technical innovation in flight technologies, and will enable us to collectively drive the development of advanced air mobility. Together, we will take concrete steps towards the co-creation of next generation ​AAM​ ecosystems and our decarbonisation roadmap.”​​ 

Airbus finalised the assembly of its CityAirbus NextGen and powered on the vehicle at the end of 2023. In the next phase, the company will commence the vehicle’s test campaign, during which it will make use of its dedicated new AAM testhouse in Donauwörth, Germany. Airbus is also expanding its global network and partnerships to create a unique ecosystem that will foster a successful and viable AAM market. 

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About LCI 

LCI is a leading aviation company that is uniquely positioned across the commercial fixed-wing, helicopter and advanced air mobility sectors. Since its inception in 2004, LCI has undertaken approximately US$10 billion of aviation transactions and provides leasing services to operators, Governments and end-users.  

LCI is a signatory of Aircraft Leasing Ireland’s (ALI) Sustainability Charter committing to Net Zero by 2050. 

LCI is owned by Libra Group (www.libra.com), a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL) (www.smfl.co.jp). For more information, visit www.lciaviation.com 

For more information, please contact:  

For LCI 

Charlie Hampton 

LCI 

Tel: +44 (0)7884 187297  

E-Mail: lci@pembrokeandrye.com  

22^nd February 2024:  LCI, a leading aviation company, has announced a framework agreement for up to 21 of the latest generation helicopters from Leonardo, comprising of 10 firm plus 11 options. 

The innovative new framework agreement covers the latest generation light-intermediate AW169, intermediate AW139 and super-medium AW189 helicopters, which will collectively address industry renewal and replacement requirements. 

The new helicopters will be delivered through to 2028 and will be aimed at a variety of missions including Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Search and Rescue (SAR), offshore energy, including wind.  The helicopters will be strategically allocated between LCI and SMFL LCI Helicopters, LCI’s joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL). 

They will offer superior performance, flexibility, and lower CO₂ emissions than comparable types and other transportation modes, thereby helping operators to reduce their carbon footprint whilst maintaining mission-critical and life-saving operations.  

In addition, they will be equipped with the latest suite of navigational and safety features and will also be cleared to use Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) in the future, leveraging the certification standards already obtained by Leonardo for SAF use. 

Jaspal Jandu, CEO of LCI, says: “We are extremely pleased to extend our deep and long-standing relationship with Leonardo.  The helicopter market is seeking to review, renew and replenish capacity in a disciplined and pragmatic way. We want to help customers, operators and end-users to grow sustainably whilst using some of the most modern, efficient and technologically innovative helicopters in the skies.” 

These commitments build upon LCI’s decade long partnership with Leonardo during which it has already taken delivery of over 50 helicopters making it one of the manufacturer’s largest customers for new equipment. 

Stefano Villanti, SVP Marketing and Sales of Leonardo Helicopters, said: “We are delighted to strengthen our long-standing partnership with LCI as they continue to rely upon our technology to meet multiple requirements in the market. This will bring greater efficiency to LCI’s customers and help them reduce their environmental impact whilst offering significant performance enhancements.” 

LCI’s fleet currently includes 77 Leonardo helicopters in operation in 20 countries across the globe. Many are deployed on mission critical and socially responsible sectors such as EMS, SAR and offshore wind energy. 

The new helicopters align with LCI’s long-term commitment to sustainable growth.  LCI is a signatory of Aircraft Leasing Ireland’s (ALI) Sustainability Charter, with a commitment to driving forward and achieving responsibility goals, centred around 10 priority sustainability principles, including a commitment to achieving net zero by 2050. 

– Ends – 

About LCI 

LCI is a leading aviation company that is uniquely positioned across the commercial fixed-wing, helicopter and advanced air mobility sectors. Since its inception in 2004, LCI has undertaken approximately US$10 billion of aviation transactions and provides leasing services to operators, Governments and end-users.  

LCI is owned by Libra Group (www.libra.com), a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL) (www.smfl.co.jp). For more information, visit www.lciaviation.com 

For more information, please contact:  

Charlie Hampton / Simon Wheale  

LCI 

Tel: +44 (0)7884 187297  

E-Mail: lci@pembrokeandrye.com  

– Industry recognition for LCI and SMFL’s innovative framework which taps into US$1.6 trillion sustainable finance market –

1^st February, 2024: LCI, a leading aviation company, and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company Limited (SMFL), have received the prestigious Airline Economics ‘Editor’s Deal of the Year for Innovation Award’ for their pioneering Social Loan Framework.

The award was received by LCI and SMFL at the 2024 Aviation 100 Awards, as part of the Airline Economics’ Annual Conference in Dublin.

It recognises the Social Loan Framework agreement, that was launched by LCI and SMFL in 2023, as a vital financial innovation that is bringing the first ever social loans to the helicopter leasing sector.

The Framework, which established in accordance with the internationally agreed Social Loan Principles developed in 2023 by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association (LSTA)(1), and holds the highest rating of “Social 1(F)” from the Japan Credit Rating Agency.

It requires funds to be used for eligible and verified Social Projects, which in LCI’s case will include search and rescue and emergency medical services.

Alan O’Rourke, CFO of LCI, said: “We are honoured to have received this prestigious award, and are delighted that the innovation and social impact we are bringing to the helicopter market is being recognised. This will help grow the use of sustainable finance in this very dynamic sector, and we look forward to driving forward the use of social loans with our partners across the banking sector.”

The Framework is an integral part of LCI’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) programme, and reflects SMFL’s long term commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as part of the company policy ‘The SMFL Way’.

LCI is also a signatory of Aircraft Leasing Ireland’s (ALI) Sustainability Charter, with a commitment to driving forward and achieving ESG related goals, centred around 10 priority sustainability principles, including a commitment to achieving net zero by 2050.

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Notes to Editors:

(1) Social Loan Principles (SLP), Loan Syndications and Trading Association

About LCI:

LCI is a leading aviation company that is uniquely positioned across the commercial fixed-wing, helicopter and advanced air mobility sectors. Since its inception in 2004, LCI has undertaken approximately US$10 billion of aviation transactions and provides leasing services to operators, Governments and end-users.

LCI is owned by Libra Group (www.libra.com), a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries and who also own Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL) (www.smfl.co.jp). For more information, visit www.lciaviation.com

For more information, please contact: 

Charlie Hampton / Simon Wheale

LCI

Tel: +44 (0)7884 187297 

E-Mail: lci@pembrokeandrye.com