AIRCRAFT FINANCE

AIRCRAFT FINANCE

Getting the deal off the ground

Our global team has deep industry knowledge and a strong track-record of handling complex and high profile aviation transactions. 

There are more than 45 specialist lawyers working together on aircraft transactions across our international network, with core teams in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong. 

We work as one global team to achieve your objectives, and we work closely with our corporate, tax, derivatives, insolvency, litigation and regulatory practices to offer full-service capabilities to the sector.  Our team is united by a genuine passion and enthusiasm for the aviation industry. 

Our wider Aerospace team advises on all types of technical and commercial agreements in the sector, including aero-engine procurement, Rolls-Royce OPERAs, MRO GTAs and PBH.  We draw on their technical expertise when negotiating transaction documentation, helping identify the valuable points and getting you the best commercial deal available. 

We work with financial institutions, equity investors, arrangers, leasing companies and airlines on a broad range of transaction types. This gives an insight into the threshold requirements of all transaction parties, helping us close your deals efficiently and on market terms. 

We have one of the world's leading technology practices and use technology to streamline transaction management, including shared online spaces, virtual closing rooms, document automation and dedicated client portals via twoBirds Client Solutions. We believe we are ideally placed to help you with the next technology-driven step change in your industry. 

We are familiar with all transaction types in the sector

  • Commercial debt financing
  • Warehouse financing
  • Operating leases 
  • Export credit agency (ECA) supported financing
  • Operating lease financing, on a limited or full recourse basis
  • Structured finance products, including establishing debt and equity funding platforms
  • Tax leasing, including JOLCO/JOL, French and Swedish leases
  • Portfolio transfer and financing
  • Pre-delivery payment (PDP) financing  
  • Asset-backed capital markets products
  • Islamic financing
  • Joint venture programmes
  • Secondary debt trading, including loan portfolio acquisitions, disposals and restructurings
  • Remarketing and asset management
  • Restructurings and work-outs

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Latest insights

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Aeroplane on tarmac

EU sanctions update for the aviation sector: No re-export to Russia clause

Mar 13 2024

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Aeroplane on tarmac

Countdown to Zero: A race against time to meet decarbonisation targets in the aviation sector

Dec 11 2023

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Curiosity Line - Lime

The long-awaited proposal for a Green Claims Directive has been published

Apr 19 2023

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Accolades

"They are very commercial in their approach; they get down to the real issues. Very results-driven."

Chambers UK 2014 – Asset finance

- Ranked 1st on operating leases globally (number of transactions)- Ranked 2nd in Asia Pacific for aircraft finance (number of transactions) - Ranked 6th globally for aviation finance (number of transactions)

Airfinance Journal 2018 Lawyers' Guide

- Ranked 4th on operating leases globally (number of transactions)- Ranked 4th in Asia Pacific for aircraft finance (number of transactions) - Ranked 6th globally for aviation finance (number of transactions)

Airfinance Journal 2019 Lawyers’ Guide

"The ‘brilliant’ Brett Hailey recently joined from Dentons"

Legal 500 UK 2012 - Aviation

‘They are easy to work with and able to balance giving good advice with commercial sense.’

Chambers Asia Pacific, 2020

‘They are very supportive, client-oriented and have good knowledge of the aviation market.’

Chambers UK, 2018

‘Bird & Bird is one of the very few aviation law firms that provides a deep product suite at a very competitive price.’

Chambers UK, 2019

‘The team is very responsive, approachable and knowledgeable.’

Chambers UK, 2020

‘The working relationship is excellent. The team are very prompt in their responses, clear in their communication, and comfortably meet deadlines without a last-minute scramble. They are commercially focused and offer solutions rather than trying to win unreasonable positions.’

Legal 500, 2021

‘Bird & Bird ATMD LLP’s ‘knowledgeable and responsive’ team assists aviation clients with a wide variety of corporate transactions including acquisitions, financing and novations.’

Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2018

News & Deals

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Applications are now open for the second cohort of the European Blockchain Sandbox

Jan 25 2024

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Bird & Bird advises Transavia France on first delivery of Airbus A320 neo, marking transition from Boeing

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Bird & Bird appoints aviation finance expert Laurence Hanley as partner in Paris

Mar 09 2023

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Bird & Bird obtains a top position in Denmark by deal count

Jan 16 2023

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Bird & Bird's Aircraft Finance team again places highly in influential Airfinance Journal Legal Survey 2020

Jul 26 2020

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Aircraft leasing expert Aubrey Tao joins Bird & Bird’s Aviation team in Shanghai

Mar 17 2020

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