REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Eiko L. Grieger
Acting for Lessors
Involved in providing advice to JP Lease Products & Services Co., Ltd. (“JP Lease”) and Stratos Aircraft Management (“Stratos”) on a first-of-its-kind “JOL AIR 2019-1” aircraft lease asset-backed security (ABS) transaction in which JP Lease acquired 15 aircraft with an aggregate value of US$683.2 million from GE Capital Aviation Services and Pembroke Capital Aircraft, among others, involving 11 lessees in 10 countries across three continents.
Involved in providing advice to Tokyo Century Corporation (formerly Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation) (“TC”) with its acquisition of 20% US-based aircraft leasing company Aviation Capital Group (“ACG”). Prior to the 20% acquisition by TC, ACG was a 100% subsidiary of Pacific Life Insurance. ACG’s current portfolio is around 270 aircraft (mostly narrow-body planes) with plans to increase this to a portfolio of around 440. This deal was awarded ‘Equity Deal of the Year Award’ by Airline Economics in 2017.
Involved in providing advice to TC in its capacity as a bidder in relation to the purchase of the aircraft-leasing business of CIT Group (“CIT”); the CIT fleet includes in excess of 350 commercial aircraft. We completed due diligence on both the lease and loan portfolio, including the provision of a detailed due diligence report with a summary of our findings. The portfolio is estimated to be worth US$10 billion.
Involved in providing advice to AerCap as German counsel in connection with multiple aircraft sale and operating lease transactions and ongoing aircraft and aviation related matters.
Involved in providing advice to AerCap on lease extension and amendment agreements for five (5) Airbus A330.
Involved in providing advice to a leading Irish aircraft lessor in connection with the insolvency of Air Berlin.
Involved in providing advice to a Japanese leading lessor on sale and purchase transactions involving Boeing 737-800 and Embraer ERJ-190 aircraft on lease to KLM/KLM Cityhopper.
Involved in providing advice to an aircraft lessor in Japan in respect of the sale and purchase of one (1) Boeing 737-8K5 aircraft and the lease of such aircraft to TUI fly.
Involved in providing advice to a leading aircraft lessor in connection with the proposed refinancing in the form of a securitization of an aircraft fleet, including two Airbus A320.
Involved in providing advice to a major German closed-end funds initiator on a notes program tailored for the financing of three (3) A330-300 aircraft on lease to a major Asian airline.
Involved in providing advice to a foreign financial investor on the acquisition and financing of two (2) Airbus A320 for a well-known German airline.
Involved in providing advice to a financial investor in respect to the financing and acquisition of one (1) Boeing 737-8K5 aircraft from an airline and on lease to an airline in the UK.
Acting for Financiers / Lenders in Respect of Aviation Deals
Involved in providing advice to TCC as junior lender with respect to a portfolio purchase and financing transaction between AerCap (as seller and continuing servicer) and subsidiaries of DVB and KKR. The syndicate of senior lenders were lead by BNP Paribas, Paris. The portfolio comprises aircraft on lease to the following airlines: Norwegian Air International, Westjet, Air Europa, KLM, Air France, Nouvelair, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aegean, Free Bird, T’Way, Garuda Indonesia, Finnair, Air Berlin, Air Transat, Royal Jordanian, SwissAir, Brussels Airlines, Boliviana, Xiamen Airlines, P.T. Sriwijaya Air, Comair, Iberia, TAME, Air Asia, Jet2.com, VECA, Hainan Airlines, and EuroAtlantic.
Involved in providing advice to Deutsche Bank AG in relation to the JOLCO finance of two (2) Boeing 737-800 aircraft on lease to a subsidiary of Financial Products Group and subleased to TUI fly GmbH.
Involved in providing advice to two US financial institutions as lender in relation to the JOLCO financing of one (1) Boeing 737-800 on lease to a subsidiary of a Japanese lessor and on sublease to an airline in Germany.
Involved in providing advice to a leading Irish aircraft lessor and a US top 50 alternative asset manager in relation to the sale and transfer of one (1) Airbus A320-200 on lease to a German airline.
Involved in providing advice to Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale as lender, arranger, and security agent and BayernLB as lender in relation to the €40 million term loan financing for Spairliners, a joint venture of Lufthansa Technik AG and Air France SA and the world’s leading company for aircraft components for the Airbus A380 and Embraer E-Jet aircraft.
Involved in providing advice to a bank consortium as lenders in respect of a €50 million term facility and a €2.5 million revolving facility to refinance the existing secured term and revolving facilities agreement among Frankfurter Sparkasse, Helaba, and Spairliners.
Involved in providing advice to a US financial institution on the financing of two (2) Cessna Citation 680 Sovereign business jets.
Involved in providing advice to a financial institution selling two (2) Boeing 737-800s.
JOLCO / JOL Transactions
Involved in providing advice to Japanese investors in relation to the JOLCO financing of one (1) Airbus A350-900 on lease to a legacy airline in Germany.
Involved in providing advice to the owner/lessor of a Boeing 787-9 aircraft in respect of the first (and subsequent) JOLCO financing for Virgin Atlantic Airlines.
Involved in providing advice to a major Japanese leasing company on multiple JOL transactions involving multiple aircraft and portfolios on lease to Air Asia, Air Canada, Air France, ANA, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Cebu Pacific, Easyjet, Germanwings, Vueling, and Wizz Air.
Involved in providing advice to Sumitomo Mitsui Financing and Leasing Company, Limited ("SMFL") as lessor’s/borrower’s counsel with the purchase, finance and JOLCO leasing of five (5) Boeing 737-MAX9 aircraft with MSNs 44161, 44162, 44163, 44164, and 44165. The aircraft are on lease to Copa Airlines and the financing was provided by SMBC Europe.
Involved in providing advice to a major Japanese leasing company on JOLCO transactions involving eight (8) B737-800 on lease to Jet2; four (4) A320neo for SAS Scandinavian Airlines, a B787-9, and the first A350-1000 for Virgin Atlantic.
Involved in providing advice to Japanese investors in relation to the JOL financings for Airbus aircraft on lease to ANA, Boeing aircraft on lease to TUI fly and Turkish Airlines.
Involved in providing advice to Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Ltd. in relation to multiple JOLCO financing transactions, including unwinds to major legacy airlines worldwide.
Involved in providing advice to Japanese investors on the conclusion of JOLCO financings for four (4) Airbus A320-214s for a major German airline.
Involved in providing advice to a major Japanese leasing company on unwinding JOLCO transactions involving three (3) Airbus A318 aircraft on lease to Air France.
Acting for Airlines
Involved in providing advice to an Asian cargo airline on finance leases for three (3) Boeing 747-8F aircraft.
Involved in providing advice to a German freight carrier on the financing of a portfolio of in total 13 MD-11 SF aircraft freighters.
Involved in providing advice to a leading European freight airline on the replacement of two engines under a cross-border aircraft finance transaction.
Restructuring
Involved in providing advice to a major Japanese leasing company on restructuring lease transactions for two (2) Boeing 737-800 aircraft on lease to Southwest.
Involved in providing advice to a major Japanese leasing company on restructuring JOL transactions involving three (3) Embraer ERJ-190 aircraft on lease to KLM Cityhopper.
Involved in providing advice to a German bank and facility and security agent on the restructuring of two (2) Airbus A330-343 aircraft and one (1) Airbus A340-600.
Business Jet / Private Jet Transactions
Involved in providing advice to a US financial institution on the financing of two (2) Cessna Citation 680 Sovereign business jets.
Involved in providing advice to an ultra-high-net-worth individual in Eastern Europe on the purchase of a Gulfstream G550 private business jet.
Involved in providing advice to Bank of America in connection with the refinancing of senior secured credit facilities for three (3) Cessna Citation business jets.
Other
Involved in providing advice to a leading company for aircraft container management services on the outsourcing and servicing agreement with a leading US airline in relation to 15,000 aircraft containers.
Involved in providing advice to the leading aircraft container (ULD) management company on its standard ULD management agreements for outsourcing of the total aircraft container fleet for new customers, including a major private Indian airline.
Involved in providing advice to a leading provider for special aircraft cooling containers on Master Rental Agreements for cooling containers rentals to major airlines.
Involved in providing advice to a leading company for aircraft container management services on the draft of a Framework Purchase Agreement for aircraft container (ULD).
