Strategies

Aviation

Castlelake is an experienced investor in aircraft and aviation assets, and offers tailored financing, leasing and servicing solutions to asset owners and lessees. We focus on commercial aircraft and engines and aviation secured debt.

  • $20 Billion Invested in Aviation Opportunities
  • 250 Aircraft Actively Managed, Owned or Financed

Experienced investors in aircraft and engines throughout their economic life spans

Castlelake’s Aviation investment team has experience investing in aircraft and aviation assets across multiple economic and business cycles, dating back to the firm’s inception in 2005. Using a hands-on approach, Castlelake leverages a specialized team that includes technical experts, risk management professionals, and dedicated financing specialists to seek to generate and protect value at every stage of the investment period. Since inception, Castlelake has invested, directly or indirectly, in more than 650 aircraft across diverse types.

For information about Castlelake Aviation Limited, an aircraft leasing company engaged in the business of financing modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, please visit: www.castlelakeaviation.com.

One of the world’s top aviation lessors by fleet size

In addition to the firm’s investment expertise, Castlelake serves as a hands-on asset manager, servicer or lender for a fleet of 250 aircraft, and has relationships with approximately 200 airlines. Our diverse customer base includes the world’s leading airlines across the globe.

Castlelake believes that it has experience spanning every major aircraft and engine type, and generally focuses on in-production new, younger mid-life and mid-life aircraft. We specialize in seeking to create tailored solutions and pride ourselves on long-term relationships with our counterparties.

Integrated infrastructure spanning eight specialized teams

As experienced aircraft owners and service, Castlelake has built an Aviation platform dedicated to attempting to maximize the value of these complex, illiquid assets. Castlelake has a robust infrastructure with approximately 60 aviation team members across 8 in-house specialized teams.

Many Castlelake team members have several decades of experiencing investing and managing aviation assets. With interconnected specialties, the team navigates each stage of the aircraft acquisition, leasing and sales process to seek to deliver value.

Sourcing

Significant focus on sourcing opportunities through long-standing relationships across a global network of airlines, aircraft leasing companies, airframe and engine manufacturers, asset managers, co-investors, restructuring advisors, industry consultants and brokers.

Underwriting

Multifaceted review of the investment from multiple angles including the asset’s technical profile, lessee, jurisdiction and the various potential outcomes that we believe will ultimately influence value.

Exiting

Focus on enhancing value and exit optionality through asset sales, operating leases, green-time and stub engine leases.

Meet Our AviationInvesting Team

  • Joe McConnell
    Partner, Deputy Co-chief Investment Officer
  • Ronan Kelleher
    Chief Financial Officer, Aviation
  • Robert Murphy
    Head of Aviation Risk Management
  • Maeve Daly
    Managing Director, Aviation
  • Nick Ryan
    Director, Aviation
  • Suyash Bhagwat
    Director, Aviation Underwriting
  • Anna Frenette
    Director, Aviation Underwriting
  • Kevin Persinger
    Director, Aviation Underwriting

Meet OurAviation Marketing, Trading & Legal Team

  • Chris Buckley
    Partner, Chief Commercial Officer, Aviation
  • Sankalp Garg
    Head of APAC, Aviation Commercial
  • Michael Hackett
    Head of Middle East & Africa, Aviation Commercial
  • Daniel Lazzari
    Head of Americas, Aviation Commercial
  • Chris Pelly
    SVP Aircraft Marketing
  • Kate Pierse
    SVP Aircraft Marketing
  • Stephen Flynn
    VP Aircraft Marketing & Trading
  • Neil McCrossan
    Head of Trading, Aviation
  • Graeme Dodd
    SVP Trading, Aviation
  • Drew Ayotte
    VP Trading, Aviation
  • Jeanette Delehanty
    Aviation General Counsel, Aviation Legal
  • Emily Lawson
    Vice President, Aviation Legal
  • Ben Andrews
    Aviation Counsel, Aviation Legal
  • Ben Godsell
    Managing Counsel, Aviation Legal

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