Aircastle Announces Launch and Pricing of Secondary Offering of 9.25 Million Common Shares

STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Aircastle Limited (NYSE: AYR) announced today that it was informed by certain funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC that such funds are offering 9,250,000 common shares pursuant to Aircastle's shelf registration statement which was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Aircastle will not sell any shares in the offering and will not receive any proceeds from the offering.

Goldman, Sachs & Co. is acting as underwriter for the offering.

The common shares purchased by the underwriters are expected to be offered for resale from time to time in negotiated transactions or otherwise, at market prices on the New York Stock Exchange prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or otherwise.  The Company expects to close the sale of the common shares on August 13, 2012, subject to customary closing conditions.

The offering of these securities may be made only by means of a prospectus and a related prospectus supplement, a copy of which may be obtained by contacting Goldman, Sachs & Co., Attn: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, toll free at (866) 471-2526 or at [email protected].

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the common shares nor does it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.

About Aircastle Limited

Aircastle Limited is a global company that acquires, leases and sells high-utility commercial jet aircraft to airlines throughout the world.  As of June 30, 2012, Aircastle's aircraft portfolio consisted of 155 aircraft on lease with 67 customers located in 36 countries.

Safe Harbor

Certain items in this press release and other information we provide from time to time, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, but not necessarily limited to, statements relating to our ability to acquire, sell, lease or finance aircraft, raise capital, pay dividends, and increase revenues, earnings, EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income and the global aviation industry and aircraft leasing sector. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "seeks," "estimates" and variations on these words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of factors that could lead to actual results materially different from those described in the forward-looking statements; Aircastle Limited can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could cause actual results to differ materially from Aircastle Limited's expectations include, but are not limited to, significant capital markets disruption and volatility, and the significant contraction in the availability of bank financing which may adversely affect our continued ability to obtain additional capital to finance new investments or our working capital needs; volatility in the value of our aircraft; general economic conditions and business conditions affecting demand for aircraft and lease rates; our continued ability to obtain favorable tax treatment in Bermuda, Ireland and other jurisdictions; our ability to pay dividends; high or volatile fuel prices, lack of access to capital, reduced load factors and/or reduced yields, operational disruptions caused by political unrest in North Africa, the Middle East or elsewhere, uncertainties in the Eurozone arising from the sovereign debt crisis and other factors affecting the creditworthiness of our airline customers and their ability to continue to perform their obligations under our leases; termination payments on our interest rate hedges; and other risks detailed from time to time in Aircastle Limited's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including as previously disclosed in Aircastle's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in our other filings with the SEC, press releases and other communications. In addition, new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Aircastle to predict or assess the impact of every factor that may cause its actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Aircastle Limited expressly disclaims any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Contact:
Frank Constantinople – SVP, Investor Relations
Tel: +1-203-504-1063
[email protected]

The IGB Group
Leon Berman
Tel: +1-212-477-8438
[email protected]

SOURCE Aircastle Limited