Aircastle Announces Proposed Private Placement of $300 Million Aggregate Principal Amount of Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2018

STAMFORD, Conn., July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aircastle Limited (NYSE: AYR) ("Aircastle") announced today that it plans to offer $300 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes due 2018.  The notes will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers and outside the United States in accordance with Rule 144A and Regulation S, respectively, under the Securities Act of 1933.  Aircastle plans to use the net proceeds of the private placement to repay all of its outstanding indebtedness under its Term Financing No. 2 and any amounts drawn under a $75 million secured facility with Citicorp North America, Inc., and for general corporate purposes, including the purchase of aviation assets.

The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or under any state securities laws.  Therefore, Aircastle may not offer or sell the notes within the United States to, or for the account or benefit of, any United States person unless the offer or sale would qualify for a registration exemption from the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

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

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 proposed private placement of notes and our ability to acquire, sell and lease aircraft, raise capital, pay dividends, and increase revenues, earnings and EBITDA 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, prolonged capital markets disruption and volatility, which may adversely affect our continued ability to obtain additional capital to finance our working capital needs, our pre-delivery payment obligations and other aircraft acquisition commitments, our ability to extend or replace our existing financings, and the demand for and value of aircraft; our exposure to increased bank and counterparty risk caused by credit and capital markets disruptions; volatility in the value of our aircraft or in appraisals thereof, which may, among other things, result in increased principal payments under our term financings and reduce our cash flow available for investment or dividends; 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 volcanic activity 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 SEC, including "Risk Factors" as previously disclosed in Aircastle's 2009 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.

SOURCE Aircastle Limited