Expert Opinion
AINsight: Strategies To Manage Aircraft Financing Costs
Cash might be king, but financing still often makes the most sense for business aircraft purchases
cash and business jet
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It is hardly a secret that the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank has cranked up the federal funds rate to tame inflation. These rate moves, which raised interest costs, spared no industry, including aircraft lending and leasing. Then, the Fed signaled last month that it might cut the federal funds rate a few times in 2024, setting off rampant speculation of when and how many rate cuts might occur.

Did the Fed announcement mean that aircraft lenders and lessors (financiers) can expect aircraft lending and leasing transactions to take off? No one knows, but even if rate cuts occur and financing shows the potential to soar to new heights, continuing challenges abound for financiers.

David G. Mayer
AIN Contributor
About the author

David G. Mayer is a member of the global Aviation Practice Group at Shackelford, McKinley & Norton in Dallas, which handles private aircraft matters, including regulatory compliance, tax planning, purchases, sales, leasing and financing, risk management, insurance, aircraft management and operations, hangar leasing, and related corporate work. Mayer frequently represents corporations and high- and ultra-high-net worth individuals and other aircraft owners, flight departments, lessees, borrowers, operators, sellers, purchasers, corporations and managers, as well as lessors and lenders. He can be contacted at [email protected].

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