- 17. Sept. 2025
- 3 Min. Lesezeit
Aircraft lessor Air Lease to be acquired by SMBC-led investors
A group of investors led by Sumitomo Corp and SMBC Aviation Capital have agreed to acquire Air Lease, one of the largest aircraft lessors in the world, for $7.4 billion US-Dollars. Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Apollo managed funds and Brookfield, announced that they have reached a definitive agreement to acquire Air Lease Corporation, the aircraft lessor founded by Steven F. Udvar-Házy and John L. Plueger with a portfolio primarily comprised of new technology aircraft. With a pipeline including around 450 outstanding orders, Air Lease Corporation's outstanding book is one of the largest in the industry, which will allow the new company to have a massive amount of market power. This combined industry force will be headquartered in Dublin, the hub of the aircraft leasing industry. Upon closing, Air Lease will be renamed Sumisho Air Lease, a newly established entity.
Takao Kusaka, Group CEO, Transportation & Construction Systems Group of Sumitomo Corporation, said: “Through this transaction, we will achieve greater scale and profitability, positioning the Sumitomo Corporation Group’s aircraft leasing business as one of the largest globally in terms of owned and managed aircraft through Sumisho Air Lease’s portfolio centered on new tech aircraft.” Peter Barrett, Chief Executive Officer of SMBC Aviation Capital, added: “This transaction is transformational for our business and the leasing landscape. In our sector, economies of scale matter.”
CAE inaugurates flagship business aviation training centre in Vienna
CAE officially inaugurated its first business aviation training centre in Central Europe, CAE Vienna. The new centre has been in operation since April and is now offering customers pilot training on four aircraft types: Gulfstream G550, Bombardier Global 7500 and Bombardier Global 6000. An Embraer Phenom 100/300 full-flight simulator (FFS), part of the Embraer CAE Training Services (ECTS) joint venture is also in operation. A fifth simulator, a Bombardier Challenger 3500 FFS, will be ready for training in October and the sixth, a Pilatus PC-24 FFS, will be deployed in the second half of 2026. According to CAE’s Aviation Talent Forecast, the business aviation industry in Europe will need 7,000 new pilots and 9,000 new maintenance technicians over the next 10 years.
Trump administration orders Delta, Aeromexico to end joint venture
Delta Air Lines issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final order on September 15 to dismantle the Delta-Aeromexico joint cooperation agreement effective Jan. 1, 2026. “We are disappointed that the Department of Transportation has chosen to terminate its approval of the strategic and pro-competitive partnership between Delta and Aeromexico, a decision that will cause significant harm to U.S. jobs, communities and consumers traveling between the U.S. and Mexico. We are reviewing the Department’s order and considering next steps.” Both the Trump and Biden administrations had considered ending the joint venture amid a series of disputes about competition for flights between the two countries. “This action is necessary because of ongoing anticompetitive effects in U.S.-Mexico City markets that provide an unfair advantage to Delta and Aeromexico as two predominant competitors and create unacceptable actual and potential harm for stakeholders, including consumers,” the Transportation Department said in a filing this week. Washington has also warned it could take action against European countries over limitations at airports.
People: Giovanni Tomassini appointed CEO Of Piaggio Aerospace
The Board of Directors of Baykar Piaggio Aerospace S.p.A. - the new company to which the business complexes of Piaggio Aero and Piaggio Aviation under extraordinary administration have been transferred – recently announced the appointment of Giovanni Tomassini, the current COO, as the new CEO of the Company.
With over thirty years of experience in the manufacturing and aerospace sectors, Giovanni Tomassini has held increasingly senior roles at companies such as Aermacchi and Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali. He joined Piaggio Aerospace in 2009 and, in 2019, became Chief Operating Officer after leading the Engine Business Unit and overseeing the design and relocation of operations to the new Villanova d’Albenga facility. An expert in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and industrial planning, he has led major operational transformations and negotiated strategic agreements with institutional clients and international partners. He is known for his strategic vision, ability to lead complex teams, and strong focus on innovation and sustainability. Born in 1964, he holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, where he also completed several executive programs in management, human resources, and supply chain.
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