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Introduction

Part 3: Oct. 24, 2016, © Leeham Co.: Lessors select aircraft to add to their portfolios based on several basic criteria:

• Is it a good airplane?
• How are the economics?
• Is there, or will there be, a broad customer base?
• How “liquid” is the airplane?
• How broad is the customer base?
• Reconfiguration costs.
• Commercial terms of the acquisition.

Lessors often conclude that while an airplane may be good technically and perfectly acceptable for airline use, failure to meet their specialized key criteria—notably liquidity and customer base—they may pass on the aircraft.

Summary

• A surprising number of in-production jets and those in development don’t make a lessor’s list of desirable leasing assets.
• The planes all are technically good aircraft.
• Markets may evolve for some of the aircraft on the list.