Introduction to Aircraft Leasing and Financing

Date(s): Wednesday to Friday, 6 to 8 May 2026	Register: Submit your registration here. Enquiry: Email to training@aais.org.sg.
Time: 9am – 5pm (UTC +8)	Closing Date: One week before course date.
Venue: 690 West Camp Road #08-13 JTC Aviation Two Seletar Aerospace Park Singapore 797523	Fees: AAIS Member: S$2,910.30/pax w/GST Public: S$3,128.30/pax w/GST Fees reflected are inclusive of 9% GST (in 2024).
About the Course:
This course introduces participants to aircraft selection strategy basics from an airline and leasing company’s perspective. In addition, the course provides a detailed review of aviation legal and regulatory framework and aviation insurance. Participants will also learn principles of aircraft leasing versus ownership, airline credit analysis and sources of capital and financial instruments that airlines and leasing companies use in aircraft funding. By the end of this course, participants will be able to: Compare and contrast aircraft selection strategies from an airline and leasing company’s perspective Interpret unique rules and regulations that govern aircraft financing and leasing industry Justify leasing decisions from lessee and lessor’s perspective Differentiate quantitative and qualitative approach to airline credit analysis Compare and contrast sources of capital for aircraft funding for airlines and leasing companies
Who Should Attend?
The target audience for this short course includes aviation and finance professionals involved in aircraft acquisition, leasing, financing, and asset management across both commercial and corporate aviation sectors. This includes airline and business aviation finance and fleet planning managers, aircraft leasing and asset management professionals, bankers, investors, and export credit specialists, as well as corporate jet and helicopter operators and owners. The course is also relevant for aviation lawyers, accountants, consultants, valuation specialists, and maintenance or technical managers involved in lifecycle cost analysis, lease return planning, and ownership-versus-lease decision-making for fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. It is suitable both for professionals seeking to enter or transition into the aircraft leasing industry and for those with existing experience in aviation or finance who wish to develop a comprehensive, practical understanding of leasing structures and full lifecycle cost management for commercial and corporate aircraft.
Course Outline:
Overview of Aircraft Leasing – Introduction to the commercial aircraft leasing industry – Growth of the leasing industry and current state of the leasing industry – Major lessors in the market – Different types of leases Aircraft Selection Strategy Basics – Commercial aircraft terminology and concepts of how technical, operational, and economic factors affect the aircraft selection process – Crucial factors that influence the lessor, lessee, and manufacturer in the aircraft selection process Principles of Aircraft Leasing vs Ownership – Analyze a lease from a lessee and lessor’s point of view to arrive at mutually beneficial lease decisions Aviation Legal and Regulatory Framework – Legal and regulatory issues specific to aircraft financing – Specific topics include applicable governing law, conventions and treaties, registration and ownership, recordation of interest in aircraft; liens, regulatory considerations; taxation and deal structuring; jurisdictions; and lessor and operator liability Aircraft Funding & Airline Credit – Debt, Equity & the Capital Markets – Describe the current aircraft financing environment and its outlook – Contrast, historically anticipated funding sources for aircraft financing – Assess the development of capital markets for aircraft financing – Evaluate trends in aircraft financing for lessors and airlines – Formulate a need for a lessor to assess airline credit risk – Explain the analytical framework of credit risk assessment – Quantitative and qualitative approach to airline credit Book: Aircraft Leasing and Financing: Tools for Success in International Aircraft Acquisition and Management. 2nd Edition, Elsevier Publications, 2024.
About the Instructor: Dr. Sunder Raghavan, Ph.D. Dr. Raghavan is a Professor of Finance, a Fulbright Scholar, and an ISTAT U program coordinator within the David O’Maley College of Business at the Daytona Beach campus of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University where he teaches Corporate Finance and Aviation Finance Courses. He received his Ph.D. from Washington State University. His research interests include Sustainable Aviation Finance, Aircraft Finance and Leasing, International Aviation Finance, and Theoretical Application of Finance to the Airline Industry.Dr. Raghavan has published in various leading journals such as Electronic Commerce, Journal of Air Transportation Management, Transportation Research Record, and Journal of International Finance and Economics and is a co-author of the leading textbook on Aircraft Leasing and Financing Tools for Success in International Aircraft Acquisition and Management. The Wall Street Journal and NASA have referenced his work.Dr. Raghavan has served as a consultant to the Reserve Bank of India (India’s Central Bank) and published a report on the corporate bond market developments in India. He has served as an external thesis examiner for doctoral dissertations in Finance and reviewed textbooks in Finance. Dr. Raghavan is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) with a Machinery and Technical Specialties/Aircraft designation and an ISTAT Appraiser candidate. He has been a guest speaker at the University College of Dublin (UCD), Ireland and a Visiting Professor in Italy, China, Germany, Estonia and Bahrain and has offered professional short courses on Aircraft Leasing and Financing.
*Note: AAIS reserves the right to adjust the course pricing and to re-schedule or cancel any course due to unforeseen circumstances, course commencement is subject to minimum class size requirements.