Aviation Business and Finance

An in-depth guide to aircraft leasing, cash flows, maintenance, risks, and why the system exists TL;DR Airlines often lease aircraft rather than buy them outright. Leasing lets carriers avoid huge upfront cash outlays, preserve liquidity for operations or growth, and transfer certain risks (especially residual-value risk) to specialist lessors — at the cost of higher lifetime cash payments. The model is mature, accounts for the majority of the world fleet, and is supported by