Milestone Aviation Group’s shareholders more than doubled their investment

Milestone Aviation Group and SonAir celebrate a lease at Heli-Expo 2014 (Credit: J Miller)

JZ Capital Partners, a London listed private equity fund, has said that it is expecting to make $40 million from the $15.1 million that it invested in Milestone Aviation when the sale of the helicopter leasing company to GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) is completed.

In its interim results for the six months ending in August, JZ Capital Partners said it is expecting to get an internal rate of return of 36% for its investment in the helicopter leasing company. Milestone accounted for 6.1% of its gross assets.

JZ Capital Partners was a launch investor when Milestone Aviation launched in August 2010.

MUST-READ: Gecas buys Milestone Aviation

Gecas has agreed to pay $1.775 billion for Milestone Aviation Group with the sale expected to close in early 2015.

Jordan Partners, which was one of the lead investors in Milestone along with Nautic Partners, advises JZ Capital Partners. JZ Capital partnered with The Resolute Funds on the investment.

Milestone’s fleet includes 168 helicopters worth $2.8 billion as well as orders and options worth $3 billion.