WFW advises GDHF on financing deal for Airbus H160s
WFW advised GDHF on its recent €77m-plus finance deal for Airbus H160 helicopters.
Law firm Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) advised GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF) on its recent €77m-plus finance agreement with Bank of China, London Branch and the German bank Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Helaba) for multiple new Airbus H160 helicopters.
The deal, supported by Bpifrance Assurance Export, will see the aircraft delivered between 2024 and 2026.
The WFW London Assets and Structured Finance team that advised GDHF was led by partner Patrick Moore. “We are very pleased to have advised GDHF on this landmark transaction tapping the ECA-backed international bank market,” said Moore. “The facility will support its significant orderbook and enable GDHF to deliver a pipeline of aircraft to its global customer base. This deal highlights our leading expertise advising on financings in the helicopter sector.”
Moore worked closely with London-based Associates Tim Barnett, Tom Coates, Teresa McGillivray, Alexander Kyriacou, Sam Jones and trainee Jasmine Sayany. Hong Kong law support was supplied by partner Jackson Chow and associate Viktor Chan.
Ireland-based GDHF plans to rapidly grow its large portfolio of the newest technology, efficient, cost-effective, multi-mission helicopters via order books and lease to customers globally, according to the law firm.
Speaking earlier this month when the deal was revealed, Michael York, CEO, GDHF said: “GDHF sees this financing agreement as a strong endorsement of the strength of the helicopter market globally and the ability of GDHF to meet the clear market need for efficient new technology helicopters that GDHF will provide using our large Airbus Helicopters order book.”
Meanwhile, earlier in September WFW has advised Investec Bank on financing 10 Airbus H135 and two Leonardo AW109 helicopters for RIVE Private Investment.
