CHC gets $450 million to exit C11 from Bain and Milestone
CHC EC225
Bain Capital, Milestone Aviation Group and other bondholders have agreed a combined $450 million plan support agreement to help CHC leave Chapter 11.
Existing creditors led by Bain Capital are investing $300 million. Milestone has restructured leases and is also lending CHC $150 million backed by helicopters.
“Executing this agreement enables us to establish a stronger capital structure for CHC and is another critical milestone toward completing our court-supervised reorganization process,” said Karl Fessenden, President and Chief Executive Officer. “With the support of the Plan Sponsors, Unsecured Creditors Committee, and the Milestone Aviation Group Limited as our lead aircraft lessor, we look forward to obtaining approval of our restructuring plan, recapitalizing the company, and putting CHC on the path to long-term success. We remain confident that the restructuring we are undertaking will position CHC to capitalize on future growth opportunities as our industry recovers.”
CHC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 5, 2016. The operator had hoped to emerge from Chapter 11 by the end of 2016 but one specialist adviser says they now expect it to happen in the first quarter of 2017.
“CHC is one of the leading global providers of helicopter services, and will be very well-positioned post restructuring to benefit from a recovery in the global energy industry,” said Mike Bevacqua, a Managing Director at Bain Capital Credit, which is the Company’s lead Plan Sponsor and largest secured creditor. “We believe this recapitalization will have a positive outcome for all the Company’s stakeholders, and look forward to continuing to play a constructive role in supporting CHC’s progress.”
Milestone will be named as the lead lessor for any leases that CHC enters into in the future.
“From the outset, one of our primary goals has been to establish a smaller, more productive fleet of aircraft that provides the right aircraft at the right time for our customers’ helicopter service needs, while maintaining our commitment to setting the standard for safety, customer service and value across the industry. We believe that Milestone, as a part of General Electric, provides the strength and stability we need in a lessor partner, and we are confident that this agreement provides a strong foundation for CHC’s fleet of aircraft going forward,” Fessenden concluded.
“As the pioneer of global helicopter leasing, Milestone Aviation Group has always taken a long-term view of the helicopter industry, and we are committed to the industry’s health and stability during a challenging time,” said Daniel Rosenthal, president of Milestone. “We believe that an agreement that enables CHC to recapitalize and emerge from its restructuring process as a going concern is important for our industry, and we are pleased that Milestone, along with other major creditors, has reached a mutually acceptable agreement with CHC to restructure its obligations.”
