Executives at GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) are interested in a firm order for perhaps as many as 30 Boeing 787 aircraft.
Company EVP for product evaluation and strategy Bill Carpenter revealed the lessor's interest to ATI during the Flightglobal's US Valuation Conference on 27 October.
"We expect some delivery slots will open to accommodate an order of that size," he says. "GECAS would also seek to support previously committed airline customer orders through purchase and leaseback financing. Where there is customer demand, we want to be part of it."
The sale and leaseback deals would be in addition to orders placed directly with Boeing, Carpenter says.
GECAS is interested in taking deliveries in a three-to-five year period after placing its order, and would prefer to complete initial deliveries by 2018, Carpenter explains.
The lessor is "more optimistic" about the stretched 787-9 than the 787-8 and is "interested in anything bigger" but Carpenter adds he is not discounting the -8 completely.
"The -8 still promises to deliver performance and economics not currently available in any variant within its payload category. If the 787 meets its marketed specifications with respect to passenger comfort, range, weight and fuel consumption, and is priced well, then it promises to be a great aircraft as well as a great investment," he says.
GECAS is the latest lessor to express interest in the 787. International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC) has 74 787s on order, while AWAS and CIT Leasing Corp have six and 10 787s on order, respectively.
Specialised Boeing 787 lessor LCAL has five 787s on order after downsizing its original order of 21 aircraft earlier this year.Aviation Lease and Finance Company (ALAFCO) has 22 787s on order.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
