The acquisition of Macquarie Rotorcraft by leasing joint venture SMFL LCI Helicopters (SMFLH) will provide “global reach for a global platform”, says LCI Investments chief executive Jaspal Jandu.
LCI will manage the new acquisition, disclosed on 9 March, which will bring six new helicopter types, 14 countries and 21 customers to the business, he says.
“There is overlap [between the two] but to have this extra reach is very important. The ability to offer customers global solutions is really powerful.”
It will make LCI the second largest lessor in the sector behind market leader Milestone Aviation, a unit of AerCap.
While Macquarie has “slightly more equipment” in Africa than LCI “the rest is very complementary”. The combined fleet will boast slightly more than 300 helicopters, he notes.
No financial details of the transaction have been disclosed, which Jandu hopes will close “as early in 2025 as we can”, subject to customary conditions.
He sees the acquisition coming at an opportune time as the industry gears up to address a 20-year requirement for 1,600 new helicopter deliveries worth $130 billion according to Airbus Helicopters’ forecast.
Strong demand signals from the market also contribute to Jandu’s confidence. “If this state persists, and we believe it will, at least for the medium term, it allows us to make confident long-term decisions.”
