Aviation

Coblentz has done both corporate and litigation work with prominent aviation industry leaders in the Bay Area.

Teaming with Greene Radovsky Maloney Share & Hennigh LLP, we advised Sky Holding Company, LLC, a full-service aircraft leasing platform, in the formation of Jackson Square Aviation, LLC, and in connection with the commitment of $500 Million to Jackson Square Aviation’s parent company by investment funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management. The resulting deal provided Jackson Square Aviation with the resources and outreach to become a major force in the financing of commercial aircraft acquisitions and the execution of long-term sale and leaseback transactions. Previously, through Pegasus Aviation and Sky Holding, the management team had acquired over $10 billion of aircraft and purchased and/or remarketed over 400 aircraft. Based in San Francisco with offices in Seattle, London, and Buenos Aires, Jackson Square Aviation is now a full-service aircraft leasing company emphasizing sale/leasebacks of next-generation technology.

In Pegasus Aviation I, Inc. v. Varig Logistica, S.A., Coblentz litigators represent Pegasus, an aircraft-leasing company, in an alter-ego case in New York state court against Brazilian air-cargo company, Varig Logistica, S.A., and VarigLog’s parent company, private-equity firm MatlinPatterson Global Advisers. In this hard-fought, complex litigation, Pegasus seeks to recover tens of millions of dollars in connection with the breach of its lease agreements with VarigLog and the damage done to its aircraft by VarigLog’s negligence. Pegasus alleges that MatlinPatterson controlled and dominated VarigLog and should therefore be liable for the damages owed Pegasus. To date, Pegasus has prevailed on key motions and has won an appeal defending the trial court’s judgment in its favor on a motion to dismiss.

Coblentz also handles corporate work for Pegasus.