Simon McLean

Pitch Aviation (Pitch) has been re-formed by bringing together the collective industry expertise of three aviation specialists.

Pitch’s team consists of Andy Pavord, a UK Civil Aviation Authority- and Federal Aviation Administration-licensed aircraft engineer who has extensive experience in aircraft leasing, maintenance and engineering and who is Pitch’s original founder. Simon McLean, who was previously chief operating officer (COO) of Waha Leasing, and Roger Clarke, the company’s general counsel (external) a partner in international law firm Trowers & Hamlins LLP’s banking and finance department.

The team also includes Phil Pavord, an IT and project management specialist.

McLean told Asset Finance International that Pitch has recently advised a Middle Eastern investor on an aircraft leasing investment and, at the same time, is advising on an undisclosed UK private finance initiative.

He added: “Also our technical work has recently involved import and re-delivery transitions, C-check and structural repair over view and cost-reduction work for European, South African and Far Eastern operators of varied types of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft – from corporate to high-gross-weight operations.”

Pitch’s primary focus is to be on Europe (west, central and east), the Commonwealth of Independent States, Middle East North Africa, and Asia.

McLean explained that the company’s areas of technical expertise include pre-purchase or pre-lease aircraft inspections, comprehensive baseline aircraft inspection and audit of technical records, follow-up inspections that enable running condition reports versus the baseline and maintenance reserve claims reviews. 

“In addition,” he stressed, “Pitch Aviation now offers its airline, bank, lessor and investor clients bespoke investment, portfolio and asset management solutions – whether for a single aircraft or a portfolio.”

Opportunities

A typical client could be “an airline of any size, either a middle-sized carrier that has its hands full – or a smaller entity that could do with our contacts globally. Alternatively, banks or investment groups that are thinking of entering the sector. He added: “We have the expertise to give a hand to any new player entering the sector – or any existing player seeking growth. We understand the business and its pitfalls as well as its opportunities.”

McLean’s experience as COO of Waha Leasing (the big-ticket leasing subsidiary of Waha Capital) is extensive and includes the acquisition from Aer Cap of 50% of AerVenture Ltd, a $2.4bn leasing entity with a portfolio of 54 Airbus A320 family aircraft, the lease financing of six A330-200 aircraft for Etihad Airways, and Project Blue, the $900m structured financing of some 25 aircraft loans to a number of airlines.

Waha Leasing also purchased 35 single-aisle, twin-aisle, regional and executive jet aircraft for its own operating lease portfolio.

Prior to joining Waha Leasing McLean was vice president, Aerospace for Newcourt Capital. He has also held positions at Chemical Bank and Barclays.

Clarke, a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales and a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, has worked with Simon McLean and Andy Pavord for some 10 years and comes with extensive experience advising on a range of aviation transactions.

These include advising an airline operator on the acquisition of, and financial structures for, some 24 aircraft from Embraer Brasileira de Aeronautica (with staged deliveries), and advising a major operating lessor on numerous transactions including cross-border re-possessions. The latter included a four-aircraft sale and leaseback with Export Credit Agency financing, double layer-leasing of multiple aircraft into Vietnam, and the acquisition and financing of two new Airbus aircraft on lease to a Russian operator. “We have the expertise to give a hand to any new player entering the sector,” he said, “or any existing player seeking growth. We understand the business and its pitfalls – as well as its opportunities.”

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