Nova Capital, a European independent lessor, has acquired an additional five utility configured helicopters under sale and leaseback transactions with three different undisclosed customers. These latest additions to the Nova Capital portfolio include two Leonardo AW119s and three Airbus H125s.

These helicopters are already deployed serving firefighting and aerial work missions in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Chile and Belgium. The deliveries occurred in the period between October 2022 and February 2023.

The company has also entered into a sale and leaseback agreement with an undisclosed customer for the acquisition of a seven aircraft fleet including a mix of recently produced and factory single-engined new Thrush 710P. The aircraft will be delivered over Q2 2023 and operated exclusively for firefighting missions in particular in Spain, Chile and France.

These acquisitions will expand Nova's owned fleet to 54 assets in operation, with a combined total value surpassing US$200 million.

Nova Capital has further announced two senior appointments with Jérôme Marx joining the group as chief technical officer and Frédéric Goig as senior advisor.

Marx has accumulated an unrivalled 30 years' experience in aviation maintenance and mechanics, including heading the technical operations and Part 145 certification of Mont Blanc Hélicoptères and Monacair Group. He is also the founder and CEO of Camax Aero, a certified CAMO and consulting company.

Goig joined aviation more than 10 years ago after a career in industry in France and abroad. Initially joining as CEO of Inaer France, Fred became CEO of Babcock France and brought Babcock into the French military segment by winning the Fomedec tender. Further to that he was VP of growth for Babcock out of London. For the last five years, he has been an advisor to companies and investors in the aviation market. With Nova he will focus on business development.

Olivier Piot, founder and CEO of Nova Capital comments: “We are delighted to further reinforce our presence in the light-utility aviation segment with these new assets. More importantly we are thrilled to further support from now on three new customers and one of our long-term partners, who will deliver with them mission critical services such as firefighting over six different countries

“I also want to warmly welcome Jérôme and Frédéric into the Nova family. Both are tremendous additions to our team and will allow us to further expand our business and technical support.”

Nova has also launched Nova Capital Light Aviation Debt Fund Ltd, a private debt vehicle backed by single engine helicopters and light utility fixed-wing aircraft.

This innovative financing programme offers non-banking investors access to asset-backed private debt opportunities for single engine helicopters and aircraft, exclusively operated under on-shore mission critical and utility services.

The total commitment of this first vehicle will be limited to 50 million euros, for which Nova Capital has already received significant interest from various private investors including individuals, family offices and investment funds, all sharing previous experience in aviation and a long-term commitment and passion to the industry.

The first closing is targeted to occur during Q2 2023.

Investors in the fund will benefit from the unrivalled 20 years’ leasing experience of Nova Capital, in particular within the single engine helicopter and aircraft segment. The company simultaneously announced the acquisition of a dozen of new single engine assets over Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, which brings its owned fleet to 54 assets with a combined total value surpassing US$200 million.

Piot states: “We are thrilled to lead the way with our first in-house managed debt fund, which will be the perfect addition to our usual banking debt. It will definitively be a game changer in our current funding mix while increasing our underwriting capacity. Our customers, especially in the single engine segment, are looking for reliable, swift and cost-effective leasing partners. We are convinced to do the right move here addressing the need for a turn- key innovative leasing solution.”