Dutch-based aircraft lessor TrueNoord has announced the purchase of seven ATR 72-600s from German asset management firm, GOAL on behalf of aircraft owner KGAL. The investment in the seven additional aircraft brings TrueNoord’s total commercial aircraft fleet to over 100 units and will add three new European lessee airlines into the leasing firm’s customer portfolio for the first time. It is understood that four of the 72-600s have already been leased to Air Serbia, while two will fly for Aer Lingus Regional carrier Emerald Airlines, and one with Olympic Air in Greece.
“As a lessor, we set out to support the regional aviation market and work in partnership with those airlines that service this sector,” said Nigel Turner, Chairman of TrueNoord. “In order to pursue growth, we have steadily developed our highly experienced team and established a global presence in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. We are proud of the support we receive from our stable group of equity investors and the wider international banking community. Their confidence in our business model has enabled TrueNoord not only to build a trusted reputation within the leasing community but also to advance at a measured pace which is synonymous with our core values.”
“Notwithstanding our approach so far, now we have secured our first 100 aircraft we intend to ‘turn up the volume’ and accelerate growth even faster. With aircraft values increasing and a strong underlying demand for the aircraft we own, the scale will allow us to drive profitability and push towards our goal of becoming one of the world’s largest regional aircraft lessors,” Turner added.
“This is our fourth major portfolio transaction in the last two years,” commented Anne-Bart Tieleman, CEO of the leasing firm. “Now, with 100 aircraft in our fleet, we’re on the fast track to achieving significant global presence.”
“Our focus is on building and sustaining a fleet of latest technology aircraft that enhance our lessees’ operations, delivering fuel economy and dispatch reliability. We are very pleased that our OEM partners – Embraer, ATR, de Havilland Canada, and Airbus – share this vision. We cooperate closely to grow and develop the turboprop, large regional jet, and small narrowbody sector for the benefit of all operating within it and the communities we collectively serve,” Tieleman added.
“It has been a pleasure working with GOAL on this deal,” added Ahmed Ali, Sales Director at TrueNoord. “Their professionalism and cooperation have made this process smooth and efficient. We are very pleased to have added these ATR72-600 aircraft to our portfolio and further expand our lessee base in Europe. We look forward to building strong, long-term relationships with our new lessees and contributing to their continued success.”
Andreas Schneider, Director of Sales & Marketing at GOAL, responded to these comments by stating, “Facilitating this transaction with TrueNoord exemplifies our commitment to delivering high-value, sustainable aviation investments for KGAL’s funds. Our exclusive role as asset manager for KGAL’s aviation portfolio enables us to create attractive returns for investors while supporting airline fleet development across Europe.”
TrueNoord is an aircraft leasing company that specializes in small and medium-sized regional aircraft. The firm currently has offices in Amsterdam, London, Dublin, and Singapore and employs around 37 people. The company is currently said to be planning an expansion into North America in 2025.
The TrueNoord fleet, according to ch-aviation, consists of a variety of aircraft types including members of the ATR42 and ATR72 families, a pair of Canadair CRJ900s, De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400s, and a wide range of Embraer regional jets. Some of its larger current customers include British Airways, Helvetic Airways, KLM CityHopper, Porter Airlines Canada, Republic Airways (US), Sky Express, LOT Polish and Portugalia Airlines.