Israel I. Sanchez

Israel I. Sanchez’s primary areas of practice are aviation and aircraft finance, leasing, structured finance, and corporate law. Israel has experience in the structuring, drafting, and negotiation of financing and leasing transactions (including tax-based leveraged and cross border leasing, synthetic and operating leases), workouts, restructuring and bankruptcy matters on behalf of banks, financial institutions, lessors, lessees, owner trustees, guarantors, manufacturers, and purchasers and sellers of equipment (including commercial, regional, corporate and cargo aircraft, aircraft engines and spare parts). He also has particular experience in all aspects of financing and leasing of business jet aircraft and fractional interest ownership programs.

Israel's Practice

Representative Matters

• Representation of the Avianca group airlines in connection with the Chapter 11 fleetwide restructuring of their existing aircraft operating and finance leases, aircraft and engine financings, and negotiation of new aircraft operating leases and engine financings, and assistance with aircraft lease terminations and related returns.
• Representation of the Avianca group airlines in connection with negotiation of predelivery payment financings with various financing and leasing companies including Avolon, BOC Aviation, and Jackson Square Aviation.
• Representation of the Avianca group airlines in connection with the negotiation of Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft family purchase agreements with Airbus S.A.S.
• Representation of Volaris in connection with the negotiation of operating lease transactions with various aircraft and engine lessors including AWAS, BOC Aviation, ILFC, SMBC Aviation Capital, Jackson Square Aviation, CIT, Avolon, Amentum, Macquarie, GE Capital Aviation, and ELFC.
• Representation of Volaris in connection with the negotiation of Airbus A320 aircraft family purchase agreements with Airbus S.A.S.
• Representation of Copa Airlines in connection with the negotiation of transactions for the acquisition and financing of Boeing 737 family aircraft with various aircraft financing parties including Aviation Capital Group, AWAS, SMBC Aviation Capital and GE Capital Aviation Services, PEFCO and Ex-Im Bank.
• Representation of the Avianca group airlines in connection with negotiation of finance transactions (including European export credit agency supported financings) for Airbus A320 family aircraft with various aircraft financing parties including CIT, Avolon, AerCap, GE Capital Aviation and RBS.
• Representation of the Avianca group airlines in connection with European export credit agency supported financings of various ATR 72 family aircraft with HSBC and BNPP.
• Representation of TACA International Airlines, S.A. in connection with Banco Nacional de Desenvovimiento Economico E Social – BNDES supported financings of various Embraer aircraft.
• Representation of the Avianca group airlines in connection with intra-group subleasing of aircraft, and negotiations regarding same with aircraft lessors and financing parties including Air Lease, AirCastle, AerCap, Avolon, Aviation Capital Group, GE Capital Aviation Services and CIT.
• Representation of Aeroflot in connection with Eximbank supported financings of various Boeing 777 family aircraft.
• Representation of Natixis as guaranteed lender in connection with an Ex-Im Bank supported financings of Boeing 777 aircraft.
• Representation of domestic and foreign airlines and leasing companies in negotiations with aircraft manufacturers, engine manufacturers, financial institutions, governments, other airlines and leasing companies.
• Representation of purchasers and operators in connection with the purchase, financing and leasing of corporate aircraft.
• Representation of corporate management in the acquisition and leasing of fractional interests in corporate aircraft.
• Representation of Grupo Taca Holdings in its joint venture with Synergy Aerospace Group (whose holdings included Avianca, SAM and Tampa airlines) to create one of the largest airline groups in Latin America.
• Representation of Grupo Taca Holdings in its sale of an 80% interest in its maintenance subsidiary to ACTS LP, a subsidiary of ACE Aviation Holdings.
• Representation of Taca International Airlines, S.A. and certain affiliates in connection with the establishment of a financing facility secured by credit-card receivables.
• Representation of multinational leasing corporations in repossession proceedings involving bankrupt lessees and beneficiaries.
• Representation of various Latin American financial institutions in connection with asset back loans.