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Milestone Aviation Group Closes Inaugural Helicopter Lease

Dépèche transmise le 7 octobre 2010 par PRNewswire

DUBLIN and COLUMBUS, Ohio, October 7, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

Summary - Milestone has partnered with Omni Taxi Aereo of Brazil to provide 100% lease financing for the addition of 2 new Sikorsky 76C++ (US$23,000,000 at retail prices) - Omni Taxi Aereo, Brazil's second largest helicopter operator by fleet size, is growing rapidly to meet the needs of Petrobras and the Brazilian oil and gas industry

Milestone Aviation Group, the first global specialty finance company focused exclusively on the helicopter and private jet markets, today announced that it has closed its first transaction with Omni Taxi Aereo of Brazil.

Milestone is providing 100% lease financing to Omni to allow the Brazilian operator to add two new Sikorsky 76C++ to their growing fleet. The deal closed in early September. The aircraft are currently undergoing offshore configuration completion at Sikorsky's Coatesville, Pennsylvania completion centre and are scheduled to be delivered within the next 30 days. The aircraft will be used to service a Petrobras contract ferrying workers to offshore oil platforms.

Richard Santulli, Milestone Chairman said, "We are proud to partner with Omni to help them grow and meet the needs of the Brazilian market. Omni is a great operator and we look forward to supporting them for years to come."

"It is important for us to have a financial partner that understands our business," said Rui Almeida, President of Omni Taxi Aereo. "Milestone is made up of former operators who can relate to our circumstances and who understand our needs. They have proven quick and decisive in providing 100% financing to support our growth plans allowing us to meet the needs of our customers."

The deal is the first for Milestone. The company which secured US$500 million of equity this August to provide lease financing to the helicopter and private jet markets is currently in various stages of discussions with helicopter operators and private jet owners in 18 countries on 6 continents. The company plans to announce its next transaction shortly.

Omni Taxi Aereo is Brazil's second largest oil and gas helicopter operator by fleet size with 33 aircraft today and plans to add 7 machines in the next 15 months. The company operates a diverse fleet of AgustaWestland, Bell, Eurocopter and Sikorsky products performing a wide array of services focusing on offshore oil and gas work.

About Milestone Aviation Group

Milestone Aviation Group is the first global aircraft leasing company exclusively focused on helicopters and private jets. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and with operations in Colts Neck, New Jersey and Columbus, Ohio, Milestone's global aircraft leasing platform addresses the needs of a transforming marketplace. Further information is available at .

About Omni Taxi Aereo

Omni Taxi Aereo is part of the Portuguese Omni Aviation Group. The Brazilian Company was founded in 2000 and started operations one year later with a Bell 212 helicopter. Over the past 10 years the company has grown rapidly and diversified its fleet with several different helicopter models dedicated to the oil & gas industry. Omni is fully certified in Quality, Health, Environment and Social Responsibility to international norms and has maintained a perfect safety record since incorporation. Further information is available at .

Media Contacts: For Milestone: Grainne Daly: (+353)-1-4773123 or Lisa Johnson: (+1)-614-233-2302

CONTACT: For Milestone: Grainne Daly: (+353) 1-4773123 or Lisa Johnson:+1-614-233-2302