Assets under management and serviced portfolio

Following the acquisition of Sumisho Air Lease in April 2026 by a consortium comprising Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Brookfield Asset Management and Apollo Global Management, SMBC Aviation Capital assumed the role of servicer for the vast majority of the Sumisho Air Lease fleet. This landmark transaction represents one of the most significant and transformational transactions in the aviation leasing industry in recent years. 

Sumisho Air Lease’s strong foundation as an established aircraft lessor, supported by SMBC Aviation Capital’s industry leading capabilities as servicer, creates a platform with the scale and financial strength needed to meet the fast changing and increasingly complex requirements of airline customers. Sumisho Air Lease will also benefit from the deep expertise and long-standing commitment that both Sumitomo Corporation and SMBC Aviation Capital bring to the global aviation leasing sector. 

As servicer, SMBC Aviation Capital is responsible for the day-to-day management of the fleet, including lease management, technical oversight and remarketing, ensuring continuity of service for airline customers and maximising returns for the co- investors.

Maple Aircraft Leasing Company ("MACH") is a joint venture between SMBC Aviation Capital and La Caisse, one of Canada's leading institutional investors. With an initial capital commitment of $1.5 billion, MACH was created to acquire and manage a diversified portfolio of commercial aircraft on lease to airlines worldwide. The venture combines SMBC Aviation Capital's industry-leading asset management capabilities and global airline relationships with La Caisse's long-term investment horizon and institutional strength, creating a compelling platform for sustainable growth in aviation asset ownership.

Working closely with our shareholder SMFL (Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing), SMBC Aviation Capital is one of the most active arrangers of Japanese Operating Leases ("JOLs") in the market today. JOL structures offer Japanese investors an attractive combination of accelerated depreciation benefits and exposure to the global aviation sector, and we have developed deep expertise in structuring and managing these transactions on their behalf.

We currently act as lease servicer for over 45 individual JOL investors, managing a portfolio covering more than 75 aircraft leased to airlines around the world. Our dedicated team provides investors with comprehensive asset management services, including lease administration, lessee monitoring, technical management and end-of-lease transition planning.

Building on our JOL capabilities, SMBC Aviation Capital also acts as lease servicer for investors participating in Japanese Operating Lease with Call Option ("JOLCO") structures arranged by our shareholder, SMFL. JOLCOs provide investors with the added flexibility of an option to acquire the underlying aircraft at the end of the lease term, combining the tax-efficient benefits of the JOL structure with potential upside in asset value. Our experienced team ensures seamless management of these investments throughout the lease lifecycle.

The GAEL fund programme was established by SMBC Aviation Capital, in partnership with SMBC Bank, to provide Japanese institutional investors with a structured and accessible route to investing in the commercial aviation leasing sector.

GAEL I launched in 2019, brought together 17 investors to acquire a portfolio of eight commercial aircraft from SMBC Aviation Capital. The fund offered investors stable, long-term cash flows underpinned by aircraft on lease to established airline customers, with SMBC Aviation Capital retained as asset manager to the portfolio.

GAEL II launched in 2025, attracted 14 investors and similarly acquired a portfolio of eight aircraft from SMBC Aviation Capital. Building on the success of the inaugural fund, GAEL II reflects the continued confidence of Japanese institutional investors in both the aviation asset class and in SMBC Aviation Capital's management expertise.

In addition to the named programmes above, SMBC Aviation Capital manages aircraft portfolios on behalf of a number of private and confidential investors. These bespoke mandates are tailored to each investor's specific objectives, whether focused on yield, asset diversification or portfolio scale, and benefit from the same full suite of asset management services we provide across our platform.

Across all of these relationships, SMBC Aviation Capital's ambition is clear: to be the partner of choice for investors seeking exposure to aircraft operating leasing on a global basis. Our combination of scale, technical expertise, airline relationships and financial structuring capability makes us uniquely positioned to deliver for investors at every stage of the aviation cycle.