Dragon Aviation Leasing: Delivery of the first A320 aircraft assembled at Airbus Final Assembly Line China

23rd June, 2009 – Today the first A320 aircraft assembled at Airbus Final Assembly Line China (FALC) in Tianjin was handed over by Airbus President and CEO, Tom Enders, to the Chairman of Dragon Aviation Leasing, Li Hai. The aircraft will be leased to and operated by Sichuan Airlines.

“Airbus aircraft are very valuable assets for aircraft operating leasing companies. As a first China-based operating lease company, Dragon Aviation Leasing is proud to take delivery of the first Airbus aircraft assembled in China,” said Li Hai, Chairman of Dragon Aviation Leasing.

“Sichuan Airlines was the first Chinese airline to introduce the A320 Family aircraft in China in 1995. Today, we are proud to become the operator of the first A320 assembled in China. We believe that the Airbus aircraft further enhances our profitability and competitiveness with low operational costs and high reliability,“ said Lan Xinguo, President of Sichuan Airlines.

At arrival in Chengdu after the ferry flight Jean-Louis Chevrot, CEO of Dragon Aviation declared: "this is a great event for China and for Dragon Aviation Leasing. We are grateful for the support of our shareholders CAS, Calyon and AerCap who took the decision to put equity in this first China assembled A320.

“The Export and Import Bank of China, a strategic long term partner to Dragon Aviation Leasing, has been providing the financing for the purchase of the aircraft. The Export and Import Bank of China is actually supporting the aviation industry and has been providing already the predelivery financing for this aircraft, and will finance the next aircraft to be delivered to Dragon.

“All the participants to this delivery have been cooperating to make this a success and along our shareholders, with Airbus employees, with our Friends in Sichuan Airlines, with Eximbank of China and its advisors Runming Law office, RichardsButler, we acknowledge work done by our technical and legal advisors AeroConseil and Clifford Chance.

Dragon showed today again the strength of cooperation, and its ability as a pioneering operating lessor to deliver.”