GE Vernova Settles Vineyard Wind Dispute as GE Aerospace Buys Consolidated Precision Products

Willis Lease Finance Corp. is adding 13 aircraft engines and 12 commercial aircraft to its aviation asset holdings through a recently concluded transaction. CEO Austin C. Willis said the acquisitions offer a compelling opportunity to allocate capital toward assets that resonate with existing operations, building on the company's core strengths in aircraft and engine leasing. The additions expand the company's leasing and aftermarket revenue opportunities, though results will depend on utilization, lease economics, maintenance costs, and residual values. The deal follows a second quarter in which lease rent revenue grew 6.7% but total revenue slipped 0.8% to $194 million, dragged by a 30.2% drop in spare parts and equipment sales to $21.2 million and a 67.6% decline in interest revenue. Net income attributable to common shareholders fell 51.2% to $28.7 million and diluted EPS dropped from $2.81 to $1.31, while debt declined from $2.70 billion to $2.32 billion and the leased engine count fell from 363 to 334 as leased aircraft rose from 20 to 22.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom warned that sustained high jet fuel prices will require adjustments to the carrier's capacity planning, speaking at the annual Morgan Stanley Laguna Conference in California on Sept. 16. Jet fuel averaged $4.53 per gallon for the week ending Sept. 18, a nearly 80% increase from the national average a year ago, driven by the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran at the end of February 2026. American Airlines has already suspended routes at Los Angeles International Airport from cities including Cleveland and Pittsburgh and cancelled several high-profile routes to Middle Eastern cities, and Isom said more cancellations could follow if prices stay at current levels for months. Isom said he still expects American's third-quarter revenue to rise between 16% and 19% when earnings are reported later in October, noting that 30% of the airline's high-fare seats generated 50% of its total revenue in recent months. United Airlines CFO Michael Leskinen and Southwest Airlines CFO Tom Doxey echoed the concerns at the same investor gathering, with Leskinen saying the airline is flying to maximize profitability and free cash generation rather than market share, and Doxey saying trimming capacity is a natural response if fuel stays higher for longer. Consumer Price Index data showed the average flight within the U.S. sold in June, July, and August cost 25% more than during the same months in 2025.

FTAI Aviation Ltd. announced a share repurchase program authorizing the buyback of up to US$500,000,000 of its shares, funded from existing cash and running until the earlier of completion or September 30, 2029. The sizable, cash-funded authorization adds a parallel use of cash alongside the company's asset-light growth push, which centers on off-balance-sheet Strategic Capital vehicles. That catalyst was recently reinforced by a US$2,000,000,000 warehouse financing for the second Strategic Capital vehicle. FTAI Aviation's narrative projects $9.0 billion in revenue and $2.4 billion in earnings by 2029, yielding a $369.00 fair value, while the most bearish analysts assume about US$5.8 billion of revenue and US$1.5 billion of earnings by 2029. Investors weighing the buyback must also consider the core risk of concentrated exposure to legacy engines.