v3.25.1
Variable Interest Entities
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Dec. 31, 2024
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]    
Variable Interest Entities
6.
Variable Interest Entities

As part of the organizational structure, the Company has established numerous single-asset LLC entities (“SAEs”) each for the primary purpose of holding a single identifiable asset, individual planes / aircraft and leasing the asset to the Company through its wholly-owned subsidiaries. There are SAEs in which the Company has less than 100% equity interest (generally 50% or less) (“SAEs with Equity”). There are also SAEs in which the Company holds zero equity interests. Generally, in these instances, the Company initially acquired the aircraft, contributed the aircraft to the SAE, and subsequently sold 100% of the equity interests in the SAE and leased the aircraft back from the third-party in a sale-leaseback structured transaction (“SAEs without Equity”). The Company also has a 50% noncontrolling ownership interest in an entity that operates an aircraft paint facility (“paint entity”).

Management analyzes the Company’s variable interests including loans, guarantees, and equity investments, to determine if the Company has any variable interests in these entities. This analysis includes both qualitative and quantitative reviews. Qualitative analysis is based on an evaluation of the design and primary risk of these entities, their organizational structures including decision making abilities, and financial and contractual agreements. Quantitative analysis is based on these entities’ equity interests and investment. The Company determined it has variable interests in the paint entity and SAEs with Equity as a result of its equity interest in these entities. For those SAEs without Equity in which the Company has a (a) lease agreement for the aircraft which is the primary asset of these entities (the “lessor SAEs without Equity”), and (b) either (i) has a call option and/or (ii) a lessor put option for a fixed purchase price, it is determined that the Company has variable interests in the lessor SAEs without Equity.

The Company then determines whether the entities that the Company has variable interests in are VIEs. ASC Topic 810, Consolidation, defines a VIE as an entity that either (i) lacks sufficient equity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties; or (ii) whose equity holders, as a group, lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. Paint entity, SAEs with Equity, and lessor SAEs without Equity are VIEs as they met at least one of the criteria above.

A VIE is consolidated by its primary beneficiary, which is defined as the party who has a controlling financial interest in the VIE through (a) power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly affect the VIE’s economic performance, and (b) obligation to absorb losses or right to receive benefits of the VIE that could be significant to the VIE.

The Company uses qualitative and quantitative analyses to determine if it is the primary beneficiary of VIEs including evaluation of (a) the purpose and design of the VIE, and (b) activities that most significantly impact economic performance of the VIE. The Company also determines how decisions about significant activities are made in the VIE and the party or parties that make them. The Company determined that it is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs because it acts as manager of the entities’ aircraft or retains control of the entity through terms in the leases, thereby giving it the power to direct activities of the entities that most significantly impact its economic performance. In addition, the Company either (a) has obligations to the losses of the VIEs and the right to receive benefits from the VIEs that could potentially be significant to the entities as a result of its equity interests, or (b) is deemed to have a controlling financial interest in the VIEs due to the other equity holders of these VIEs, as a group, lacking the characteristics of a controlling financial interest.

The Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets (unaudited) include the following assets and liabilities of these VIEs:

 

 

March 31,
2025

 

 

December 31,
2024

 

Cash

 

$

703

 

 

$

737

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

57,904

 

 

 

61,769

 

Long-term notes payable, current portion

 

 

7,636

 

 

 

7,690

 

Long-term notes payable, non-current portion

 

 

26,836

 

 

 

29,619

 

 

The Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss (unaudited) include the following expenses of these VIEs:

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Interest expense

 

$

476

 

 

$

512

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

1,080

 

 

 

1,752

 

 

The assets of the Company’s VIEs are only available to settle the obligations of these entities. Creditors of each of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of the Company.

While the Company has no contractual obligation to do so, it may voluntarily elect to provide the VIEs with additional direct or indirect financial support based on its business objectives. The Company provided financial contributions to the VIEs in the amount of $863 and $157 during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

6.
Variable Interest Entities

As part of the organizational structure, the Company has established numerous single-asset LLC entities (“SAEs”) each for the primary purpose of holding a single identifiable asset, individual planes / aircraft and leasing the asset to the Company through its wholly-owned subsidiaries. There are SAEs in which the Company has less than 100% equity interest (generally 50% or less) (“SAEs with Equity”). There are also SAEs in which the Company holds zero equity interests. Generally, in these instances, the Company initially acquired the aircraft, contributed the aircraft to the SAE, and subsequently sold 100% of the equity interests in the SAE and leased the aircraft back from the third-party in a sale-leaseback structured transaction (“SAEs without Equity”). The Company also has a 50% noncontrolling ownership interest in an entity that operates an aircraft paint facility (“paint entity”).

Management analyzes the Company’s variable interests including loans, guarantees, and equity investments, to determine if the Company has any variable interests in these entities. This analysis includes both qualitative and quantitative reviews. Qualitative analysis is based on an evaluation of the design and primary risk of these entities, their organizational structures including decision making abilities, and financial and contractual agreements. Quantitative analysis is based on these entities’ equity interests and investment. The Company determined it has variable interests in the paint entity and SAEs with Equity as a result of its equity interest in these entities. For those SAEs without Equity that the Company has a (a) lease agreement for the aircraft which is the primary asset of these entities (the “lessor SAEs without Equity”), and (b) either (i) has a call option and/or (ii) a lessor put option for a fixed purchase price, it is determined that the Company has variable interests in the lessor SAEs without Equity.

The Company then determines whether the entities that the Company has variable interests in are VIEs. ASC Topic 810, Consolidation, defines a VIE as an entity that either (i) lacks sufficient equity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties; or (ii) whose equity holders, as a group, lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. Paint entity, SAEs with Equity, and lessor SAEs without Equity are VIEs as they met at least one of the criteria above.

A VIE is consolidated by its primary beneficiary, which is defined as the party who has a controlling financial interest in the VIE through (a) power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly affect the VIE’s economic performance, and (b) obligation to absorb losses or right to receive benefits of the VIE that could be significant to the VIE.

The Company uses qualitative and quantitative analyses to determine if it is the primary beneficiary of VIEs including evaluation of (a) the purpose and design of the VIE, and (b) activities that most significantly impact economic performance of the VIE. The Company also determines how decisions about significant activities are made in the VIE and the party or parties that make them. The Company determined that it is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs because it acts as manager of the entities’ aircraft or retains control of the entity through terms in the leases, thereby giving it the power to direct activities of the entities that most significantly impact its economic performance. In addition, the Company either (a) has obligations to the losses of the VIEs and the right to receive benefits from the VIEs that could potentially be significant to the entities as a result of its equity interests, or (b) is deemed to have a controlling financial interest in the VIEs due to the other equity holders of these VIEs, as a group, lacking the characteristics of a controlling financial interest.

The Company’s consolidated balance sheets include the following assets and liabilities of these VIEs:

 

(in thousands)

 

December 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Cash

$

737

 

805

Property and equipment, net

 

61,769

 

69,815

Long-term notes payable, current portion

 

7,690

 

3,087

Long-term notes payable, non-current portion

 

29,619

 

37,404

 

The Company’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss include the following expenses of these VIEs:

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

(in thousands)

 

2024

 

 

2023

Interest expense

$

1,981

 

$

2,147

Depreciation and amortization

 

6,049

 

 

7,519

 

The assets of the Company’s VIEs are only available to settle the obligations of these entities. Creditors of each of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of the Company.

While the Company has no contractual obligation to do so, it may voluntarily elect to provide the VIEs with additional direct or indirect financial support based on its business objectives. The Company provided financial contributions to the VIEs in the amount of $6,484 and $9,541 during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.