LuminArx Capital Management and SkyWorks Holdings Launch SkyLight Aero Finance, a $1 Billion Aviation Lending Platform
LuminArx Capital Management (“LuminArx”) has announced a strategic lending partnership with SkyWorks Holdings, LLC (“SkyWorks”) to launch SkyLight Aero Finance Holdings DAC (“SkyLight”), a newly formed platform designed to deliver secured debt solutions to the global commercial aviation market. The partnership marks a significant expansion of both firms’ capabilities, bringing together deep aviation expertise and institutional capital to address growing demand for flexible, asset-backed financing across the airline and aircraft leasing ecosystem.
SkyLight has been established as a dedicated aviation finance platform that will initially seek to underwrite up to $1 billion in loans and finance leases, secured primarily by commercial aircraft and aircraft engines. The platform is structured to support airlines, aircraft lessors, and aviation investors with tailored financing solutions across different phases of the market cycle, while maintaining a disciplined credit approach and a strong focus on asset quality and risk management.
Responding to a Changing Aviation Finance Landscape
The launch of SkyLight comes at a pivotal moment for the global aviation industry. Following years of volatility driven by the pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainty, airlines and lessors are navigating a market characterized by rising aircraft demand, constrained OEM production capacity, and evolving capital requirements. As traditional sources of financing become more selective, the need for specialized, asset-backed lending solutions has intensified.
SkyLight is positioned to fill this gap by offering secured debt products that provide borrowers with flexibility while preserving strong collateral protection for investors. By focusing on commercial aircraft and engines—assets with long operational lives and established secondary markets—the platform aims to balance downside protection with attractive risk-adjusted returns.
The partnership also reflects a broader trend within aviation finance, where alternative capital providers are playing an increasingly important role alongside banks and export credit agencies. SkyLight’s model is designed to complement existing funding sources, providing airlines and lessors with additional options to optimize their capital structures.
Combining Aviation Expertise with Flexible Capital
A core strength of SkyLight lies in the complementary capabilities of its founding partners. SkyWorks Holdings brings decades of experience across airline advisory, aircraft asset management, technical services, and capital markets execution. The firm has built a strong reputation for supporting airlines and lessors throughout the aircraft lifecycle, from acquisition and financing to fleet optimization and remarketing.
LuminArx Capital Management, meanwhile, contributes deep expertise in structuring flexible and creative capital solutions across asset-backed and specialty finance strategies. Known for its disciplined investment approach, LuminArx focuses on downside protection, rigorous underwriting, and scalable platforms that can perform across market cycles.
Together, the two firms have designed SkyLight as a purpose-built aviation lending platform that combines technical asset knowledge with institutional-grade credit processes. This integrated approach allows SkyLight to evaluate not only the financial strength of borrowers, but also the underlying value, liquidity, and long-term performance of the aircraft and engines securing each transaction.
A New Financing Product for Airlines and Lessors
For SkyWorks, the launch of SkyLight represents a strategic extension of its long-standing client offering. By adding secured debt and finance lease solutions to its suite of services, SkyWorks can now support airline and lessor clients across an even broader range of financing needs.
Jeff Craine, Chief Financial Officer of SkyWorks, highlighted the strategic rationale behind the platform, noting that SkyLight builds directly on the firm’s existing strengths.
The launch of SkyLight represents a natural complement to SkyWorks’ long-standing business supporting our airline and lessor clients, leveraging our deep expertise in aircraft asset management, capital markets, and financial structuring,” Craine said. “Given the strong and sustained demand for flexible, asset-based financing solutions, SkyLight is well positioned to deploy capital prudently and deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns.
Craine added that the long-term objective is to build a durable and scalable lending platform capable of supporting the evolving needs of aviation stakeholders worldwide.
Our goal is to create a platform that can perform across market cycles—one that provides reliable capital to airlines and lessors while delivering consistent value to investors,” he said.
Disciplined Credit Approach and Scalable Growth
SkyLight’s initial mandate to underwrite up to $1 billion in loans and finance leases reflects both ambition and discipline. The platform will focus on carefully selected transactions, emphasizing strong collateral, conservative loan-to-value ratios, and thorough technical and financial due diligence.
Aircraft engines, in particular, are expected to play an important role within the portfolio. As high-value, mobile assets with robust aftermarket demand, engines offer lenders enhanced security and flexibility in stressed scenarios. SkyLight’s access to SkyWorks’ technical and asset management expertise enables detailed assessments of maintenance status, lease terms, and remarketing potential—critical factors in aviation lending.
Over time, the platform is expected to scale in line with market opportunities, potentially expanding its investor base and product offerings while maintaining its core focus on secured, asset-backed structures.
Meeting Global Demand for Aviation Financing
The global scope of SkyLight’s mandate reflects the increasingly international nature of aviation finance. Airlines and lessors across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and emerging markets face diverse financing challenges, shaped by local regulatory environments, fleet strategies, and traffic growth patterns.
SkyLight aims to support clients worldwide, leveraging SkyWorks’ established global relationships and LuminArx’s experience in structuring cross-border investments. By providing financing solutions that are adaptable to different jurisdictions and operational contexts, the platform seeks to become a trusted partner for aviation stakeholders navigating a complex and dynamic market.
Sanjeev Mordani, Partner at LuminArx, emphasized the strength of the collaboration and the opportunity set ahead.
We are pleased to partner with SkyWorks in establishing SkyLight,” Mordani said. “The platform combines differentiated aviation expertise with a disciplined credit approach, and we believe it is well positioned to pursue compelling opportunities in aircraft- and engine-based lending.
He added that the partnership is focused on building long-term value rather than pursuing short-term volume.
We look forward to working together with SkyWorks to build a scalable platform that provides creative and flexible financing solutions to airlines and lessors globally, while maintaining a strong focus on risk management and capital preservation,” Mordani said.
Positioned for Long-Term Industry Trends
Looking ahead, SkyLight is designed to align with several long-term trends shaping the aviation sector. These include continued growth in global air travel demand, fleet renewal driven by fuel efficiency and sustainability goals, and increasing reliance on capital markets and alternative lenders to fund aircraft acquisitions.
As airlines invest in next-generation aircraft and manage aging fleets, demand for secured financing tied to high-quality assets is expected to remain strong. At the same time, investors continue to seek exposure to aviation assets through structured, risk-mitigated vehicles that offer predictable cash flows.
By combining industry expertise, disciplined underwriting, and flexible capital, SkyLight aims to serve as a bridge between these two constituencies—providing airlines and lessors with reliable financing while offering investors access to the resilient fundamentals of commercial aviation.
Building a Durable Aviation Finance Platform
Ultimately, the launch of SkyLight Aero Finance represents more than just a new lending vehicle. It reflects a shared vision between LuminArx and SkyWorks to build a durable, cycle-tested aviation finance platform capable of adapting to market shifts and supporting the industry through both expansion and contraction.
With an initial capacity of up to $1 billion, a clear focus on secured assets, and a leadership team deeply embedded in the aviation ecosystem, SkyLight enters the market well positioned to play a meaningful role in the next phase of global aviation finance.
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