Aircraft Leasing and Financing

Dr. Guzhva is a Professor of Finance in the College of Business of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he teaches Aviation Finance courses. He holds a BS in Aeronautical Engineering, MS in Military Science, MBA in Aviation, and Ph.D. in Finance. He has logged more than 5,000 flight hours as a military and corporate pilot. His work appeared in various peer-reviewed journals, and his research related to the United States' airlines' losses following September 11, 2001, and the financial health of United States general aviation airports was widely discussed in the national business and aerospace press. His applied research and consulting projects included industry assessments and market analyses for major aircraft manufacturers, benefit-cost analyses of Operational Improvements for NextGen Air Transport Management systems, assessments of major investments in aviation infrastructure, and others. His current research interests include analysis of airline bankruptcies, aviation data monetization strategies, and investment performance of Aircraft ABS and EETCs. Dr. Raghavan is a Professor of Finance, a Fulbright Scholar, and an ISTAT U program coordinator at the College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He received his Ph.D. from Washington State University and is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) with an aircraft specialty designation. His research interests include aircraft finance and leasing, international aviation finance, fuel price hedging, exchange rate modeling, financial distress and bankruptcy, functioning of financial markets in developing countries, and theoretical application of finance to the airline industry. He has published in various journals, including Elsevier's Journal of Air Transportation Management. He has authored two case study books in aviation finance. He has served as a consultant to the Reserve Bank of India. Dr. Raghavan has international teaching and research experience in the United States, Canada, China, India, and the Middle East. As part of his Fulbright grant, he researched innovative aircraft financing methods used by Middle Eastern Airlines. Damon J. D'Agostino is a Co-Founder and the President and CEO of Zephyrus Aviation Capital, a leasing platform focusing on young to mid-life aircraft. He previously spent the majority of his career at CIT Aerospace, one of the world's leading aircraft-leasing companies. His last role at CIT was chief commercial officer, where he was responsible for all aspects of' CIT's commercial strategy and execution, including aircraft sale and lease transactions, airline relationship management, contract negotiation, restructurings, and new aircraft and engine acquisitions. Prior to that role, he served as chief sales officer. D'Agostino is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance. He also received an MBA in international business from the University of Miami, where he was summa cum laude and valedictorian of his graduating class.