Air Lease Corporation: Steven Udvar-Hazy

How I Built This · 4 Sept 2023 · 1h 06m

What this episode covers

Steven Udvar-Hazy, founder of Air Lease Corporation, recounts his journey from fleeing communist Hungary to becoming a billionaire in aircraft leasing. He details his early career as a young airline consultant, the failure of his first airline Astro Air, and the pivotal realization that leasing offered more stable returns than operations. Udvar-Hazy explains how he built International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), navigated its acquisition by AIG, and subsequently founded Air Lease Corporation after the 2008 financial crisis impacted his previous venture.

Mentioned

Companies
Air Lease Corporation, International Lease Finance Corporation, AIG, Astro Air, Boeing, Pacific Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air New Zealand, Hughes Air West, Aeromexico, United California Bank, Britannia Airways, North Canada Air, E.F. Hutton, Solomon Brothers, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
Products
Douglas DC-8, Boeing 737, Boeing 747-400, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

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