shares at a gain, or who receives or is deemed to receive certain distributions with respect to our shares, generally will be required to treat such gain or distributions as ordinary income and pay an interest charge on the tax imposed. Certain elections may be used to reduce or eliminate the adverse impact of the PFIC rules for holders of our shares (‘‘QEF elections’’ and ‘‘mark-to-market’’ elections), but these elections may accelerate the recognition of taxable income and may result in the recognition of ordinary income in excess of amounts distributed to you. Although we have estimated that if you make a QEF election the taxable income allocated to you initially will be less than projected distributions, if we do not acquire additional aircraft generating sufficient depreciation deductions for U.S. tax purposes, your share of the taxable income will likely exceed cash distributions at some point in the future. In addition, because we will be a PFIC, our distributions will not qualify for the reduced rate of U.S. federal income tax that applies to qualified dividends paid to non-corporate U.S. taxpayers. The PFIC rules are extremely complex, and prospective U.S. investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the potential consequences to them of our being classified as a PFIC. See ‘‘Taxation Considerations — U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Taxation of U.S. Holders of Shares.’’

We may fail to qualify for tax treaty benefits, U.S. statutory tax exemptions and withholding tax exemptions which would reduce our net income and cash flow by the amount of the applicable tax.

Special U.S. tax rules apply to U.S. source transportation income. U.S. source rental income that is not connected with a U.S. trade or business may be subject to 30% withholding tax or, alternatively, could be subject to a 4% gross transportation tax. U.S. source transportation income connected to a U.S. trade or business may be taxable in the United States on a net income basis. In order for us to be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation on each category of U.S. source transportation income, we and our Irish tax resident subsidiaries must qualify for benefits of the Irish Treaty and must not maintain a ‘‘permanent establishment’’ within the United States. Qualification for Irish Treaty benefits depends on many factors, including that at least 50% of the vote and value of our Irish tax resident subsidiaries continues to be held by us and that our principal class of shares be substantially and regularly traded on one or more recognized stock exchanges. We may not satisfy all the requirements of the Irish Treaty and thereby may not qualify each year for the benefits of the Irish Treaty. Similarly, whether or not we or any of our Irish tax resident subsidiaries maintain a permanent establishment within the United States depends on a number of factors, and there can be no assurance that we or one of our Irish subsidiaries will not be treated as having a permanent establishment. Failure to so qualify or the maintenance of a permanent establishment within the United States could result in the income attributable to aircraft used for flights to, from or within the United States being subject to U.S. federal income taxation. The imposition of such taxes would adversely affect our business and would result in decreased cash available for distribution to our shareholders. See ‘‘Taxation Considerations — U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Taxation of B&B Air and Our Subsidiaries.’’

In addition, the Irish tax residency of B&B Air Funding entitles certain of our lessees to avail themselves of certain double taxation treaty benefits in respect of withholding taxes. If B&B Air Funding fails to qualify for Irish tax residency, lessees may be required to deduct withholding taxes from rent payments and our net income and cash flows may be reduced, as such additional taxes may be excluded from applicable lessee tax indemnity provisions.

We may become subject to income or other taxes in the jurisdictions in which our aircraft operate, where our lessees are located or where we perform certain services which would adversely affect our business and result in decreased cash available for distributions to shareholders.

We and our Irish tax resident subsidiaries will be subject to the income tax laws of Ireland. In addition, we may be subject to income or other taxes in other jurisdictions by reason of our activities and operations or those of our service providers, where our aircraft operate or where the lessees of our aircraft (or others in possession of our aircraft) are located. The imposition of such taxes would adversely affect our business and would result in decreased earnings available for distribution to our shareholders.

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