13D Filing: Marubeni Corp’s Stake in Aircastle Ltd (AYR) Flies to 27.50%

Aircastle Limited (NYSE:AYR) is the subject of a new 13D filing issued by Marubeni Corporation, which details that the latter purchased 374,763 shares of the former between February 18 and February 22, lifting its holding of the company’s stock to 21.61 million shares, 27.50% of the outstanding shares of the aircraft lessor. The transactions were carried out through a Stock Purchase Plan between Marubeni Aviation Holding Coöperatief U.A. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. You can see the details of the filing and the latest ownership information below.

You can access the original SEC filing by clicking here.

Ownership Summary Table

Name Sole Voting Power Shared Voting Power Sole Dispositive Power Shared Dispositive Power Aggregate Amount Owned Power Percent of Class
Marubeni Corporation 0 21,605,347 0 21,605,347 21,605,347 27.50%
Marubeni Aviation Corporation 0 21,605,347 0 21,605,347 21,605,347 27.50%
Marubeni Aviation Holding Co peratief U.A 0 21,605,347 0 21,605,347 21,605,347 27.50%

Page 1 of 6 SEC Filing

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 17)

AIRCASTLE
LIMITED

(Name of Issuer)

Common Shares, par value $0.01 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

G0129K104

(CUSIP Number)

Marubeni Corporation

4-2 Ohtemachi 1-Chome

Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, 100-8088 Japan

Attention: General Manager

Telephone: 81 3 3282 7398

(Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive notices and communications on behalf of filing persons)

February 22, 2016

(Date of event which requires filing of this statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D,
and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box.  ¨

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Page 2 of 6 SEC Filing


CUSIP No. G0129K104
  1. 

NAME OF
REPORTING PERSONS

Marubeni Corporation

  2.

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER
OF A GROUP

(a)  ¨        (b)  ¨

  3.

SEC USE ONLY

  4.

SOURCE OF FUNDS

    WC

  5.

CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)    ¨

  6.

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF
ORGANIZATION

    Japan

NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH:

  7. 

SOLE VOTING POWER

    0

  8.

SHARED VOTING POWER

    21,605,347

  9.

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

    0

10.

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

    21,605,347

11.

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

    21,605,347

12.

CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW
(11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES    ¨

13.

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT
IN ROW (11)

    27.50%*

14.

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    CO

– 2 –

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Page 3 of 6 SEC Filing


CUSIP No. G0129K104
  1. 

NAME OF
REPORTING PERSONS

Marubeni Aviation Corporation

  2.

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER
OF A GROUP

(a)  ¨        (b)  ¨

  3.

SEC USE ONLY

  4.

SOURCE OF FUNDS

    AF

  5.

CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)    ¨

  6.

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF
ORGANIZATION

    Japan

NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH:

  7. 

SOLE VOTING POWER

    0

  8.

SHARED VOTING POWER

    21,605,347

  9.

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

    0

10.

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

    21,605,347

11.

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

    21,605,347

12.

CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW
(11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES    ¨

13.

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT
IN ROW (11)

    27.50%*

14.

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    CO

– 3 –

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Page 4 of 6 SEC Filing


CUSIP No. G0129K104
  1. 

NAME OF
REPORTING PERSONS

Marubeni Aviation Holding Coöperatief U.A.

  2.

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER
OF A GROUP

(a)  ¨        (b)  ¨

  3.

SEC USE ONLY

  4.

SOURCE OF FUNDS

    AF

  5.

CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)    ¨

  6.

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF
ORGANIZATION

    The Netherlands

NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH:

  7. 

SOLE VOTING POWER

    0

  8.

SHARED VOTING POWER

    21,605,347

  9.

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

    0

10.

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

    21,605,347

11.

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

    21,605,347

12.

CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW
(11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES    ¨

13.

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT
IN ROW (11)

    27.50%*

14.

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    CO

* Based on the 78,564,901 Common Shares that the Issuer reported as issued and outstanding as of February 5, 2016 in the Issuers Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 11, 2016.

– 4 –

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Page 5 of 6 SEC Filing


Explanatory Statement

This Amendment No. 17 (Amendment No. 17) amends and supplements the statement on Schedule 13D filed by Marubeni Corporation
(Marubeni) on June 17, 2013, as amended by Amendments Nos. 1 through 16 filed jointly by Marubeni, Marubeni Aviation Corporation (MAC) and Marubeni Aviation Holding Coöperatief U.A. (MHC and together with
Marubeni and MAC, the Reporting Persons). The Schedule 13D, as so amended (the Schedule 13D), relates to the common shares, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Shares), of Aircastle Limited, a Bermuda exempted
company (the Issuer). Unless otherwise indicated, each capitalized term used but not defined herein has the meaning assigned to such term in the Schedule 13D.

This Amendment No. 17 is being filed jointly by the Reporting Persons.

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer

Item 5 is hereby supplemented by the addition of
the following:

From February 18, 2016 through February 22, 2016, MHC purchased an aggregate of 374,763 Common Shares pursuant to the
Stock Purchase Plan between Marubeni Aviation Holding Coöperatief U.A. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., dated February 17, 2016 (the 2016 Purchase Plan). Details of these purchases are set forth on Exhibit 7.19 and are
incorporated herein by reference. After giving effect to these purchases, MHC owns an aggregate of 21,605,347 Common Shares. Based on the 78,564,901 Common Shares reported to be outstanding in the Issuers Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 11, 2016, the number of Common Shares beneficially owned by the Reporting Persons as of February 22, 2016 represents approximately 27.50% of the Common Shares outstanding.

Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer

Item 6 is hereby supplemented by the addition of the following:

On February 22, 2016, the 2016 Purchase Plan automatically terminated by its terms as a result of the completion of the maximum permitted
purchase amount as set forth in the 2016 Purchase Plan. The termination was required under the terms of the 2016 Purchase Plan and occurred solely because the automatic termination provision was triggered.

Item 7. Material To Be Filed as Exhibits.

Item 7 is hereby amended to add the following:

Exhibit
Number
Description of Exhibit
Exhibit 7.19 Purchases of Common Shares.

– 5 –

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Page 6 of 6 SEC Filing


SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.

Dated: February 23, 2016
MARUBENI CORPORATION
By: /s/ Akira Kotaki
Name: Akira Kotaki
Title: General Manager, Aerospace & Defense Systems Dept.
MARUBENI AVIATION CORPORATION
By: /s/ Akira Kotaki
Name: Akira Kotaki
Title: Director
MARUBENI AVIATION HOLDING COÖPERATIEF U.A.
By: /s/ Akira Kotaki
Name: Akira Kotaki
Title: Managing Director

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