CDB Aviation seeks growth as it confirms Boeing order

China's CDB Aviation Lease Finance may place further jet orders and make selective acquisitions as it expands globally after going public with an order for 30 Boeing airliners. Confirming a Reuters report, the Dublin-based arm of China Development Bank identified itself as the buyer for 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. It was the first such announcement since leasing veteran Peter Chang became CE in December with a remit to expand. "Our model is very clear: we will become a global leasing platform, which means international, including non-Chinese and Chinese (activities)," Chang said. It comes as Boeing and Airbus face a slowdown in the aerospace business cycle. Several airlines are talking of postponing taking jets due to economic concerns. "To a certain extent it has already started, and it is good for us as a long-term player. It could very well mean that it is an opportunity for us to place another order," Chang said. "We do not want to be aggressively big for the sake of it, but we are aggressive and we are going to grow," he added. "We will be looking at $3 billion to $4 billion a year growth ... not to the point of being too risky, but we will have a basic skyline (sequence of deliveries) from manufacturers and we will have a healthy order book," he said. "And on top of it we will have a small budget for pop-ups, and that is flexible," he added, using a term for aircraft that become available when original buyers retreat.<br/>