Equipment Held for Lease (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 region	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	$ 94,591,000	$ 104,663,000	$ 102,133,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	21,845,000	33,643,000	36,335,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	961,459,000	981,505,000	998,001,000
Number of geographic regions in which aircraft lessees are domiciled in	8
Minimum future payments under non-cancelable leases
2013	56,492,000
2014	38,655,000
2015	30,436,000
2016	23,172,000
2017	14,620,000
Thereafter	18,133,000
Minimum future payments	181,508,000
Month-to-month leases
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	149,585,000	151,828,000
Leases expiring 2012
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease		301,385,000
Leases expiring 2013
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	339,598,000	84,393,000
Leases expiring 2014
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	76,485,000	49,149,000
Leases expiring 2015
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	43,243,000	36,571,000
Leases expiring 2016
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	79,600,000	75,510,000
Leases expiring 2017
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	58,583,000
Leases expiring thereafter
Equipment Held for Lease
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	96,138,000	138,986,000
United States
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	11,693,000	20,790,000	22,662,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	5,875,000	9,663,000	11,371,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	68,845,000	128,989,000	170,742,000
Mexico
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	6,075,000	6,806,000	6,367,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	2,472,000	3,609,000	3,686,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	59,694,000	66,317,000	59,869,000
Canada
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	5,206,000	3,183,000	1,662,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	3,015,000	1,731,000	957,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	17,658,000	30,987,000	14,786,000
Europe
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	35,001,000	38,626,000	32,604,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	11,162,000	13,844,000	13,313,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	299,505,000	305,154,000	345,256,000
South America
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	9,196,000	9,818,000	14,380,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	4,482,000	5,266,000	6,812,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	87,660,000	86,301,000	84,238,000
Asia
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	18,585,000	18,635,000	18,413,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	6,212,000	7,162,000	7,014,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	229,946,000	159,022,000	180,936,000
Africa
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	2,307,000	2,084,000	432,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	746,000	1,180,000	246,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	5,280,000	11,844,000	12,268,000
Middle East
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue	6,528,000	4,721,000	5,613,000
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	3,011,000	1,727,000	2,859,000
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	74,644,000	49,208,000	46,791,000
Off-lease and other
Equipment Held for Lease
Lease rent revenue less applicable depreciation and interest	(15,130,000)	(10,539,000)	(9,923,000)
Net book value of equipment held for operating lease	118,227,000	143,683,000	83,115,000
Equipment held for lease | Aircraft engines and related equipment
Equipment Held for Lease
Number of equipments held for lease	184	194
Cost of equipments held for lease	1,156,700,000	1,171,400,000
Equipment held for lease | Spare parts packages
Equipment Held for Lease
Number of equipments held for lease	4	3
Cost of equipments held for lease	5,900,000	5,100,000
Equipment held for lease | Aircrafts
Equipment Held for Lease
Number of equipments held for lease	7	13
Cost of equipments held for lease	$ 37,200,000	$ 30,700,000