VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

A VIE is an entity that either (i) has insufficient equity to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or (ii) has equity investors who lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. A VIE is consolidated by its primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. If we determine that we have operating power and the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits, we consolidate the VIE as the primary beneficiary, and if not, we do not consolidate.

As of September 30, 2019, we had interests in four VIEs of which we were the primary beneficiary, which are described below, and had no interests in VIEs of which we were not the primary beneficiary. See Note 3 to the fiscal year 2019 Financial Statements for a description of other investments in significant affiliates.

Bristow Aviation Holdings Limited — We own 49% of Bristow Aviation’s common stock and a significant amount of its subordinated debt. Bristow Aviation is incorporated in England and, through its subsidiaries, holds all the outstanding shares in Bristow Helicopters. Bristow Aviation’s subsidiaries provide industrial aviation services to customers primarily in the U.K., Norway, Australia, Nigeria and Trinidad and fixed wing services primarily in the U.K. and Australia. Bristow Aviation is organized with three different classes of ordinary shares having disproportionate voting rights. The Company, Caledonia Investments plc (“Caledonia”) and a European Union investor (the “E.U. Investor”) owned 49%, 46% and 5%, respectively, of Bristow Aviation’s total outstanding ordinary shares, although Caledonia had voting control over the E.U. Investor’s shares.

In addition to our ownership of 49% of Bristow Aviation’s outstanding ordinary shares, in May 2004, we acquired eight million shares of deferred stock, essentially a subordinated class of stock with no voting rights, from Bristow Aviation for £1 per share ($14.4 million in total). We also have £91.0 million ($112.1 million) principal amount of subordinated unsecured loan stock (debt) of Bristow Aviation bearing interest at an annual rate of 13.5% and payable semi-annually. Payment of interest on such debt has been deferred since its incurrence in 1996. Deferred interest accrues at an annual rate of 13.5% and aggregated $2.7 billion as of September 30, 2019.

Our operations in the U.K. are subject to the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and other similar English and E.U. statutes and regulations. We carry persons and property in our aircraft pursuant to an operating license issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (the “CAA”). The holder of an operating license must meet the ownership and control requirements of Council Regulation 2407/92. To operate under this license, the company through which we conduct operations in the U.K., Bristow Helicopters, must be owned directly or through majority ownership by E.U. nationals, and must at all times be effectively controlled by them. Our ownership of 49% of the ordinary shares of Bristow Aviation, the entity that owns Bristow Helicopters, is to comply with these restrictions. Caledonia, the Company and the E.U. Investor also entered into a put/call agreement under which, upon giving specified prior notice, we had the right to buy all the Bristow Aviation shares held by Caledonia and the E.U. Investor, who, in turn, each had the right to require us to purchase such shares. As discussed above, under current English law, we would be required, in order for Bristow Aviation to retain its operating license, to find a qualified E.U. investor to own any Bristow Aviation shares we have the right to acquire under the put/call agreement. In addition, the put/call agreement limits our ability to exercise the put/call option through a requirement to consult with the CAA in the U.K. regarding the suitability of the new holder of the Bristow Aviation shares. The put/call agreement does not contain any provisions should the CAA not approve the new E.U. investor. However, we would work diligently to find an E.U. investor suitable to the CAA. The amount by which we could purchase the shares of the other investors holding 51% of the equity of Bristow Aviation is fixed under the terms of the call option, and we have reflected this amount on our condensed consolidated balance sheets as noncontrolling interest. On March 14, 2019, the E.U. Investor provided notice of his intent to exercise his right to require us or a qualified E.U. investor to purchase his Bristow Aviation shares for £100,000. In addition, on April 29, 2019, Caledonia provided notice of its intent to exercise its right to require us or a qualified E.U. investor to purchase its Bristow Aviation shares for £920,000, under our put/call agreement with this stockholder. As a result, in September 2019 and October 2019, 5% and 46%, respectively, of such shares were purchased by Impigra Aviation Holdings Limited (“Impigra”), a qualified E.U. investor, with proceeds from two loans received from Bristow Holdings Company Ltd. III (“BHC III”), a Bristow subsidiary. Impigra, is a British company owned 100% by U.K. Bristow employees and now owns 51% of the ordinary shares of Bristow Aviation. There was no material change to the Bristow Aviation shareholders’ agreement or the put/call agreement which Impigra is now a party to. Impigra is also a VIE that we consolidate as the primary beneficiary and we eliminate the loans discussed above in consolidation. Brexit is anticipated to require a qualified U.K. investor rather than a qualified E.U. investor. Impigra is expected to meet the requirements to satisfy a qualified U.K. investor requirement.

Furthermore, the call option provides a mechanism whereby the economic risk for the other investor is limited should the financial condition of Bristow Aviation deteriorate. The call option price is the nominal value of the ordinary shares held by the noncontrolling shareholder (£1.0 million as of September 30, 2019) plus an annual guaranteed rate of return less any prepayments of such call option price and any dividends paid on the shares concerned. We can elect to pre-pay the guaranteed return element of the call option price wholly or in part without exercising the call option. No dividends have been paid by Bristow Aviation. We have accrued the annual return due to the other shareholder at a rate of sterling LIBOR plus 3% by recognizing noncontrolling interest expense on our condensed consolidated statements of operations, with a corresponding increase in noncontrolling interest on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Prepayments of the guaranteed return element of the call option are reflected as a reduction in noncontrolling interest on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. The other investor has an option to put its shares in Bristow Aviation to us. The put option price is calculated in the same way as the call option price except that the guaranteed rate for the period to April 2004 was 10% per annum. If the put option is exercised, any pre-payments of the call option price are set off against the put option price.

Bristow Aviation and its subsidiaries are exposed to similar operational risks and are therefore monitored and evaluated on a similar basis by management. Accordingly, the financial information reflected on our condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations for Bristow Aviation and subsidiaries is presented in the aggregate, including intercompany amounts with other consolidated entities, as follows (in thousands):



	September 30, 2019		March 31, 2019
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	98,991	$	83,499
Restricted cash	1,939		—
Accounts receivable	304,368		307,864
Inventories	77,856		85,977
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	31,275		36,646
Total current assets	514,429		513,986
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	329		3,087
Property and equipment, net	261,390		281,944
Right-of-use assets	148,492		—
Goodwill	—		18,436
Other assets	164,103		229,902
Total assets	$	1,088,743	$	1,047,355
Liabilities
Accounts payable	$	479,989	$	442,187
Accrued liabilities	94,228		113,905
Accrued interest	2,702,306		2,399,704
Current maturities of long-term debt	77,763		85,287
Total current liabilities	3,354,286		3,041,083
Long-term debt, less current maturities	381,559		384,369
Accrued pension liabilities	18,706		25,726
Other liabilities and deferred credits	3,302		4,810
Deferred taxes	—		37,063
Long-term operating lease liabilities	34,852		—
Total liabilities	$	3,792,705	$	3,493,051



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Revenue	$	276,568		$	311,788		$	571,723		$	643,257
Operating loss	(13,692		)	(38,510		)	(2,412		)	(31,146		)
Net loss	(21,034		)	(115,320		)	(383,882		)	(184,341		)

Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Ltd. — Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Ltd. (“BHNL”) is a joint venture in Nigeria in which Bristow Helicopters owns a 48% interest, a Nigerian company owned 100% by Nigerian employees owns a 50% interest and an employee trust fund owns the remaining 2% interest as of September 30, 2019. BHNL provides industrial aviation services to customers in Nigeria.

In order to be able to bid competitively for our services in the Nigerian market, we were required to identify local citizens to participate in the ownership of entities domiciled in the region. However, these owners do not have extensive knowledge of the aviation industry and have historically deferred to our expertise in the overall management and day-to-day operation of BHNL (including the establishment of operating and capital budgets and strategic decisions regarding the potential expansion of BHNL’s operations). We have also historically provided subordinated financial support to BHNL and will need to continue to do so unless and until BHNL acquires sufficient equity to permit itself to finance its activities without that additional support from us. As we have the power to direct the most significant activities affecting the economic performance and ongoing success of BHNL and hold a variable interest in the entity in the form of our equity investment and working capital infusions, we consolidate BHNL as the primary beneficiary. The employee-owned Nigerian entity referenced above purchased a 19% interest in BHNL in December 2013 with proceeds from a loan received from BGI Aviation Technical Services Nigeria Limited (“BATS”). In July 2014, the employee-owned Nigerian entity purchased an additional 29% interest with proceeds from a loan received from Bristow Helicopters (International) Limited (“BHIL”). In April 2015, Bristow Helicopters purchased an additional 8% interest in BHNL and the employee-owned Nigerian entity purchased an additional 2% interest with proceeds from a loan received from BHIL. Both BATS and BHIL are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Bristow Aviation. The employee-owned Nigerian entity is also a VIE that we consolidate as the primary beneficiary and we eliminate the loans discussed above in consolidation.

BHNL is an indirect subsidiary of Bristow Aviation; therefore, financial information for this entity is included within the amounts for Bristow Aviation and its subsidiaries presented above.

Pan African Airlines (Nigeria) Ltd. — Pan African Airlines (Nigeria) Ltd. (“PAAN”) is a joint venture in Nigeria with local partners in which we own a 50.17% interest. PAAN provides industrial aviation services to customers in Nigeria.

The activities that most significantly impact PAAN’s economic performance relate to the day-to-day operation of PAAN, setting the operating and capital budgets and strategic decisions regarding the potential expansion of PAAN’s operations. Throughout the history of PAAN, our representation on the board and our secondment to PAAN of its managing director has enabled us to direct the key operational decisions of PAAN (without objection from the other board members). We have also historically provided subordinated financial support to PAAN. As we have the power to direct the most significant activities affecting the economic performance and ongoing success of PAAN and hold a variable interest in the form of our equity investment and working capital infusions, we consolidate PAAN as the primary beneficiary. However, as long as we own a majority interest in PAAN, the separate presentation of financial information in a tabular format for PAAN is not required.