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Long-Term Debt, Finance Leases, and Other Borrowings
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt, Finance Leases, and Other Borrowings
10.
Long-Term Debt, Finance Leases, and Other Borrowings

Long-term debt as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Senior and subordinated notes payable to secured parties,
   
due in monthly installments, interest based on SOFR
plus interest spread at
2.71%
 through 2027,
   collateralized by the underlying aircraft

 

$

39,018

 

 

$

73,850

 

Notes payable to secured parties, due in semi-annual installments,
interest based on SOFR plus interest spread at
4.75% to 6.25%

   through
2028, collateralized by the underlying aircraft

 

 

108,815

 

 

 

131,010

 

Notes payable to secured parties, due in quarterly installments,
interest based on SOFR plus interest at spread
2.20% to 2.32%
for senior note &
4.50% for subordinated note
 through 2028,
   collateralized by the underlying aircraft

 

 

90,401

 

 

 

106,865

 

Revolving credit facility, quarterly interest based on SOFR plus
interest spread at
4.50%
 through 2028, with incentives for up
   to $
15 million based on achieving certain performance metrics

 

40,630

 

 

 

15,630

 

United Bridge Loan - due in quarterly installments based on SOFR
plus interest spread at
4.50%
 through 2024

 

 

10,500

 

 

 

 

Other obligations due to financial institution, monthly and/or quarterly
interest due from
2022 through 2031,
 collateralized
   by the underlying equipment

 

 

67,637

 

 

 

18,038

 

Notes payable to financial institution, due in monthly installments,
interest based on SOFR plus interest spread at
3.10%
 through
   
2024, collateralized by the underlying equipment

 

 

1,075

 

 

 

26,758

 

Notes payable to financial institution, due in monthly installments, plus
interest spread at
5.00%
 through 2023, secured by flight equipment

 

 

 

 

 

2,000

 

Notes payable to financial institution, due in monthly installments,
interest based on fixed interest of
7.50%, through 2027
,
   collateralized by the underlying equipment

 

 

41,098

 

 

 

36,212

 

Notes payable to financial institution, quarterly interest based
on SOFR plus interest spread at
3.50%
 through 2027

 

 

139,100

 

 

 

204,947

 

Gross long-term debt, including current maturities

 

 

538,274

 

 

 

615,310

 

Less unamortized debt issuance costs

 

 

(5,083

)

 

 

(8,303

)

Less notes payable warrants

 

 

(4,913

)

 

 

(7,272

)

Net long-term debt, including current maturities

 

 

528,278

 

 

 

599,735

 

Less current portion, net of unamortized debt issuance costs

 

 

(163,550

)

 

 

(97,218

)

Net long-term debt

 

$

364,728

 

 

$

502,517

 

 

Principal maturities of long-term debt as of September 30, 2023, and for each of the next five years are as follows (in thousands):

 

Periods Ending June 30,

 

Total Principal

 

2024

 

$

164,807

 

2025

 

 

57,840

 

2026

 

 

199,234

 

2027

 

 

63,672

 

2028

 

 

36,322

 

Thereafter

 

 

16,399

 

 

$

538,274

 

 

The net book value of collateralized aircraft and equipment as of September 30, 2023 was $660.4 million.

EDC Loan and MHIRJ Junior Note

In June 2015, we entered into seven separate credit agreements with EDC and junior noteholder, MHIRJ, to finance seven CRJ-900 aircraft with a maturity date of June 30, 2027. In November 2022, we entered into a letter amendment with EDC which provided for the deferral of a portion of scheduled principal payments on our existing loan, beginning in January 2023 through December 2024. The total amount originally scheduled to be deferred during the deferral period was approximately $14.0 million. The deferral of the scheduled principal payments was originally scheduled to be repaid on the maturity date of June 30, 2027. Additionally, the junior noteholder, MHIRJ, agreed to forgive approximately $5.0 million in principal contingent upon the repayment of $4.2 million in by December 31, 2023.

On May 31, 2023, we entered into an agreement with American (the "American Purchase Agreement") to sell all seven aircraft under the EDC Loan and MHIRJ Junior note to American and eliminate the remaining associated debt. As of September 30, 2023, the sale of three of the EDC aircraft has closed, and approximately $27.2 million of principal was eliminated with proceeds from the sale. A total of $34.6 million of principal between the senior and junior notes was paid off during fiscal year 2023.

As of September 30, 2023, we have $39.0 million outstanding on the EDC Loan and MHIRJ Junior note. Subsequent to September 30, 2023, we closed the sale of the remaining four CRJ-900 aircraft as part of the American Purchase Agreement, and used a portion of the proceeds to retire the EDC Loan and MHIRJ junior note. $0.6 million in proceeds from the sale of each aircraft was repaid to MHIRJ for a total of $4.2 million, and we achieved approximately $5.0 million of forgiveness on the MHIRJ junior note.

Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificate ("EETC")

In December 2015, an Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificate ("EETC") pass-through trust was created to issue pass-through certificates to obtain financing for new E-175 aircraft. $22.2 million in principal payments were made during the year, and as of September 30, 2023, Mesa has $108.8 million of equipment notes outstanding issued under the EETC financing included in long-term debt on the consolidated balance sheets. The structure of the EETC financing consists of a pass-through trust created by Mesa to issue pass-through certificates, which represent fractional undivided interests in the pass-through trust and are not obligations of Mesa.

The proceeds of the issuance of the pass-through certificates were used to purchase equipment notes which were issued by Mesa and secured by its aircraft. The payment obligations under the equipment notes are those of Mesa. Proceeds received from the sale of pass-through certificates were initially held by a depositary in escrow for the benefit of the certificate holders until Mesa issued equipment notes to the trust, which purchased such notes with a portion of the escrowed funds.

Mesa evaluated whether the pass-through trust formed for its EETC financing is a variable interest entity ("VIE") and required to be consolidated. The pass-through trust was determined to be a VIE; however, the Company has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of the pass-through trust, and therefore, has not consolidated the pass-through trust with its financial statements.

United Revolving Credit Facility

On December 27, 2022, in connection with entering into the Amended and Restated United CPA, (i) United agreed to purchase and assume all of First Citizens’ rights and obligations as a lender under the Existing Facility pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption Agreement, (ii) United and CIT Bank agreed to amend the Existing Facility pursuant to an Amendment No. 1, dated December 27, 2022 (“Amendment No. 1”), and an Amendment No. 2, dated January 27, 2023 (“Amendment No. 2”; the Existing Facility as amended by Amendment No. 1 and Amendment No. 2, the "Amended Facility"), and (iii) Wilmington Trust,

National Association agreed to assume all of CIT Bank’s rights and obligations as Administrative Agent pursuant to an Agency Resignation, Appointment and Assumption Agreement, dated as of January 27, 2023. Amendment No. 1, among other things, extends the Maturity Date from the earlier to occur of November 30, 2028, or the date of the termination of the Amended and Restated United CPA; provides for a revolving loan of $10.5 million plus fees and expenses, which is due January 31, 2024, subject to certain mandatory prepayment requirements; provides for Revolving Commitments equal to $30.7 million plus the original principal amount of the $10.5 million revolving loan; amortization of the obligations outstanding under the existing CIT Agreement commencing quarterly until March 31, 2025; and a covenant capping Restricted Payments (as defined in the Amended Facility) at $5.0 million per fiscal year, a consolidated interest and rental coverage ratio of 1.00 to 1.00 covenant, and a Liquidity (as defined in the Amended Facility) requirement of not less than $15.0 million at the close of any business day. Interest assessed under the Amended Facility is 3.50% for Base Rate Loans and 4.50% for Term SOFR Loans (as such terms are defined in the Amended Facility). Amendment No. 2, among other things, amends the definition of Controlled Account (as defined in the Amended Facility). Amounts borrowed under this Amended Facility are secured by a collateral pool consisting of a combination of expendable parts, rotable parts and engines and a pledge of the Company’s stock in certain aviation companies. United funded $25.5 million as of the closing date of Amendment No. 1, to be used for general corporate purposes.

The United line of credit contains an additional deemed prepayment of $15 million with potential forgiveness upon the achievement of a certain number of block hours as well as maintaining a CCF of at least 99.3% over any rolling four-month period from January 2023 through December 2024. In order to earn forgiveness on the deemed prepayment, we must also have repaid the bridge loan in full. As of September 30, 2023, we have achieved $9.0 million in forgiveness. However, as the bridge loan is still outstanding as of September 30, 2023, the forgiveness is not currently recognizable.

On September 6, 2023, the Company amended the existing United Credit Facility to (i) permit the Company to re-draw approximately $7.9 million of the Effective Date Bridge Loan (as defined in the United Credit Facility) previously repaid; (ii) increased the amount of Revolving Commitments (as defined in the United Credit Facility) from $30.7 million to $50.7 million, in each case, plus the original principal amount of the Effective Date Bridge Loan and subject to the Borrowing Base (as defined in the United Credit Facility); and (iii) amended the calculation of the Borrowing Base. Amounts borrowed under this facility bear interest at 3.50% for Base Rate Loans and 4.50% per annum for Term SOFR Loans. Amounts borrowed under the Amended Credit Facility are secured by a collateral pool consisting of a combination of expendable parts, rotable parts and engines, a pledge of certain of the Company’s bank accounts and a pledge of the Company’s stock in certain aviation companies.

On January 11, 2024 and January 19, 2024, we entered into Amendment No. 4 to our Second Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement, Amendment No. 1 to Stock Pledge Agreement and Limited Waiver of Conditions to Credit Extension ("Amendment No. 4") and Waiver and Amendment No. 5 to our Second Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement (collectively, the "January 2024 Credit Agreement Amendments"), respectively. The January 2024 Credit Agreement Amendments provide for the following:

The repayment in full of the Company's $10.5 million Effective Date Bridge Loan obligations, and the prepayment (and corresponding reduction) of approximately $2.1 million in Revolving Loans (as defined therein), with the proceeds from the sale, assignment, or transfer of the Company's vested investment in Heart Aerospace Incorporated.
As a result of the repayment of the Effective Date Bridge Loan and pay down of the Revolving Loans, the shares of capital stock of Archer Aviation, Inc. held by the Company are being released as collateral for the United credit facility, subject to certain conditions.
The waiver of certain financial covenant defaults with respect to the fiscal quarters ended June 30, 2023, September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2023 and the waiver of projected financial covenant defaults with respect to the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2024.
An increase in the Applicable Margin (as defined in the United credit facility) during a specified period of time for borrowings under the Credit Agreement.
Loan prepayment requirements in connection with the sale of four specified aircraft engines and the addition of such engines as collateral for the United credit facility for a specified period of time.

Loan Agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury

On October 30, 2020, the Company entered into a Loan and Guarantee Agreement with U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury”) for a secured loan facility of up to $200.0 million that matures in October 2025 (“the Treasury Loan”). On October 30, 2020, the Company borrowed $43.0 million and on November 13, 2020, the Company borrowed an additional $152.0 million. No further borrowings are available under the Treasury Loan. The Company also issued warrants to purchase shares of common stock to the U.S. Treasury.

The Treasury Loan bears interest at a variable rate equal to (a)(i) the LIBOR rate divided by (ii) one minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage plus (b) 3.50%. Accrued interest on the loans is payable in arrears on the first business day following the 14th day of each March, June, September, and December, beginning with December 15, 2020.

All principal amounts outstanding under the Treasury Loan are due and payable in a single installment on October 30, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”). Interest is paid in kind by increasing the principal amount of the loan by the amount of such interest due on an interest payment date for the first 12 months of the loan. Mesa's obligations under the Treasury Loan are secured by certain aircraft, aircraft engines, accounts receivable, ground service equipment, and tooling (collectively, the “Collateral”). The obligations under the Treasury Loan are guaranteed by the Company and Mesa Air Group Inventory Management. The proceeds were used for general corporate purposes and operating expenses, to the extent permitted by the CARES Act. Voluntary prepayments of loans under the Treasury Loan may be made, in whole or in part, by Mesa Airlines, without premium or penalty, at any time and from time to time. Amounts prepaid may not be reborrowed. Mandatory prepayments of loans under the Treasury Loan are required, without premium or penalty, to the extent necessary to comply with the covenants discussed below, certain dispositions of the Collateral, certain debt issuances secured by liens on the Collateral and certain insurance payments related to the Collateral. In addition, if a “change of control” (as defined in the Treasury Loan) occurs with respect to Mesa Airlines, Mesa Airlines will be required to repay the loans outstanding under the Treasury Loan.

The Treasury Loan requires the Company, under certain circumstances, including within 10 business days prior to the last business day of March and September of each year beginning March 2021, to appraise the value of the Collateral and recalculate the collateral coverage ratio. If the calculated collateral coverage ratio is less than 1.55 to 1.0, Mesa Airlines will be required either to provide additional Collateral (which may include cash collateral) to secure its obligations under the Treasury Loan or repay the term loans under the Treasury Loan, in such amounts that the recalculated collateral coverage ratio, after giving effect to any such additional Collateral or repayment, is at least 1.55 to 1.0.

The Treasury Loan contains two financial covenants, a minimum collateral coverage ratio and a minimum liquidity level. The Treasury Loan also contains customary negative and affirmative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including, among others: (a) limitations on dividends and distributions; (b) limitations on the creation of certain liens; (c) restrictions on certain dispositions, investments and acquisitions; (d) limitations on transactions with affiliates; (e) restrictions on fundamental changes to the business, and (f) restrictions on lobbying activities. Additionally, the Company is required to comply with the relevant provisions of the CARES Act, including limits on employment level reductions after September 30, 2020, restrictions on dividends and stock buybacks, limitations on executive compensation, and requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled service.

In connection with the Treasury Loan and as partial compensation to the U.S. Treasury for the provision of financial assistance under the Treasury Loan, the Company issued to the U.S. Treasury warrants to purchase an aggregate of 4,899,497 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $3.98 per share, which was the closing price of the Common Stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on April 9, 2020. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable under the Warrants are subject to adjustment as a result of anti-dilution provisions contained in the Warrants for certain stock issuances, dividends, and other corporate actions. The warrants expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance and are exercisable either through net share settlement or net cash settlement, at the Company’s option. For accounting purposes, the fair value for the Warrant was estimated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model and recorded in stockholders' equity with an offsetting debt discount to the Treasury Loan in the consolidated balance sheet.

The Company incurred $3.1 million in debt issuance costs relating to the Treasury Loan. In accordance with the applicable guidance, Mesa allocated the debt issuance costs between the Treasury Loan and related warrants. At funding on October 30, 2020, the initial $43.0 million was recorded net of $0.7 million in capitalized debt issuance costs. At funding on November 13, 2020, the remaining $152.0 million was recorded net of $2.3 million in capitalized debt issuance costs. The remaining $0.1 million in debt issuance costs was allocated to the warrants as a reduction to the warrant value within additional paid-in capital. Debt issuance costs allocated to the debt are amortized into interest expense using the effective interest method over the term of the related loan.

Prior to the November 13, 2020 funding of the $152.0 million portion of the Treasury Loan, the Company repaid $167.7 million in existing aircraft debt covering 44 aircraft, including indebtedness under its (a) Senior Loan Agreements, dated June 27, 2018, (b) Junior Loan Agreements, also dated June 27, 2018, (c) Credit Agreements, dated January 31, 2007, April 16, 2014, and May 23, 2014, (d) Senior Loan Agreements, dated December 27, 2017, and (e) Junior Loan Agreements, also dated December 27, 2017 (collectively, “the EDC Loans”). The Company made payments totaling $164.2 million to repay the EDC Loans, consisting of principal of $167.7 million, and a $3.5 million discount on the balance owed. Additionally, in connection with the repayment, $2.5 million of unamortized original issue discount and deferred financing costs were recorded as a loss on debt extinguishment, resulting in a net gain on extinguishment of $1.0 million recorded within other income.

As of September 30, 2023, Mesa has $139.1 million outstanding under the Treasury Loan. $65.8 million in principal payments were made during the year.

Spare Engine Financing

In December 2021, we entered into a loan agreement with a financing institution to finance certain purchases of spare engines via a newly formed limited liability company (“LLC”). The loan agreement provides for aggregate borrowings of up to $54.0 million through November 2022. In December 2021, we borrowed an aggregate of $35.3 million under the loan agreement, which matures in December 2027. The borrowed amounts are collateralized by the underlying engines and require monthly principal and interest payments until maturity. Borrowings under the loan agreement bear interest at the monthly LIBOR plus 4.25%. The borrowings are the obligation of the newly formed LLC and are guaranteed by Mesa Airlines, Inc. Subsequent to September 30, 2023, we entered into an agreement with a third party to purchase the 12 spare engines under the loan agreement. The transaction is expected to close by the end of March 2024, and will eliminate all remaining debt under the loan agreement.

The newly formed LLC, which is wholly owned by Mesa, was determined to be a VIE for which we are the primary beneficiary because we have the power to direct the activities of the LLC that most significantly impact the LLC’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses and right to receive benefits from the LLC in our capacity as sole member of the LLC and guarantor of the borrowings. Therefore, the LLC is consolidated in our financial statements and the borrowings are reflected as long-term debt in our consolidated balance sheets.

The loan agreement contains a loan-to-value (“LTV”) financial covenant pursuant to which we are required to prepay certain amounts of the loan if the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the loan exceeds a specified percentage of the appraised value of the engines beginning in the 12th full month after closing and each June 1 and December 1 thereafter.