PROMISSORY NOTE

 

Borrower: AirT, Inc.; Mountain Air Cargo, Inc.; MAC Aviation Services, LLC; Global Ground Support, LLC; and CSA Air, Inc. 3542 Airport Road Maiden, NC 28650

Lender: Bank of America, N.A. CCS-Commercial Banking NC1-014-13-05 200 South College Street, 13th Floor Charlotte, NC 28255

PROMISE TO PAY. AirT, Inc.; Mountain Air Cargo, Inc.; MAC Aviation Services, LLC; Global Ground Support, LLC; and CSA Air, Inc. (“Borrower”) jointly and severally promise to pay to Bank of America, N.A. (“Lender”), or order, in lawful money of the United States of America, the principal amount of Eight Million & 00/100 Dollars ($8,000,000.00) or so much as may be outstanding, together with interest on the unpaid outstanding principal balance of each advance. Interest shall be calculated from the date of each advance until repayment of each advance.

 

PAYMENT. Borrower will pay this loan in one payment of all outstanding principal plus all accrued unpaid interest on August 31, 2007. In addition, Borrower will pay regular monthly payments of all accrued unpaid interest due as of each payment date, beginning January 31, 2006, with all subsequent interest payments to be due on the last day of each month after that. Unless otherwise agreed or required by applicable law, payments will be applied first to any accrued unpaid interest; then to principal; then to any late charges; and then to any unpaid collection costs. The annual interest rate for this Note is computed on a 365/360 basis; that is, by applying the ratio of the annual interest rate over a year of 360 days, multiplied by the outstanding principal balance, multiplied by the actual number of days the principal balance is outstanding. Borrower will pay Lender at Lender’s address shown above or at such other place as Lender may designate in writing.

 

VARIABLE INTEREST RATE. The interest rate on this Note is subject to change from time to time based on changes in an independent index which is the “LIBOR Daily Floating Rate” which is the fluctuating rate of interest equal to the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as selected by Lender from time to time) as determined for each banking day at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time two (2) business days prior to the date in question, for U.S. Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such interest period) with a one month term, as adjusted from time to time in Lender’s sole discretion for reserve requirements, deposit insurance assessment rates and other regulatory costs. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the rate for that interest period will be determined by such alternate method as reasonably selected by Lender ( the “Index”). The Index is not necessarily the lowest rate charged by Lender on its loans. If the Index becomes unavailable during the term of this loan, Lender may designate a substitute Index after notice to Borrower. Lender will tell Borrower the current Index rate upon Borrower’s request. The Interest rate change will not occur more often than each date of such change in the Index. Borrower understands that Lender may make loans based on other rates as well. The interest rate to be applied to the unpaid principal balance of this Note will be at a rate of 1.370 percentage points over the Index. NOTICE: Under no circumstances will the interest rate on this Note be more than the maximum rate allowed by applicable law.

 

PREPAYMENT. Borrower may pay without penalty all or a portion of the amount owed earlier than it is due. Early payments will not, unless agreed to by Lender in writing, relieve Borrower of Borrower’s obligation to continue to make payments of accrued unpaid interest. Rather, early payments will reduce the principal balance due. Borrower agrees not to send Lender payments marked “paid in full,” “without recourse,” or similar language. If Borrower sends such a payment, Lender may accept it without losing any of Lender’s rights under this Note, and Borrower will remain obligated to pay further amount owed to Lender. All written communications concerning disputed amounts, including any check or other payment instrument that indicates that the payment constitutes “payment in full” of the amount owed or that is tendered with other conditions or limitations or as full satisfaction of a disputed amount must be mailed or delivered to: Bank of America, N.A., NC1-014-13-05, P.O. Box 30120, Charlotte, NC ###-###-####.

 

LATE CHARGE. If a payment is 15 days or more late, Borrower will be charged 4.000% of the unpaid portion of the regularly scheduled payment. This late charge shall be paid to Lender by Borrower to compensate Lender for Lender’s extra costs and expenses caused by the late payment.

 

INTEREST AFTER DEFAULT. Upon default, including failure to pay upon final maturity, Lender, at is option may, if permitted under applicable law, increase the variable interest rate on this Note to 7.370 percentage points over the Index. The interest rate will not exceed the maximum rate permitted by applicable law.

 

DEFAULT. Each of the following shall constitute an event of default (“Event of Default”) under this Note:

 

Payment Default. Borrower fails to make any payment when due under this Note.

 

Other Defaults. Borrower fails to comply with or to perform any other term, obligation, covenant or condition contained in this Note or in any of the related documents or to comply with or to perform any term, obligation, covenant or condition contained in any other agreement between Lender and Borrower.

 

Default in Favor of Third Parties. Borrower or any Grantor defaults under any loan, extension of credit, security agreement, purchase or sales agreement, or any other agreement, in favor of any other creditor or person that may materially affect any of Borrower’s property or Borrower’s ability to repay this Note or perform Borrower’s obligations under this Note or any of the related documents.

 

False Statements. Any warranty, representation or statement made or furnished to Lender by Borrower or on Borrower’s behalf under this Note or the related documents is false or misleading in any material respect, either now or at the time made or furnished or becomes false or misleading at any time thereafter.

 

Insolvency. The dissolution or termination of Borrower’s existence as a going business, the insolvency of Borrower, the appointment of a receiver for any part of Borrower’s property, any assignment for the benefit of creditors, any type of creditor workout, or the commencement of any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency laws by or against Borrower.

 

Creditor or Forfeiture Proceedings. Commencement of foreclosure or forfeiture proceedings, whether by judicial proceeding, self-help, repossession or any other method, by any creditor of Borrower or by any governmental agency against any collateral securing the loan. This includes a garnishment of any of Borrower’s accounts, including deposit accounts, with Lender. However, this Event of Default shall not apply if there is a good faith dispute by Borrower as to the validity or reasonableness of the claim which is the basis of the creditor or forfeiture proceeding and if Borrower gives Lender written notice of the creditor or forfeiture proceeding and deposits with lender monies or a surety bond for the creditor or forfeiture proceeding, in an amount determined by Lender, in its sole discretion, as being an adequate reserve or bond for the dispute.

 

Events Affecting Guarantor. Any of the preceding events occurs with respect to any guarantor, endorser, surety, or accommodation party of any of the Indebtedness or any guarantor, endorser, surety, or accommodation party dies or becomes incompetent, or revokes or disputes the validity of, or liability under, any guaranty of the Indebtedness evidenced by this Note.

 

Change in Ownership. Any change in ownership of twenty-five (25%) or more of the common stock of Borrower.

 

Adverse Change. A material adverse change occurs in Borrower’s financial condition, or Lender believes the prospect of payment or performance of this Note is impaired.

 

Insecurity. Lender in good faith believes itself insure.

 

LENDER’S RIGHTS. Upon default, Lender may declare the entire unpaid principal balance on this Note and all accrued unpaid interest immediately due, and then Borrower will pay that amount.

 

ATTORNEYS’ FEES; EXPENSES. Lender may hire or pay someone else to help collect this Note if Borrower does not pay. Borrower will pay Lender that amount. This includes, subject to any limits under applicable law, Lender’s attorneys’ fees and Lender’s legal expenses, whether or not there is a lawsuit, including attorneys’ fees, expenses for bankruptcy proceedings (including efforts to modify or vacate any automatic stay of injunction), and appeals. If not prohibited by applicable law, Borrower also will pay any court costs, in addition to all other sums provided by law.

 

GOVERNING LAW. This Note will be governed by federal law applicable to Lender and, to the extent not preempted by federal law, the laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. This Note has been accepted by Lender in the State of North Carolina.

 

CHOICE OF VENUE. If there is a lawsuit, Borrower agrees upon Lender’s request to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of any County, State of North Carolina.

 

RIGHT OF SETOFF. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Lender reserves a right of setoff in all Borrower’s accounts with Lender (whether checking, savings, or some other account). This includes all accounts Borrower may open in the future. However, this does not include any IRA or Keogh accounts, or any trust accounts for which setoff would be prohibited by law. Borrower authorizes Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to charge or setoff all sums owing on the debt against any and all such accounts.

 

LINE OF CREDIT. This Note evidences a revolving line of credit. Advances under the Note, as well as directions for payment from Borrower’s accounts, may be requested orally or in writing by Borrower or by an authorized person. Lender may, but need not, require that all oral requests be confirmed in writing. Borrower agrees to be liable for all sums either: (A) advanced in accordance with the instructions of an authorized person or (B) credited to any of Borrower’s accounts with Lender. The unpaid principal balance owing on this Note at any time may be evidenced by endorsements on this Note or by Lender’s internal records, including daily computer print-outs. Lender will have no obligation to advance funds under this Note if: (A) Borrower or any guarantor is in default under the terms of this Note or any agreement that Borrower or any guarantor has with Lender, including any agreement made in connection with the signing of this Note; (B) Borrower or any guarantor ceases doing business or is insolvent; (C) any guarantor seeks, claims or otherwise attempts to limit, modify or revoke such guarantor’s guarantee of this Note or any other loan with Lender; (D) Borrower has applied funds provided pursuant to this Note for purposes other than those authorized by Lender; or (E) Lender in good faith believes itself insecure.

 

ARBITRATION. (a) This paragraph concerns the resolution of any controversies or claims between the parties, whether arising in contract, tort or by statute, including but not limited to controversies or claims that arise out of or relate to: (i) this agreement (including any renewals, extensions or modifications); or (ii) any document related to this agreement (collectively a “Claim”). For the purposes of this arbitration provision only, the term “parties” shall include any parent corporation, subsidiary or affiliate of Lender involved in the servicing, management or administration of any obligation described or evidenced by this agreement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENT. Lender may sell or offer to sell this Note, together with any and all documents guaranteeing, securing or executed in connection with this Note, to one or more assignees without notice to or consent of Borrower. Lender is hereby authorized to share any information it has pertaining to the loan evidenced by this Note, including without limitation credit information on the undersigned, any of its principles, or any guarantors of this Note, to any such assignee or prospective assignee.

 

COUNTERPARTS. This Note may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

PRE BILLING. If the Borrower and Lender elect to use pre-billing calculation, for each payment date (the “Due Date”) the amount of each payment debit will be determined as follows: On the “Billing Date” Lender will prepare and mail to Borrower an invoice of the amounts that will be due on that Due Date (“Billed Amount”). (The “Billing Date” will be a date that is a specified number of calendar days prior to the Due Date, which number of days will be mutually agreed from time to time by Lender and Borrower.) The calculation of the Billed Amount will be made on the assumption that no new extensions of credit or payments will be made between the Billing Date and the Due Date, and that there will be no changes in the applicable interest rate. On the Due Date Lender will debit the Designated Account for the Billed Amount, regardless of the actual amount due on that date (“Accrued Amount”). If the Due Date does not fall on a Business Day, Lender shall debit the Designated Account on the first Business Day following the Due Date. For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” means a day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close or are in fact closed in the state where the Lender’s lending office is located. If the Billed Amount debited to the Designated Account differs from the Accrued Amount, the difference will be treated as follows: If the Billed Amount is less than the Accrued Amount, the Billed Amount for the following Due Date will be increased by the amount of the underpayment. Borrower will not be in default by reason of any such underpayment. If the Billed Amount is more than the Accrued Amount, the Billed Amount for the following Due Date will be decreased by the amount of the overpayment. Regardless of any such difference, interest will continue to accrue based on the actual amount of principal outstanding without compounding. Lender will not pay interest on any overpayment.

 

AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS. Borrower hereby authorizes Lender automatically to deduct from Borrower’s account numbered 510028053 the amount of any loan payment. If the funds in the account are insufficient to cover any payment, Lender shall not be obligated to advance funds to cover the payment. At any time and for any reason, Borrower or Lender may voluntarily terminate Automatic Payments.

 

TERMINATION OF AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS. In the event that Borrower terminates the Automatic Payment arrangement with Lender, Borrower agrees that the interest rate under the Note will increase, at the discretion of the Lender, by one-half percentage point (0.50%) per annum over the rate of interest stated in the Note, and the amount of each interest installment will be increased accordingly. The effective rate of interest under the Note shall not in any event exceed the maximum rate permitted by law.

 

OPTIONAL RENEWAL CLAUSE. This Note will be considered renewed if and only if Lender has sent to Borrower a written notice of renewal (the “Renewal Notice”) effective as of the Expiration Date. If this Note is renewed, it will continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein except as modified by the Renewal Notice. If this Note is renewed, the term “Expiration Date” shall mean the date set forth in the Renewal Notice as the Expiration Date, and all outstanding principal plus all accrued interest shall be paid on the Expiration Date. The same process for renewal will apply to any subsequent renewal of this Note. A renewal fee may be charged at Lender’s option. The amount of the renewal fee will be specified in the Renewal Notice.

 

ADVANCES UNDER THE LINE OF CREDIT. Except as otherwise provided in this Note, advances under the line of credit provided under this Note will be available until the earlier of any event of default under this Note, or August 31, 2007 (the “Expiration Date”). Borrower may borrow, repay and re-borrow under this Note at any time until the Expiration Date. The total principal amount outstanding under this Note at any one time must not exceed the principal amount of this Note, provided that the amount advanced hereunder does not exceed any borrowing base or other limitation on borrowings by Borrower. The total principal amount outstanding under this Note during each period specified below must not exceed the principal amounts specified below, provided that the amount advanced hereunder does not exceed any borrowing base or other limitation on borrowings by Borrower:

 

Period	Amount
From the date of this Note until April 30, 2006	$8,000,000.00
From May 1, 2006 until expiration date	$7,000,000.00

 

ADDITIONAL DEFAULTS. Each of the following shall constitute an additional event of default (“Event of Default”) under this Note:

 

Event of Default Under Related Documents. A default or event of default occurs under the terms of any promissory note, guaranty, pledge agreement, security agreement or other agreement or instrument executed by Borrower or any guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor in connection with or relating to this Note.

 

Judgment. The entry of a judgment against any Borrower or guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor which Lender deems to be of a material nature, in Lender’s sole discretion.

 

Creditor or Forfeiture Proceedings. Commencement of foreclosure or forfeiture proceedings, whether by judicial proceeding, self-help, repossession or any other method, by any creditor of Borrower or by any governmental agency against any assets of Borrower and/or any guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor. This includes a garnishment of: (1) any of Borrower’s accounts, including deposit accounts, with Lender and/or (2) any account, including deposit accounts, with Lender of any guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor. However, this Event of Default shall not apply if there is a good faith dispute by such Borrower and/or guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor as to the validity or reasonableness of the claim which is the basis of the creditor or forfeiture proceeding and if such Borrower and/or guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor gives Lender written notice of the creditor of forfeiture proceeding and deposits with Lender monies or a surety bond for the creditor or forfeiture proceeding, in an amount determined by Lender, in its sole discretion, as being an adequate reserve or bond for the dispute.

 

Adverse Change of Obligor. A material adverse change occurs in the financial condition of any guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor, as determined by Lender in its sole discretion.

 

Resignation/Withdrawal. The resignation or withdrawal of any partner or a material owner of Borrower or any guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor or any substantial change in the present executive or management personnel of Borrower, any guarantor, pledgor, accommodation party or other obligor, as determined by Lender in its sole discretion.

 

ADDRESS FOR NOTICES. Any notice required to be given under this Note shall be given in writing, and shall be effective when actually delivered, when actually received by telefacsimile (unless otherwise required by law), when deposited with a nationally recognized overnight courier, or, if mailed, when deposited in the United States mail, as first class, certified or registered mail postage prepaid, directed if to Borrower at the address shown near the beginning of this Note and if to Lender at the address set forth below. Any party may change its address for notices under this Note by giving formal written notice to the other parties, specifying that the purpose of the notice is to change the party’s address. For notice purposes, Borrower agrees to keep Lender informed at all times of Borrower’s current address. Unless otherwise provided or required by law, if there is more than one Borrower, any notice given by Lender to any Borrower is deemed to be notice given to all Borrowers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, all notices and communications to the Lender shall be directed to the following address:

 

Bank of America, N. A.

Charlotte CCS - Attn: Notice Desk

200 South College, 13^th Floor

Charlotte, NC 28255.

 

SUCCESSOR INTERESTS. The terms of this Note shall be binding upon Borrower, and upon Borrower’s heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of Lender and its successors and assigns.

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS. Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or remedies under this Note without losing them. Each Borrower understands and agrees that, with or without notice to Borrower, Lender may with respect to any other borrower (a) make one or more additional secured or unsecured loans or otherwise extend additional credit; (b) alter, compromise, renew, extend, accelerate, or otherwise change one or more times the time for payment or other terms of any indebtedness, including increases and decreases of the rate of interest on the indebtedness; (c) exchange, enforce, waive, subordinate, fail or decide not to perfect, and release any security, with or without the substitution of new collateral; (d) apply such security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof, including without limitation, any non-judicial sale permitted by the terms of the controlling security agreements, as Lender in its discretion may determine; (e) release, substitute, agree not to sue, or deal with any one or more of Borrower’s sureties, endorsers, or other guarantors on any terms or in any manner Lender may choose; and (f) determine how, when and what application of payments and credits shall be made on any other indebtedness owing by such other Borrower. Borrower and any other person who signs, guarantees or endorses this Note, to the extent allowed by law, waive presentment, demand for payment, and notice of dishonor. Upon any change in the terms of this Note, and unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, no party who signs this Note, whether as maker, guarantor, accommodation maker or endorser, shall be released from liability. All such parties agree that Lender may renew or extent (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan or release any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or perfect Lender’s security interest in the collateral; and take any other action deemed necessary by lender without the consent of or notice to anyone. All such parties also agree that Lender may modify this loan without the consent of or notice to anyone other than the party with whom the modification is made. The obligations under this Note are joint and several.

 

 

 

 

 

By: /s/ John J. Gioffre(Seal)

John J. Gioffre, CFO of Air T, Inc.

By:/s/ John J. Gioffre(Seal)

John J. Gioffre, CFO of Mountain Air

Cargo, Inc.

By:/s/ John J. Gioffre(Seal)

John J. Gioffre, CFO of Air T, Inc.

By:/s/ John J. Gioffre(Seal)

John J. Gioffre, CFO/Member of Global

Ground Support, LLC

By:/s/ John J. Gioffre(Seal)

John J. Gioffre, CFO of CSA Air, Inc.