POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III
10-Q, 1999-08-13
EQUIPMENT RENTAL & LEASING, NEC
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                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                ----------------

                                    FORM 10-Q

                                ----------------



            X  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
           ---           SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                  For the quarterly period ended June 30, 1999

                                       OR

              TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
          ---            SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                     For the transition period from ___ to ___


                                ----------------

                          Commission File No. 33-10122

                                ----------------


                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                        State of Organization: California
                   IRS Employer Identification No. 94-3023671
                201 High Ridge Road, Stamford, Connecticut 06927
                           Telephone - (203) 357-3776


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant:(1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months,  and (2) has been subject to such filing  requirements
for the past 90 days.



                              Yes  X           No
                                  ---             ---





                       This document consists of 13 pages.

<PAGE>

                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

            FORM 10-Q - For the Quarterly Period Ended June 30, 1999




                                      INDEX



Part I.  Financial Information                                              Page
                                                                            ----

         Item 1.      Financial Statements

              a)  Balance Sheets - June 30, 1999 and
                  December 31, 1998...........................................3

              b)  Statements of Operations - Three and Six Months
                  Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998................................4

              c)  Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital
                  (Deficit) - Year Ended December 31, 1998
                  and Six Months Ended June 30, 1999..........................5

              d)  Statements of Cash Flows - Six Months
                  Ended June 30, 1999 and 1998................................6

              e)  Notes to Financial Statements...............................7

         Item 2.      Management's Discussion and Analysis of
                      Financial Condition and Results of Operations...........8



Part II. Other Information

         Item 1.      Legal Proceedings......................................11

         Item 6.      Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K.......................11

         Signature    .......................................................12



                                       2
<PAGE>

                          Part I. Financial Information
                          -----------------------------

Item 1.       Financial Statements

                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                                 BALANCE SHEETS
                                   (Unaudited)
                                                       June 30,    December 31,
                                                         1999          1998
                                                         ----          ----

ASSETS:

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                           $ 12,292,634   $ 13,423,701

RENT AND OTHER RECEIVABLES                               850,606        850,748

AIRCRAFT, net of accumulated depreciation
    of $57,644,943 in 1999 and $56,439,234 in 1998    24,539,634     25,745,343
                                                    ------------   ------------

                                                    $ 37,682,874   $ 40,019,792
                                                    ============   ============


LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL (DEFICIT):

PAYABLE TO AFFILIATES                               $    143,642   $    115,888

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED
    LIABILITIES                                           89,766        121,632

DEFERRED INCOME                                        2,442,526      1,837,210

NOTES PAYABLE                                          6,027,811      7,792,177
                                                    ------------   ------------

         Total Liabilities                             8,703,745      9,866,907
                                                    ------------   ------------

PARTNERS' CAPITAL (DEFICIT):
    General Partner                                   (3,653,970)    (3,642,196)
    Limited Partners, 499,960 units outstanding
      in 1999 and 1998                                32,633,099     33,795,081
                                                    ------------   ------------

         Total Partners' Capital                      28,979,129     30,152,885
                                                    ------------   ------------

                                                    $ 37,682,874   $ 40,019,792
                                                    ============   ============

        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       3
<PAGE>

                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                 Three Months Ended        Six Months Ended
                                      June 30,                  June 30,
                                      --------                  --------

                                   1999        1998        1999        1998
                                   ----        ----        ----        ----
REVENUES:
   Rent from operating leases   $2,247,342  $2,247,342  $4,494,684  $4,494,684
   Interest and other              140,399     183,246     285,781     480,992
   Gain on sale of aircraft
     inventory                        --        52,447        --       141,981
                                ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

           Total Revenues        2,387,741   2,483,035   4,780,465   5,117,657
                                ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

EXPENSES:
   Depreciation                    602,855     602,854   1,205,709   1,620,662
   Management fees to general
     partner                        86,786      86,786     173,573     173,573
   Interest                        156,437     237,138     333,771     493,286
   Operating                         3,722      18,724       7,653      55,444
   Administration and other         88,675     100,268     150,508     197,602
                                ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

           Total Expenses          938,475   1,045,770   1,871,214   2,540,567
                                ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------

NET INCOME                      $1,449,266  $1,437,265  $2,909,251  $2,577,090
                                ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

NET INCOME ALLOCATED TO
   THE GENERAL PARTNER          $  151,968  $  154,627  $  396,526  $  472,268
                                ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

NET INCOME ALLOCATED
   TO LIMITED PARTNERS          $1,297,298  $1,282,638  $2,512,725  $2,104,822
                                ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

NET INCOME PER LIMITED
   PARTNERSHIP UNIT             $     2.59  $     2.57  $     5.03  $     4.21
                                ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========

        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       4
<PAGE>

                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

              STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PARTNERS' CAPITAL (DEFICIT)
                                   (Unaudited)


                                          Year Ended December 31, 1998 and
                                           Six Months Ended June 30, 1999
                                           ------------------------------

                                        General        Limited
                                        Partner       Partners         Total
                                        -------       --------         -----


Balance, December 31, 1997           $ (2,854,104)  $ 48,999,031   $ 46,144,927

   Net income                           1,339,516      3,948,438      5,287,954

   Capital redemptions (40 units)            --           (3,920)        (3,920)

   Cash distributions to partners      (2,127,608)   (19,148,468)   (21,276,076)
                                     ------------   ------------   ------------

Balance, December 31, 1998             (3,642,196)    33,795,081     30,152,885

   Net income                             396,526      2,512,725      2,909,251

   Cash distributions to partners        (408,300)    (3,674,707)    (4,083,007)
                                     ------------   ------------   ------------

Balance, June 30, 1999               $ (3,653,970)  $ 32,633,099   $ 28,979,129
                                     ============   ============   ============


        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       5
<PAGE>

                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)

                                                      Six Months Ended June 30,
                                                      -------------------------

                                                         1999           1998
                                                         ----           ----
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
     Net income                                     $  2,909,251   $  2,577,090
     Adjustments to reconcile net income to
       net cash provided by operating activities:
       Gain on sale of aircraft inventory                   --         (141,981)
       Depreciation                                    1,205,709      1,620,662
       Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
          Decrease (increase) in rent and other
            receivables                                      142           (248)
          Increase in payable to affiliates               27,754         43,087
          (Decrease) increase in accounts payable
              and accrued liabilities                    (31,866)        23,169
          Increase in deferred income                    605,316        605,316
                                                    ------------   ------------

              Net cash provided by operating
                activities                             4,716,306      4,727,095
                                                    ------------   ------------

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
     Net proceeds from sale of aircraft inventory           --          141,981
                                                    ------------   ------------

              Net cash provided by investing
                activities                                  --          141,981
                                                    ------------   ------------

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
     Principal payments on notes payable              (1,764,366)    (1,605,020)
     Capital redemptions                                    --           (3,920)
     Cash distributions to partners                   (4,083,007)   (18,054,111)
                                                    ------------   ------------

              Net cash used in financing
                activities                            (5,847,373)   (19,663,051)
                                                    ------------   ------------

CHANGES IN CASH AND CASH
     EQUIVALENTS                                      (1,131,067)   (14,793,975)

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT
     BEGINNING OF PERIOD                              13,423,701     28,632,488
                                                    ------------   ------------

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT
     END OF PERIOD                                  $ 12,292,634   $ 13,838,513
                                                    ============   ============


SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
   Interest paid                                    $    335,634   $    494,980
                                                    ============   ============


        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

                                       6
<PAGE>

                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                        A California Limited Partnership

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                   (Unaudited)



1.      Accounting Principles and Policies

In the opinion of management,  the financial statements presented herein include
all  adjustments,  consisting  only of  normal  recurring  items,  necessary  to
summarize  fairly  Polaris  Aircraft  Income  Fund  III's  (the   Partnership's)
financial position and results of operations. The financial statements have been
prepared in accordance  with the  instructions  of the  Quarterly  Report to the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Form 10-Q and do not include all of the
information  and note  disclosures  required by  generally  accepted  accounting
principles  (GAAP).  These  statements  should be read in  conjunction  with the
financial  statements  and notes thereto for the years ended  December 31, 1998,
1997,  and 1996 included in the  Partnership's  1998 Annual Report to the SEC on
Form 10-K.


2.      Related Parties

Under the Limited Partnership  Agreement,  the Partnership paid or agreed to pay
the following  amounts for the current quarter to the general  partner,  Polaris
Investment  Management  Corporation,  in connection  with  services  rendered or
payments made on behalf of the Partnership:

                                                Payments for
                                             Three Months Ended    Payable at
                                                June 30, 1999     June 30, 1999
                                                -------------     -------------

Aircraft Management Fees                           $ 75,000          $128,250

Out-of-Pocket Administrative Expense
    Reimbursement                                    77,286            15,392
                                                   --------          --------

                                                   $152,286          $143,642
                                                   ========          ========


3.      Partners' Capital

The Partnership  Agreement (the Agreement) stipulates different methods by which
revenue,  income  and  loss  from  operations  and  gain or loss on the  sale of
aircraft are to be allocated  to the general  partner and the limited  partners.
Such  allocations are made using income or loss  calculated  under GAAP for book
purposes, which varies from income or loss calculated for tax purposes.

Cash  available  for  distributions,  including  the  proceeds  from the sale of
aircraft,  is  distributed  10% to the  general  partner  and 90% to the limited
partners.

The different methods of allocating items of income, loss and cash available for
distribution  combined with the calculation of items of income and loss for book
and  tax  purposes  result  in  book  basis  capital   accounts  that  may  vary
significantly  from tax basis capital  accounts.  The ultimate  liquidation  and
distribution  of remaining cash will be based on the tax basis capital  accounts
following liquidation, in accordance with the Agreement.

                                       7
<PAGE>

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
         of Operations

At June 30, 1999,  Polaris  Aircraft Income Fund III (the  Partnership)  owned a
portfolio of 10 used McDonnell  Douglas  DC-9-30  aircraft leased to Trans World
Airlines, Inc. (TWA) out of its original portfolio of 38 aircraft.


Partnership Operations

The  Partnership  recorded  net  income  of  $1,449,266,  or $2.59  per  limited
partnership  unit,  for the three months ended June 30, 1999, as compared to net
income of  $1,437,265,  or $2.57 per  limited  partnership  unit,  for the three
months ended June 30, 1998. The Partnership recorded net income of $2,909,251 or
$5.03 per  limited  partnership  unit,  for the six months  ended June 30,  1999
compared to net income of $2,577,090, or $4.21 per limited partnership unit, for
the six months ended June 30, 1998.

The  increase  in net  income is due to  decreases  in  depreciation,  interest,
operating and administrative expenses, partially offset by decreases in interest
and other income, and gains on the sale of aircraft inventory in 1998.

The decrease in  depreciation  expense during the six months ended June 30, 1999
is the result of several  aircraft having been fully  depreciated  down to their
estimated salvage values during the first quarter of 1998.

Interest expense  decreased during the three and six months ended June 30, 1999,
as compared to the same period in 1998,  due to the  continuing  payments  being
made on the TWA hushkit notes payable.

Operating  expenses  decreased  during the three and six  months  ended June 30,
1999,  as compared to the same period in 1998,  due to legal  expenses  incurred
during the first and second quarter of 1998,  related to the sale of aircraft to
Triton.

Administration  and other  expenses  decreased  during  the three and six months
ended June 30, 1999, as compared to the same period in 1998,  primarily due to a
decrease in  printing  and  postage  costs  resulting  from  several  additional
investor  mailings  required in the first quarter of 1998. Also  contributing to
this decrease was a decrease in consulting fees.

Interest income  decreased  during the first quarter of 1999, as compared to the
same period in 1998,  primarily  due to a decrease in the cash reserves over the
same periods.

Payments totaling $141,981 were received, and recognized as other income, during
the three and six months ended June 30,  1999,  from the sale of parts from nine
disassembled aircraft. There were no such sales in 1999.

The increase in the deferred  income balance at June 30, 1999 is attributable to
differences  between the  payments due and the rental  income  earned on the TWA
leases for the 10 aircraft  currently  on lease to TWA.  For income  recognition
purposes, the Partnership recognizes rental income over the life of the lease in
equal monthly amounts.  As a result, the difference between rental income earned
and the  rental  payments  due is  recognized  as  deferred  income.  The rental
payments  due from TWA  during  the three and six  months  ended  June 30,  1999
exceeded the rental income earned on the TWA leases,  causing an increase in the
deferred income balance.

                                       8
<PAGE>

Liquidity and Cash Distributions

Liquidity - The  Partnership  received all lease  payments from its sole lessee,
TWA,  except for the June 1999 lease payment.  On July 1, 1999, the  Partnership
received  its  $850,000  rental  payment from TWA that was due on June 27, 1999.
This amount was included in rent and other  receivables  on the balance sheet at
June 30, 1999.

Polaris Investment Management  Corporation,  the general partner, has determined
that cash  reserves  be  maintained  as a  prudent  measure  to ensure  that the
Partnership  has  available  funds in the event that the  aircraft  presently on
lease  to TWA  require  remarketing,  and  for  other  contingencies,  including
expenses of the Partnership.  The Partnership's  cash reserves will be monitored
and may be revised from time to time as further information becomes available in
the future.

Cash  Distributions - Cash  distributions  to limited  partners during the three
months  ended  June 30,  1999 and 1998 were  $1,374,890,  or $2.75  per  limited
partnership  unit,  and  $1,449,884,  or $2.90  per  limited  partnership  unit,
respectively. Cash distributions to limited partners during the six months ended
June 30, 1999 and 1998 were $3,674,706,  or $7.35 per limited  partnership unit,
and  $16,248,700,  or $32.50 per limited  partnership  unit,  respectively.  The
timing and amount of future cash distributions are not yet known and will depend
on  the  Partnership's  future  cash  requirements  (including  expenses  of the
Partnership),  the need to retain cash reserves as  previously  discussed in the
Liquidity section and the receipt of rental payments from TWA.


Impact of the Year 2000 Issue

The inability of business  processes to continue to function correctly after the
beginning of the Year 2000 could have serious  adverse  effects on companies and
entities throughout the world. As discussed in prior filings with the Securities
and Exchange  Commission,  the General  Partner has engaged GE Capital  Aviation
Services,   Inc.  ("GECAS")  to  provide  certain  management  services  to  the
Partnership.  Both the General Partner and GECAS are  wholly-owned  subsidiaries
(either direct or indirect) of General  Electric Capital  Corporation  ("GECC").
All of the Partnership's operational functions are handled either by the General
Partner  and  GECAS  or  by  third   parties  (as  discussed  in  the  following
paragraphs), and the Partnership has no information systems of its own.

As discussed in the Partnership's Annual Report on Form 10-K, GECC and GECAS are
applying a Six Sigma quality  approach to identify and mitigate Year 2000 issues
in their information systems, products and services, facilities and suppliers as
well as to  assess  the  extent to which  Year 2000  issues  will  affect  their
customers.  Each business has a Year 2000 leader who oversees a multi-functional
remediation  project team responsible for remediation and contingency  planning,
applying a Six Sigma  quality  approach in four phases:  (1)  define/measure  --
identify and  inventory  possible  sources of Year 2000  issues;  (2) analyze --
determine the nature and extent of Year 2000 issues and develop project plans to
address  those  issues;  (3)  improve --  execute  project  plans and  perform a
majority  of  the  testing;  and  (4)  control  --  complete  testing,  continue
monitoring readiness and complete necessary  contingency plans. As of the end of
June 1999, virtually all significant information systems, products and services,
facilities,  and  suppliers  were in the control  phase.  As a final step in the
control phase, GECC is developing, testing and implementing contingency plans to
ameliorate any potential  internal or external  disruption of critical  business
processes.

As noted  elsewhere,  the  Partnership  has  fourteen  aircraft  and spare parts
inventory  remaining  in its  portfolio  at this  time.  All of these  remaining
aircraft are on lease with Trans World Airlines,  Inc. ("TWA").  TWA has advised
GECAS that it has adopted  procedures  to identify  and address Year 2000 issues
and that it has developed a plan to implement required changes in its equipment,
operations and systems.  To the extent,  however,  that TWA suffers any material
disruption of its business and  operations due to Year 2000 failure of equipment
or information  systems,  such disruption  would likely have a material  adverse
effect on the Partnership's operations and financial condition.

                                       9
<PAGE>


Aside  from  maintenance  and  other  matters  relating  to  the   Partnership's
aircraft-related  assets discussed above, the principal  third-party  vendors to
the  Partnership  are those  providing  the  Partnership  with  services such as
accounting,  auditing, banking and investor services. GECAS intends to apply the
same standards in determining the Year 2000  capabilities  of the  Partnership's
third-party  vendors,  as GECAS will apply with  respect to its outside  vendors
pursuant to its internal Year 2000 program.

The  scope  of the  global  Year  2000  effort  encompasses  many  thousands  of
applications  and computer  programs,  products  and  services,  facilities  and
facilities-related equipment suppliers, and customers. The Partnership, like all
business   operations,   is  also  dependent  on  the  Year  2000  readiness  of
infrastructure   suppliers   in   areas   such   as   utility,   communications,
transportation  and other services.  In this  environment,  there will likely be
instances of failure that could cause disruptions in business  processes or that
could affect  customers'  ability to repay  amounts owed to the  Partnership  or
vendors' ability to provide services  without  interruption.  The likelihood and
effects of failures in infrastructure systems, over which the Partnership has no
control,  cannot  be  estimated.  However,  aside  from the  impact  of any such
possible failures or the possibility of a disruption of TWA's business caused by
Year 2000  failures,  the General  Partner does not believe that  occurrences of
Year  2000  failures  will  have a  material  adverse  effect  on the  financial
position, results of operations or liquidity of the Partnership.

To date, the Partnership has not incurred any Year 2000 expenditures nor does it
expect  to incur any  material  costs in the  future.  However,  the  activities
involved in the Year 2000 effort  necessarily  involve estimates and projections
of activities and resources that will be required in the future. These estimates
and projections could change as work progresses.

                                       10
<PAGE>

                           Part II. Other Information
                           --------------------------

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

As  discussed  in Item 3 of Part I of Polaris  Aircraft  Income  Fund III's (the
Partnership) 1998 Annual Report to the Securities and Exchange  Commission (SEC)
on Form 10-K (Form 10-K) and in Item 1 of Part II of the Partnership's Quarterly
Report to the SEC on Form 10-Q (Form 10-Q) for the period  ended March 31, 1999,
there  are  several   pending  legal  actions  or   proceedings   involving  the
Partnership.  There have been no material  developments with respect to any such
actions or proceedings during the period covered by this report.

Other Proceedings - Item 10 in Part III of the Partnership's  1998 Form 10-K and
Item 1 in Part II of the Partnership's  Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31,
1999 discuss certain  actions which have been filed against  Polaris  Investment
Management  Corporation  and others in connection  with the sale of interests in
the Partnership and the management of the Partnership.  The Partnership is not a
party to these actions. There have been no material developments with respect to
any of the actions described therein during the period covered by this report.


Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

a)       Exhibits (numbered in accordance with Item 601 of Regulation S-K)

         27. Financial Data Schedule (in electronic format only).

b)       Reports on Form 8-K

         No reports on Form 8-K were filed by the Registrant  during the quarter
         for which this report is filed.



                                       11
<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE



Pursuant to the  requirements of section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934,  the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                        POLARIS AIRCRAFT INCOME FUND III,
                                        A California Limited Partnership
                                        (Registrant)
                                        By:   Polaris Investment
                                              Management Corporation,
                                              General Partner




         August 11, 1999                By:  /S/Marc A. Meiches
- ---------------------------------            --------------------------
                                             Marc A. Meiches
                                             Chief Financial Officer
                                             (principal financial officer and
                                             principal accounting officer of
                                             Polaris Investment Management
                                             Corporation, General Partner of
                                             the Registrant)


                                       12

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5

<S>                                                              <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                          6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                                     JUN-30-1999
<CASH>                                                              12292634
<SECURITIES>                                                               0
<RECEIVABLES>                                                         850606
<ALLOWANCES>                                                               0
<INVENTORY>                                                                0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                           0
<PP&E>                                                              82184577
<DEPRECIATION>                                                      57644943
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                      37682874
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                                      0
<BONDS>                                                                    0
                                                      0
                                                                0
<COMMON>                                                                   0
<OTHER-SE>                                                          28979129
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                                        37682874
<SALES>                                                                    0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                                     4780465
<CGS>                                                                      0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                                              0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                                     1871214
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                                           0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                         0
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                                      2909251
<INCOME-TAX>                                                               0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                                  2909251
<DISCONTINUED>                                                             0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                                            0
<CHANGES>                                                                  0
<NET-INCOME>                                                         2909251
<EPS-BASIC>                                                           5.03
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                              0


</TABLE>


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