Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
REVENUE
Lease rent revenue													$ 94,591	$ 104,663	$ 102,133
Maintenance reserve revenue													41,387	39,161	34,776
Gain on sale of leased equipment													5,499	11,110	7,990
Other revenue													6,613	1,719	3,403
Total revenue	39,692	37,506	35,153	35,739	37,669	39,480	38,692	40,812	39,634	40,191	32,778	35,699	148,090	156,653	148,302
EXPENSES
Depreciation expense													52,591	51,250	48,704
Write-down of equipment													5,874	3,341	2,874
General and administrative													34,551	35,701	29,302
Technical expense													7,006	8,394	8,118
Net finance costs:
Interest expense													31,749	35,201	40,945
Interest income													(80)	(167)	(212)
Loss on debt extinguishment													15,462	343
Total net finance costs													47,131	35,377	40,733
Total expenses													147,153	134,063	129,731
Earnings from operations													937	22,590	18,571
Earnings from joint ventures													1,759	1,295	1,109
Loss before income taxes													2,696	23,885	19,680
Income tax benefit/(expense)													(1,161)	(9,377)	(7,630)
Net income	2,211	(7,194)	3,229	3,289	3,648	2,316	3,481	5,063	4,010	3,083	1,907	3,050	1,535	14,508	12,050
Preferred stock dividends													2,493	3,128	3,128
Preferred stock redemption costs													2,835
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	(771)	(7,976)	2,447	2,507	2,866	1,534	2,699	4,281	3,228	2,301	1,125	2,268	(3,793)	11,380	8,922
Parent company
REVENUE
Lease rent revenue													30,564	36,181	28,486
Maintenance reserve revenue													13,139	11,344	11,187
Gain on sale of leased equipment													3,605	7,895	3,782
Other revenue													10,809	12,487	14,586
Total revenue													58,117	67,907	58,041
EXPENSES
Depreciation expense													18,764	17,783	14,800
Write-down of equipment													2,621	2,306	2,874
General and administrative													30,565	34,151	27,917
Technical expense													3,336	3,711	3,720
Net finance costs:
Interest expense													11,471	14,328	15,039
Interest income														(40)	(25)
Loss on debt extinguishment													94	343
Total net finance costs													11,565	14,631	15,014
Total expenses													66,851	72,582	64,325
Earnings from operations													(8,734)	(4,675)	(6,284)
Earnings from joint ventures													1,759	1,295	1,109
Loss before income taxes													(6,975)	(3,380)	(5,175)
Income tax benefit/(expense)													2,196	(628)	1,602
Equity in income of subsidiaries, net of tax of $3,357, $8,902, and $9,232 at December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively													6,314	18,516	15,623
Net income													1,535	14,508	12,050
Preferred stock dividends													2,493	3,128	3,128
Preferred stock redemption costs													2,835
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders													(3,793)	11,380	8,922
Equity in income of subsidiaries
Equity in income of subsidiaries, tax													$ 3,357	$ 8,902	$ 9,232