Opinion ID: 319366
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Surrender of the Aircraft.

Text: 12 The trustee notes, that the September 8 order of the referee did not explicitly direct LCI to abandon the planes. However, it is clear that all parties contemplated surrender. After entry of the order appellees took possession without any objection by the debtor. Referee Rudin, who signed the September 8 order, made clear in his memorandum rejecting the trustee's motion to vacate that he had intended the September 8 order to authorize surrender. 13 The order of disaffirmance makes no sense if it does not authorize surrender of the planes. As LCI was not using the planes at the time, only by re-leasing them could the debtor be freed of the heavy rentals. As the petition for disaffirmance implied, LCI lacked the ability and inclination to re-lease the planes profitably. Under the circumstances, surrender of the planes was the only reasonable solution. 14 Moreover, even if the order did not authorize abandonment, the failure of the debtor and the trustee to object to the taking of the planes for sixteen months equitably estops the trustee from challenging the abandonment now. See section B.1., infra. 15