Finazzo added, “In our high growth, high margin Engineered Solutions platform, we are progressing well toward certification of AerAware, a head-wearable enhanced flight vision product. We are confident this technology will become the industry standard on commercial aircraft in the long-term given its uniqueness, high safety proposition, and attractive returns to operators. At the same time, we expect demand for our AerSafe product to accelerate as it satisfies an FAA airworthiness directive required by May of 2022. Innovations such as AerAware and AerSafe from our Engineered Solutions platform have large addressable markets and we expect these products to meaningfully drive the Company’s revenue and margins over the long term.”
Third Quarter 2021 Results of Operations
AerSale reported revenue of $73.3 million for the third quarter of 2021, which included $27.4 million of flight equipment sales. Revenue in the third quarter of 2020 was $57.1 million and did not include any flight equipment sales. As a reminder to investors, flight equipment sales are volatile quarter to quarter, and the Company believes full-year analysis, rather than year-over-year quarterly comparisons is a more effective measurement of Company progress.
Asset Management Solutions (AMS) revenue increased by $19.2 million or 64.8% in the third quarter of 2021 primarily on account of the above-mentioned flight equipment sales. Consumption of used serviceable material (USM) parts for maintenance was strong through the quarter as airlines continued to return aircraft into operation against the backdrop of an upswing in air travel. The increase was partially offset by lower leasing due to a lease return payment recognized in the prior year.
Revenue from TechOps was down 10.9% to $24.4 million in the third quarter of 2021, largely due to lower aircraft storage and related maintenance activities at the Company’s aircraft MRO facilities as airlines returned aircraft into operation, as well as a shift in resources to support the Company’s cargo conversion line for its B757 aircraft. Looking forward, AerSale is well positioned to benefit from additional reactivation work, heavy maintenance, and cargo conversions.
Gross margin was 33.6% in the third quarter of 2021 compared to 46.4% in the third quarter of 2020. The decline was primarily due to the lease return condition payment recognized in the prior year.
Selling, general and administrative expenses net of Payroll Support Program proceeds were $22.8 million in the third quarter of 2021 compared to $13.4 million in the third quarter of 2020. AerSale received $6.3 million in Payroll Support Program proceeds during the third quarter of 2020 and did not receive any Payroll Support Program proceeds in the third quarter of 2021. In addition, the Company incurred $8.7 million of equity-based compensation within payroll expenses in the third quarter of 2021, with no corresponding equity-based compensation in the third quarter of 2020.
Income from operations was $1.8 million in the third quarter of 2021 versus $19.3 million in the third quarter of 2020.
Income tax expense was $1.1 million in the third quarter of 2021 compared to an income tax expense of $4.5 million in the third quarter of 2020.
GAAP net loss for the third quarter of 2021 was $1.6 million compared to GAAP net income of $14.7 million in the third quarter of 2020. Adjusted for non-cash equity compensation and mark-to-market costs on the warrant liability, Adjusted Net Income was $9.2 million.
Diluted earnings per share was a loss of $0.04 for the third quarter of 2021. Diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of 2021 is not comparable to the third quarter of 2020 due to the public listing of AerSale on December 23, 2020. Excluding the impacts of equity-based compensation and the mark-to-market costs on the private warrants, adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.22 for the third quarter of 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2021 was $13.9 million, or 18.9% of revenues, compared to $25.6 million, or 44.8% of revenue in the third quarter of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA benefitted from $6.3 million in Payroll Support Program proceeds during the third quarter of 2020, for which there was no corresponding benefit in the third