AIG's ILFC unit buyer to get gov't help - source

NEW YORK, March 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. government is expected to help the buyer of American International Group Inc's (AIG.N) aircraft leasing unit with financing, a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

AIG is selling International Lease Finance Corp, one of the world's largest aircraft leasing companies, as part of its efforts to sell assets to pay back the government.

But potential bidders for the unit, which had a book value of about $7.5 billion as of Sept. 30, have had to face the challenge of coming up with the funds needed to finance the business. (Reporting by Paritosh Bansal, editing by Maureen Bavdek)