Fort Lauderdale Aviation Regulation Lawyer

Staying compliant in the aviation industry is not optional — it’s fundamental to your operation. Whether you run a repair station, own a charter operation, oversee a charter fleet, or manage a corporate flight department, one overlooked detail in your manuals, policies, or procedures can trigger costly downtime or even enforcement action.

The more your business grows, the more complex compliance becomes. That’s why working with an experienced aviation lawyer is essential. At Aero Law Center, we help clients navigate the full spectrum of FAA and DOT regulations with confidence.

With more than five decades of combined legal experience, we serve as proactive advisors to aviation businesses across the country.

Our regulatory practice is designed to reduce legal risk, protect your certificates, and keep your operation aligned with current federal regulations and standards.

Aero Law Center services aviation businesses globally for all of your aviation business needs.

What a Regulatory Aviation Attorney Can Help You With

Regulatory compliance isn’t just about paperwork, it’s about operational survival. When violations occur, they can trigger warning notices, certificate actions, and even public safety reviews.

Our role as aviation regulation lawyers is to step in before problems escalate and, when necessary, respond swiftly and strategically when enforcement begins.

Here are some of the regulatory matters we assist with:

- Letters of Investigation and FAA enforcement actions

- Part 145 repair station oversight, manuals, and audits

- Part 135 operations, including pilot qualifications and drug/alcohol testing compliance

- Certificate amendments for business expansion, relocations, or operational changes

- DOT economic authority and foreign operator compliance

Our attorneys work directly with aviation directors, chief pilots, and maintenance leaders to ensure compliance efforts are both effective and sustainable. We don’t just deliver legal memos; we create solutions that make sense for your operation.

How We Support Compliance From Start to Finish

Compliance is never static. As FAA interpretations evolve and agency scrutiny increases, aviation companies need consistent legal support that evolves with them. That’s why we take a long-term, partnership-based approach to regulatory counsel.

We help clients in every phase of the regulatory journey:

- Startups and new certificates: We assist with initial FAA applications, ops specs drafting, and program implementation.

- Mid-stage operations: We audit internal systems and manuals to ensure they align with current standards and can withstand ramp checks or surveillance audits.

- Growth and scaling: When adding new bases, aircraft types, or operational authorities, we manage the legal changes and filings required to keep everything compliant.

- Enforcement defense: If you’re under investigation or facing potential violations, we respond directly to the FAA, help gather and present mitigating evidence, and work toward favorable outcomes.

Many clients choose us as their outside general counsel for ongoing aviation legal support. We build institutional knowledge of your operation and provide regulatory insight that saves time, reduces uncertainty, and improves your legal posture over time.

Whether it’s aircraft transactions, commercial litigation, or compliance, we excel at creating solutions to unique challenges.

Why Industry Experience Matters

Regulatory problems in aviation rarely come down to one clear mistake. More often, they’re the result of operational blind spots, communication gaps, or unclear internal policies. That’s why a general business lawyer or in-house legal team might not be enough.

Our attorneys have spent decades focused solely on aviation law. We know what questions inspectors ask, what language to use when responding to investigations, and how to align your business goals with FAA expectations.

We’ve represented Part 145 repair stations, Part 135 charter operators, and manufacturers navigating the regulatory maze.

We also understand the internal pressures aviation businesses face. Whether you’re trying to minimize downtime, expand services, or get a new base approved before peak season, we tailor our regulatory guidance to match your business reality, not just legal theory.

AeroShield™: Scalable Regulatory Support for Aviation Businesses

For clients who need ongoing regulatory support, our AeroShield™ legal plan provides a flexible, cost-effective way to access legal services month after month. This subscription-based model is ideal for operations that want to avoid surprise legal bills while keeping a legal advisor close at hand.

With AeroShield™, you receive:

- Monthly or quarterly legal hours

- On-demand review of manuals, forms, or compliance procedures

- Educational sessions for your compliance team or leadership

- A standing relationship with attorneys who already understand your operation

Whether you’re responding to an FAA audit or preparing for long-term expansion, AeroShield™ ensures you’re never navigating compliance challenges alone. It also provides peace of mind for busy operators who need fast, informed legal input without starting from scratch every time an issue arises.

Talk to an Aviation Regulation Lawyer Today

If your operation is facing regulatory pressure—or if you’re simply ready to bring your compliance program to the next level—we’re here to help. From certificate management to enforcement defense, our team brings the experience, focus, and aviation fluency that other firms simply can’t match.

With free consultations available to new clients and a firm-wide commitment to aviation-first legal service, Aero Law Center is ready to protect your certificates and strengthen your compliance posture.

Contact us today to speak with an experienced aviation regulation lawyer and learn how our team can support your next step forward.

The sooner you contact our team, the sooner we can put our years of expertise to use and ease you through the process.

Frequently Asked Questions & Support

The Federal Aviation Administration, or the “FAA” is an arm of the Department of Transportation (DOT). It controls aviation business matters, including air traffic management and the certification of personnel and aircraft. The FAA sets the standard for airport conditions and protects U.S. assets during the launch of commercial space vehicles. The FAA issues directives and legal regulations to ensure the safety of all airplanes, including mandated correction for any unsafe conditions in an aircraft. This could include an aircraft’s plane, engine, propeller, or appliance. All operators must conduct business compliantly and follow the FAA’s guidance and provisions, and any certifications must be present in the aircraft.

An FBO stands for Fixed Base Operator (FBO). FBOs operate like private terminals and facilitate private jet and charter operations. Commercial companies are given access by an airport to work on the grounds and provide flight services, fuel, parking, and hangar space. FBOs offer three tiers that provide different accommodations depending on the amount of traffic and size of the airport, including pilot lounges, restrooms and shower facilities, catering, aerial photography, parking, pilot instruction, private jet charter, and much more. Smaller and less busy airports might only offer basic amenities, while more significant, commercial airports have a full suite of extras, like waiting rooms, in-flight catering, and other conveniences.

According to the FAA’s strict aviation provisions and regulations, every aircraft must be deemed “airworthy” to fly. A Standard Airworthiness Certification is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) official authorization regarding the operation of type-certificated aircraft, including normal, utility, acrobatic, commuter, transport, manned free balloons, and special classes. All operators must have a Standard or Special Airworthiness Certification to prove the safety and condition of the aircraft. It must be publicly visible to all crew members, inspection companies, and passengers in the cockpit or cabin. Certification delays can cost pilots thousands, sometimes millions of dollars, though an aviation lawyer can provide helpful counsel to avoid mistakes and complete the process.

Sometimes mechanics are the only thing standing between the aircraft and a potential problem if an issue is overlooked or not properly taken care of. Maintenance facilities aren’t always at fault. However, suppose a plane crashes, and people are injured or killed. In that case, repair shops are often part of the legal investigation to uncover any mistakes, errors, or other issues that might have caused an accident. Malfunctioning equipment is one cause of crashes, electrical wiring issues, fitting of wrong parts, mistakes, leftover loose objects, incorrect installation of fuel or oil caps, and other similar mistakes are often looked at in a plane accident case.

A fractional jet ownership arrangement affords one or more operators to share in jet ownership through shares or equity in the aircraft. With this arrangement, operators can use the plane for a certain number of hours each year, as outlined in the contract. An interest in an aircraft defines a fractional ownership agreement; shares are sold to multiple owners based on 800 occupied hours and sold in fractions. The cost is divided among the total number of co-operators, and each person is responsible for their operational share. In such an arrangement, flying time typically ranges between 50 and 400 hours, and most jet shares will become multiple of one-sixteenth.

Hangar rash results from an airplane accident or damage to an airplane while being towed in the hangar, moved, or elements inside the hangar that cause physical harm, including falling parts, debris, and weather. Hangar keepers are responsible for any liabilities and unexpected damages to a client’s aircraft. The damage to an airplane can cost thousands to millions of dollars, which also impacts a plane’s overall resale value. Operators often utilize our services when their aircraft has been damaged in hangar storage, a hangar keeper is involved in a lawsuit due to plane damage, or owners need to protect their business from false allegations and lawsuits.

Depending on how much you fly or if you have considered turning your aviation passion into a business, there are various ways to get started outside of an aircraft purchase. Consider purpose, expenses and costs, usage, and other similar factors. Aero Law Center helps operators purchase an aircraft, consider financing options, and adhere to regulations or alternatives such as leasing or fractional ownership. With wet or dry leases, leasing is affordable and accessible with the benefit of fixed monthly payments. Buying shares or equity in an aircraft through fractional ownership is a similar and approachable option if an outright purchase isn’t in the cards.

Aviation Regulation Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale