Lawyers for Aircraft Operators

Aero Law Center has extensive experience advising its clients on aircraft purchase, sale, and repossession transactions as well as ownership and operating structures that comply with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) rules and various federal and state tax regimes. Our team of attorneys combines experience from a variety of practice areas, including tax, corporate, aviation, and finance, with an in-depth understanding of the aviation industry to provide efficient solutions to clients in this complex area of law. Aircraft ownership and operation is subject to competing regulatory regimes, including the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) and seemingly inconsistent and overlapping income, excise, sales, and property tax rules. This is especially true in light of new personal and business use, bonus depreciation, and entertainment deduction tax changes. Personal use of company-owned aircraft is also subject to SEC disclosure for publicly traded companies and fringe benefit income rules for all companies. Our attorneys have hands-on experience helping clients navigate these rules and achieve optimal tax and financial treatment. This often involves evaluating the best ownership and operation structure to meet the client’s goals and objectives. Beyond simply knowing the industry and the law, members of Aero Law Center’s aviation team are deeply involved in the aviation community through participation in professional organizations. Many states aggressively impose sales and use tax and property tax on aircraft owners. Our experience in this area enables us to help companies and individuals structure aircraft acquisitions, sales, and ongoing operations to comply with current policies and to obtain the best possible sales and property tax treatment. Our deep understanding of the aviation industry combined with our extensive experience in all aspects of aviation law enable us to meet our clients’ needs and exceed their expectations.

Our Services

• Aircraft purchase and sale negotiation and documentation
• Aircraft operation structures and documentation, including considerations of the FARs and income, excise, sales, and property tax regimes
• Aircraft co-ownership, management, operation, and maintenance agreements
• Aircraft lending, leasing, and financing
• Aircraft dispute resolution and litigation between aircraft buyers, sellers, owners, and repair service providers
• Hangar ground leases
• Tax controversies including sales, property, excise, and income tax disputes
• FAA registration and regulatory issues
• FAA enforcement and compliance matters
• Asset and stock transactions involving Part 135 operators (including medical evacuation), Part 141 flight schools, and Part 145 repair stations