Aerospace

Our aerospace team offers a myriad of legal services to airplane and helicopter pilots, municipalities, airports, aircraft owners, operators, fixed base operators (FBOs), insurers, maintenance and manufacturing companies, brokers, buyers, sellers, lessees and lessors.

Our team advises clients on legislative affairs affecting the aerospace industry (including substantial input on both the original and amended Pilots’ Bill of Rights), administrative rulemaking, regulatory compliance/enforcement concerns, business deals and aircraft transactions, liability protection, and litigation.

We have also been at the forefront of UAS/Drone issues, including regulatory exemptions, certificates of authorization, product development, operations, and defense of certificate actions and civil penalties.

The aerospace practice provides clients comprehensive, expanded services through the firm’s various practice groups, including augmented assistance with equipment acquisition and financing, negotiating and documenting contracts, creditors' rights assistance, intellectual property, and labor and employment representation and counseling.

Litigation

Our litigation services include, but are not limited to, the defense of airports, commercial airlines, product manufacturers, pilots, operators, aircraft owners, certified flight instructors, and other aviation businesses in mass disaster, commercial disputes, employment claims, and complex tort cases. Service offerings in personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, commercial losses, and property damage matters include:

• General aviation crashes and accidents
• Air carrier aviation crashes and accidents
• Helicopter crashes and accidents
• Litigating aspects of the Warsaw Convention, the Montreal Convention, the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), and the General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA)
• Representation in NTSB and FAA hearings and investigations
• Accident reconstruction
• On site crash investigation
• Crisis response and management
• Insurance coverage disputes

Administrative Actions

We provide counsel in the following FAA enforcement matters:

• Emergency revocation proceedings
• Civil penalties
• Certificate actions related to pilot training
• Airport operations
• Faulty record keeping
• Substance abuse
• Medical disqualification
• Environmental hazards
• Operational breaches
• Appeals of administrative decisions
• Employment disputes
• Drone/UAS operations

Consulting

Our attorneys advise clients on issues related to aircraft ownership and aviation business operations including:

• Negotiating, drafting, and/or analyzing contracts, operating agreements, leases, and other corporate agreements
• Identifying the best business structure for their needs, and assisting in incorporation
• Assisting product manufacturers with drafting and revising user and operator manuals and instructions
• Federal aviation regulation compliance
• Charter, FBO, and airport operations
• Labor and employment matters
• Tax issues
• Aircraft, equipment, and property purchases and sales
• FAA Certification
• Liability protection
• Employment and training
• Drone/UAS operations