Aviation

Shackelford has an internationally-recognized aviation law practice, composed of attorneys with a deep well of aviation industry and aviation law experience. We understand the needs of our aviation industry clients and provide a full range of legal advice with respect to all aspects of their aviation legal issues and challenges.

Who We Help

We help a wide range of aviation clients including the following:

• Fortune 50 companies operating large internal flight departments;
• Aircraft charter and management companies;
• Aircraft leasing companies;
• Aircraft lenders;
• FBOs and other commercial operators;
• Individual aircraft owners and operators;
• Pilots;
• Flight schools and training providers;
• Repair stations, mechanics, and other maintenance facilities;
• Aviation manufacturers;
• Aviation insurers;

What We Do

We help our clients with the purchase, sale, operations, leasing, management and financing of their aircraft and aircraft-related businesses. We assess all of the applicable regulatory, tax and risk management issues that apply to their operations, working with them to make sure they fully understand the range of options they have so that they can best meet their individual goals while complying with those requirements.

Shackelford represents clients in leasing and other equipment financing transactions in the United States and globally. This representation includes single investor, synthetic, true, tax and operating leases, vendor programs, bundled transactions, participations and secured loan transactions.

We represent banks, lenders and lessors, vendors, borrowers, captives and lessees. Our firm assists our clients in transactions involving aircraft, hardware, technology, manufacturing, transportation, communications and other equipment. We often focus on domestic and international private aircraft leasing and financing, including aircraft dry leases, wet leases, operating leases, and other similar agreements that may be covered by any type of secured transaction. With more than 70 combined years of corporate and law firm experience between our partners, we help our clients optimize regulatory compliance, tax, accounting, business and economic results in a common sense approach, recognizing market pressures and the rapid pace of transactions.

Our litigators advise aviation clients involved in disputes to help resolve the disputes through negotiation, settlement, mediation and, when necessary, arbitration or litigation. We have represented clients in aviation related disputes including contract and business disputes, property tax appeals, lienholder remedies, property/casualty losses including product liability, negligence and wrongful death, as well as representation of pilots, mechanics, air carriers and commercial operators before the FAA and NTSB.

From aviation transaction work to aviation litigation, we have the knowledge, experience and depth to meet our clients’ objectives and to exceed their expectations.

Contact

For general inquiries about how our aviation law practice may be of assistance to you, please contact the head of our aviation practice, David T. Norton.