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Thursday, May 17, 2018

By Gary Collins


When thinking about purchasing an aircraft, it is important to engage a lawyer that is qualified to offer services in aviation legal aspects. This is not a task that can be handled by your regular legal advisor. This is because they have no in-depth knowledge of legal matters concerning ownership and operation of airplanes. For this reason, use the following ideas to find an aircraft purchase attorney that can effectively guide you through this process.

Look for a professional who can commit to walking the journey with you. You need them during the conceptualization stage, through the transactions and beyond. So, do not ignore them during the pre-purchase inspection or allow them not to attend the title search review meeting. Their advice and insight could save you serious loses or security issues in future.

Always go for a lawyer whose full specialization is business aviation. Avoid situations where you engage someone just because they have helped another client with related issues. When they focus on aviation, have the requirements for owning and operating airplanes at their fingertips. They can advise you on your responsibilities before you even settle on the airplane.

If possible, visit their business website and see the kind of clients they have handled before. Here, you may also read reviews and testimonials from other clients. Check their qualifications and the kind of job they have handled for each client before settling on them.

Dig further to establish their key area of focus. There are those who deal with FAA/DOT regulations and compliance, taxes, registration, and transactions. To make sure you do not waste a lot of your money in hiring different lawyers, find one who has handled many aspects of owning an airplane as possible. You go-to lawyer should at least help you with registrations, drawing and reviewing the agreements, ensuring compliance, among others. Other issues that come up later are taxes and insurance.

A real headache in operating airplanes lies in tax compliance. This is why you should at least partner with an attorney who can take care of business aviation taxes. This will also depend on which state you are operating in. Some states like Texas, Florida, and New York can have strict requirements for aviation business taxes.

Because of the internet, you can find a lawyer in this field easily. You just need an internet connection and you can search for such lawyers within your area. When you see a prospective provider, see their portfolio to make sure they offer what you need. Also, talk to industry specialists such as vendors, consultants, and your colleagues to recommend a suitable lawyer. Some have hired such services before and may have good leads.

Prepare a list of several lawyers that you intend to engage further. Then you can organize a meeting to ask more details about their specialization. Treat this as an interview and ask questions that are related to your specific needs. All you need is a clarification whether the lawyer has the expertise to guide you through buying and operating an aircraft.




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