Aviation

Overview

Our lawyers represent aviation clients in the leasing and financing of aircraft, in litigation including products liability, aircraft accidents, and insurance coverage, in regulatory and compliance matters, and in intellectual property protection. Our clients include passenger and cargo airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturers, parts manufacturers, maintenance and service providers, aviation insurers, leasing and finance companies, dealers, and fractional owner-operators.

Our experience includes:

An estimated $100 billion of aircraft financings.
An estimated $40 billion of new aircraft purchases.
Complex aircraft accident litigation throughout the United States on behalf of manufacturers, airlines, fixed-base operators, and insurers.
Protecting intellectual property of aircraft manufacturers and other aviation businesses.

Experience

Aircraft financings estimated at $100 billion
Represented airlines, lessors, and lenders in the loan and lease financings of more than 2,000 airline-operated aircraft. This includes secured loans, operating leases, and full-payout single-investor and leveraged leases–domestic and cross-border–with a total financed amount estimated at $100 billion.
$8 billion order for Boeing 747-8F aircraft
$8 billion order for 20 Boeing 747-8F aircraft – the largest freighter order in Boeing’s 100 year history – and for services and other agreements. Our client (the buyer) comprises the airlines of Volga-Dnepr Group of Russia. We are sole outside counsel for this order.
Major aircraft purchase agreements
Represented multiple airlines in purchase agreements for an estimated $40 billion of aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer, and other manufacturers. This includes negotiating with multiple engine manufacturers, related negotiations for maintenance and service contracts, and manufacturer financing commitments.
Dismissals of copyright claims and separate state action for international airline client sued over use of architectural plans
Represented a major airline in claims brought by a former vendor alleging misuse of architectural plans for office space. Won motion to dismiss state-court conversion claims, and in subsequent federal copyright-infringement case based on the same underlying facts, conducted discovery and negotiated settlement in which plaintiff dismissed the case with prejudice and with no payments from our client.
Challenges to airport commercialization
Represents citizens in numerous judicial challenges to an attempt by Paulding County and outside investor groups to expand the Paulding County Airport to include commercial passenger service in competition with Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport. Lawsuits include challenges to funding of the airport, open meeting violations, violations of Federal Aviation Administration procedures (representation as co-counsel), injunction hearings and Georgia ...