Aviation law presents unique issues that require experienced counsel. Vezina Law Group has extensive experience representing aircraft owners, pilots, air charter operators, and businesses seeking to enter the aviation arena.
In fact, the firm’s principal, J. Marc Vezina, is an active pilot who has been flying for decades. He is the owner of a single, multi, and instrument rating from the FAA and is an active member in the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Therefore, aviation law is a service near and dear to our firm.
We counsel and advise our clients in the purchase, management, operation, staffing, and eventual sale of aircraft, as well as with overall compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations Parts 61, 91 and 135. We also have a network of aircraft brokers, pre-purchase inspection experts, and tax consultants that specialize in the acquisition, inspection, and operation of aircraft flight departments.
In general, the purchase of an aircraft presents numerous traps for the unwary, from purchasing an air craft with hidden or latent problems, to structuring a holding entity that might incur unnecessary tax liability, to exposing the owner to unnecessary liability should an incident or accident occur. Vezina Law Group works with clients on selecting the proper entity, the proper location for that entity, and the appropriate aircraft to meet the mission and performance requirements of the client.
At Vezina Law Group, we assist our clients to set realistic goals for the purchase and to ensure that aircraft selection meets the performance, price, and operational goals of the client. We assist in the selection of new and aftermarket aircraft and in structuring the ownership of the aircraft to minimize tax liability wherever appropriate. We also assist in the staffing of the aircraft from pilot selection and training to operational management to allow for a smooth integration of a flight department.
When it comes to utilizing an aircraft, there are numerous tax and business regulations of which clients are unaware which can lead clients to incur costly penalties, fines, or even loss of the aircraft. At Vezina Law Group, we assist clients in making sure that the operation of the aircraft is consistent with Federal Aviation Regulations.
As an added service to our clients, we regularly network our clients and other aircraft owners in geographic regions in order to facilitate loaner aircraft when maintenance issues arise, as well as in order to facilitate opportunities in moving up to or down from larger or smaller aircraft. This allows our clients to operate their aircraft cost-effectively while avoiding the use of the more expensive traditional charter option.
Additionally, Vezina Law Group regularly represents pilots who may run afoul of or find themselves involved in a regulatory action with the FAA. This may include enforcement actions, medical advocacy issues regarding licensure, and enforcement actions where an airman certificate is at stake.
Vezina Law Group also advises clients on multiple aircraft transactions where the benefits and opportunities of a 1031 exchange could be of optimal tax value. We also regularly assist clients in the ever-changing area of regulatory issuance and enforcement and periodically review existing plans to ensure continued compliance.
Finally, Vezina Law Group represents aircraft owners, pilots, and passengers in aviation-related litigation regarding damage done to aircraft or injuries to persons on board aircraft that are operated or maintained in a deficient or negligent manner. This includes commercial and personal injury claims for losses sustained for defective or negligent maintenance of an aircraft, damage or destruction of an aircraft in the possession or care of a third party, fraud in the pre-purchase inspection process, and injury and death claims for aircraft operated by third persons.