Phil E. Crowther Of Counsel 

Phil E. Crowther is an attorney, an MBA and a CPA with over 30 years of experience assisting clients with their aviation tax planning needs. He is an instrument-rated commercial pilot with almost 500 hours of flight experience, including trips to both coasts in light aircraft.






His experience includes:

  • 5 years in the tax departments of local, regional and national CPA firms
  • 3 years as a corporate tax attorney with Koch Industries.
  • 13 years as Tax Manager and Assistant Treasurer with Cessna Aircraft Company
  • 12 years as an aviation business and tax attorney with Law Offices of Phil Crowther.

Because of this unique legal, financial and tax background, he has been able to provide a comprehensive package of services to his clients, including:

  • Drafting legal documents, such as sales and lease agreements, that comply with both FAA requirements and tax objectives.
  • Drafting comprehensive planning memos that enable clients to create efficient ownership structures that minimize tax costs while complying with FAA requirements.
  • Representing and assisting clients in tax audits and appeals.
  • He has worked with a variety of Fortune 500 companies and successful entrepreneurs with aircraft ranging from Cessna Skyhawks to Boeing 727s.

Publications
For the past 15 years, he has been a regular speaker on aviation tax issues at tax conferences and forums. He has also written over a hundred articles discussing aviation tax issues for NBAA and "Twin and Turbine" magazine and other publications, including an article on taxation of fractional interests in the Journal of Air Law and Commerce.

Professional Affiliations
  • National Business Aviation Association. Member of Tax Committee and head of the Federal Tax Working Group.
  • American Bar Association Tax Section. Member of Tax Accounting Problems Committee and Chairman of Inventory Subcommittee.
  • Kansas and Wichita Bar Associations
  • American Institute of CPAs
  • Kansas and Wichita Society of CPAs

Education
JD and MBA (with honors) from the University of Kansas in 1976. Recipient of the Solon E. Summerfield Scholarship and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma business honor societies.

Graduated from Kansas State University in 1972 with a BS in English and Secondary Education and studied engineering for a year at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Mr. Crowther is admitted to practice law in Kansas.