Effective January 19, 2021, new tax regulations clarify how the charter industry should address the Commercial Aviation Federal Excise Tax (“FET”) with managed aircraft. The new regulations will give the charter industry a new sales tool:  charter flights for owners in their own aircraft will not be subject to FET.  This means that aircraft owners […]

“No bucks, no Buck Rogers.”  This quote from The Right Stuff neatly sums up the interrelationship between business aviation and the tax code.  Many years ago, Bob Dole was a Senator from the airplane-building State of Kansas.  Senator Dole was a commanding presence in the Senate, particularly when it came to crafting the tax code […]

In September, the NTSB published a Final Report with a very simple determination of probable cause: “The pilot’s loss of helicopter control as a result of fatigue during cruise flight at night.” The flight was a “tail-end ferry flight.” Unlike FAR Part 121 operations, charter operators under FAR Part 135 have no rest requirements for […]

What are the practical and legal considerations when a passenger or crewmember becomes ill in flight? For the larger air carriers and operators of large business aircraft, a flight attendant is usually available to deal with the inflight medical emergency of a passenger or even a crewmember.  But what about a business aviation operation with […]

Prior to 2009, Aircraft financing was generally straightforward and often generous.  With a virtual shortage of aircraft (new and used) on the market, lenders did not shy away from supporting what are sometimes characterized as “risky,” high-dollar assets.  In fact, financiers went so far as to seek out aircraft financing opportunities by aggressively marketing low […]

The days of boilerplate aircraft purchase agreements are long over. (If they were ever here in the first place.) New regulations – whether from the FAA, IRS or from financial institutions – are continually added or change on a regular basis. Your first line of defense against unexpected difficulties at closing is the aircraft purchase agreement. You […]