Specialised Aviation Knowledge
with considerable and extensive expertise in aviation law, practice and procedure
The firm has represented and advised clients in all of the following areas:
- Compensation and representation in respect of International and Domestic air disasters for victims and their families and dependents.
- Acquisition and sale of property
- Aircraft purchase and sale, for aircraft of all sizes up to and including RPT aircraft
- Mortgage, lease, leaseback, transfers of mortgages including aircraft finance arrangements of all kinds
- Sub-interests in aircraft including co-ownership, share ownership, group and club ownership including mortgaging, leasing and finance of all kinds, both within Australia and overseas
- Tax Advice, in conjunction with specialist accountants and particularly relating to the acquisition, sale, lease, operation and finance of aircraft
- Real estate, Trust Estate and Wills planning
The firm’s specialist knowledge enables matters to be dealt with quickly and to the point. Advice is often commercial and directed to immediate resolution of the issues in the light of the conflicting laws, claims, risks and expenses that the parties are facing.
The firm is presently engaged in advising clients regarding air crash claims and entitlements, particularly to do with passenger injuries and deaths. Assistance can be given in deciding whether to make claims when members of a person’s family have been involved in air crash and aviation accidents in other countries of the world outside of Australia. The firm has extensive contacts and correspondence with law firms in other countries, with particular emphasis on the United States, the United Kingdom and in Europe. We have assisted many Plaintiffs to make claims in those countries. It is particularly important to make such claims in conjunction with reputable law firms and we have been able to give useful and beneficial advice to Australian clients of foreign law firms about starting managing and reaching settlements concerning claims brought in those foreign places.
In February 1980 a Super King Air VH-AAV, crashed into the sea wall at Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport. Very sadly all on board perished. It was discovered that the aircraft suffered an engine failure because of the presence of water in the fuel thereby causing the left-hand engine to flame-out and stop. It did not re-start. Thereafter the aircraft proceeded at a very slow pace whilst turning towards the failed engine at an extremely low level, crossing Botany Bay towards the Southern end of the airport, which extends into the Bay. The flight culminated in the crash. Our firm was responsible for the critical discovery of the cause of the presence of water in the fuel as well as identifying the reason for the disabling and slow flight across the water after the engine failure.
Our firm has been instrumental in identifying crucial causes of many air crash events which have led to successful litigation outcomes. A number of major commercial cases have been resolved by close attention to the technical and legal surroundings concerning aircraft damage. The same attention is given to commercial and personal disputes. Complex legal, technical and medical issues are frequently addressed by the firm with very satisfactory results.
Personal familiarity with almost all processes of aviation enables matters to be settled quickly. Personal representation, political representation and court appearances can be prepared for and provided in all States and in the Commonwealth’s own processes and Courts.
The firm conducts extensive court work for clients, including appearances for pilots, aircraft owners and operators and other crew concerning licence matters and matters to do with compliance with the laws of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (“CASA”) and the Civil Aviation Act.
We are entitled to practice as lawyers in most States of Australia and we have appeared in trials, jury trials and other cases to do with aviation. This has enabled the Firm to provide a wide cross-section of extensive experience not only in the aviation field but also extensive experience in commercial, finance, bureaucratic, sale and purchase transactions of all kinds.