Expertise

Practice Group

Schellenberg Wittmer's Business Aviation team has strong expertise in all legal, regulatory and tax aspects of the business aviation industry. It is recognized internationally for its commercial and proactive approach, and has the market experience and knowledge required for all types of transactional and regulatory matters related to business aviation.

Experience

Our specialist team focuses on providing legal solutions to the key players in business aviation, and we are fully equipped to cover all issues and areas of the aviation industry.

Our business aviation lawyers have broad experience in virtually every segment of the industry and can draw on the broad legal resources within our firm, from regulatory specialists to tax lawyers, to address any legal concern unique to business aviation operations.

Our clients, including leading entrepreneurs, financial institutions and private and public companies, have acquired interests in a variety of corporate and executive aircraft. We also advise operators, brokers and insurance companies in all types of queries they may have in connection with their business aviation activities.

Our firm has assisted its clients with legal issues in the following areas:

Cross-border acquisition of business aircraft from the manufacturer, dealer or owner, and subsequent sale
Aircraft financing
Establishment of international corporate structures for the ownership and operations of business aircraft
Registration of aircraft and security interests in the relevant registries
Aircraft management, operations, maintenance and support

Aircraft interior completion projects
Charter and lease transactions
Tax and VAT advice (e.g. on operations, import and export, maintenance) and negotiations with the relevant tax authorities
Aviation insurance
Regulatory aspects of aviation activities in Switzerland
Warranty and liability litigation
Aircraft repossession

Representation of numerous owners, financial institutions and operators in the sale, purchase and financing of business aircraft, such as BBJ 787, Gulfstream G650, Bombardier Global 7000, Dassault Falcon 8X and more, from virtually all manufacturers
Representation in insurance and litigation matters, where we have advised public authorities and insurance companies in connection with several Aviation incidents/ crashes. In particular, our firm was appointed by Skyguide and its insurer AXA Winterthur following the Überlingen mid-air collision

Counsel to a business aviation operator and its insurers in relation to an aircraft accident in France
Counsel to clients on operational conditions in Switzerland, including import into Switzerland, negotiations with the operator and tax advice in respect of the aircraft’s charters operations
Lead counsel to UHNW clients on the aircraft holding structure and the entire range of legal aspects, including negotiation of the purchase and management agreements, customs duties in Switzerland and the EU, and regulatory requirements

Counsel to a major Swiss operator in the purchase of business aircraft and the conclusion of various agreements for the financing and operation of the aircraft, including loan, mortgage and charter agreements
Counsel to the owners of an aircraft fleet on the restructuring of the fleet, including change of registration of certain aircraft, reorganisation of the operator and adaptation of the holding structure to the worldwide operations of the owners