Aviation Law

The Aviation Group at Clark Wilson offers a combination of legal services tailored for businesses involved in the aviation and airport industries. The Aviation Group's service includes aircraft finance, aviation and airport related commercial matters and regulatory law. We act for a broad range of aviation companies and airport operators including an international scheduled and charter carrier, the Vancouver International Airport Authority, one of Canada's largest float plane carriers, and a wide range of helicopter operators providing everything from heli-skiing and sightseeing services to heavy lift operations for resource work and fire fighting.

Assignments handled by our group include:

• Providing all legal services relating to the start-up of an international, full-service airline and holiday agency. Working with the organization from its inception, which included incorporation and all regulatory matters administered by the Canadian Transportation Agency and Transport Canada, acquisition and financing of Boeing 757-200 aircraft, and negotiation and completion of contracts for aircraft maintenance and service, as well as numerous other services associated with operating a charter and scheduled international service.
• Acting for a locally owned regional float plane operator, handling all of their legal requirements, including aircraft acquisition and leasing of float plane facilities.
• Providing all legal services relating to the start-up of a regional helicopter company.
• Counsel to a locally owned helicopter company providing a range of helicopter services utilizing Bell 212 and 205 helicopters.
• Counsel to a locally owned helicopter company specializing in heli-skiing operations utilizing Astar 350, TwinStar AS355 and Bell 206B helicopters.
• Acting for a locally owned helicopter company to obtain an exemption from Canadian ownership requirements due to an adverse decision of the Canadian Transportation Agency.
• Acquisition and importation of aircraft from Argentina into Canada, including negotiation of acquisition, brokerage agreement and regulatory matters.
• Legal advisor to Vancouver International Airport Authority, involving transfer to an independent, private Authority, negotiation of the airport’s ground lease, financing, transfers of the chattels from the Crown to the Authority, transfer of employees from the Crown to the private sector, and pension matters.
• Negotiating terms of numerous software customization, licensing, implementation and maintenance agreements with several Canadian and U.S. airlines.
• Representing the purchaser in their acquisition of a regional airline.

Please feel free to contact any member of our group for more information about the services we offer.