Aircraft Management, Charter & Leasing Lawyers

Buying an aircraft is only the beginning. How it is managed, flown and, in some cases, made available to others determines what it costs to own, how it is regulated and how its value is protected. Jaffa & Co advises owners, operators, managers and lessors on the agreements that sit behind the day-to-day operation of business and commercial aircraft. As aircraft management agreement lawyers, our partners bring years of experience, including in-house roles with some of the world’s largest aviation operators.

What we advise on

• Management agreements. Appointing a manager to crew, maintain, insure and operate the aircraft on the owner’s behalf.
• Charter. Making the aircraft available for third-party charter to offset its running costs, and the regulatory consequences of doing so.
• Dry and wet leasing. Leasing aircraft with or without crew, maintenance and insurance, for owners, airlines and lessors.
• Registration and structuring. Choosing the register and ownership structure that fit how the aircraft will be used.

Private or commercial

The same question that shapes superyacht ownership shapes aircraft ownership: is the aircraft flown privately, or is it used commercially? Commercial operation generally requires the aircraft to be operated under an air operator certificate, with consequences for its registration, its maintenance regime, its insurance and its tax position. We help owners understand where the line falls and structure their arrangements so that the aircraft is operated within it.

Working alongside your team

We see ourselves as an extension of your existing team, and work closely with family offices, managers, operators, lenders and tax advisers so that the contracts reflect how the aircraft is actually used.