The FAA is trying to enhance the privacy around business aircraft registered in the U.S. By limiting access to information about owners of U.S.-registered aircraft, the FAA has somewhat improved privacy, safety, and security, but significant challenges remain across the ownership and transaction experience. These issues extend not only to registered owners but also to lessees and the ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) who call the shots behind the scenes.
Consequently, with the focus on owners, UBOs need to understand and insist on protocols that optimize privacy, safety, and security involving their aircraft. Initially, UBOs should deploy measures to achieve privacy through legal ownership structuring, use of regulatory policy tools, and aircraft management.
David G. Mayer is a member of the global Aviation Practice Group at Shackelford, McKinley & Norton in Dallas, which handles private aircraft matters, including regulatory compliance, tax planning, purchases, sales, leasing and financing, risk management, insurance, aircraft management and operations, hangar leasing, and related corporate work. Mayer frequently represents corporations and high- and ultra-high-net worth individuals and other aircraft owners, flight departments, lessees, borrowers, operators, sellers, purchasers, corporations and managers, as well as lessors and lenders. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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