Aviation Ownership Structuring Services

Our expertise

We have experience dealing with tax-efficient aviation ownership structures and management, from aeroplanes and helicopters to executive jets.

Who will find our services useful

If you are a private or corporate owner, a family office, advisor or bank, we can assist with strategies for managing this asset and provide the optimum governance structure required.

We enable our clients to focus on running their businesses and have peace of mind that we are administering the day-to-day operations. We provide a comprehensive range of services to establish and administer businesses, ensuring its operation and compliance with all statutory duties is a non-turbulent one. This also includes directorship, registered offices, company secretary, nominee shareholder services, statutory filing and accounting services, and we facilitate the following:

• The creation and management of tax efficient ownership structures for both private and commercial aircraft in the most advantageous jurisdiction for them
• General private and commercial aircraft administration
• Setting up and managing offshore bank accounts
• Arranging finance
• Financial reporting for the structure
• Obtaining tax advice from specialist aviation experts
• Insurance cover for the aircraft, crew and passengers
• Appointment of aircraft managers, charter brokers and international safety managers

Trusted advisers

We have a global network of professional and highly experienced aviation managers and advisers with whom we work, to provide our clients with an all encompassing and compliant service.

We engage with these professionals across the globe in matters relating to:

• VAT registration and on-going VAT management
• Insurance
• Obtaining valuations and surveys
• Application for relevant licences
• Employment of captains and crew
• Employment management for payroll and expenses
• Management reporting for the aircraft

In addition, we draw on the wider expertise of our private client, corporate and funds teams to form bespoke solutions for owners, sponsors or crew as required.

Aircraft registration anywhere in the world

We are also proud to recommend the Jersey Aircraft Registry (JAR), which launched on 5 November 2015 offering the opportunity to register in Jersey both private and corporate aircraft (not being used for commercial air transport) based anywhere in the world.

To complement Jersey’s reputation as a legal and finance centre of excellence, especially for high value secured lending transactions, the JAR enables the registration of both aircraft and aircraft engine mortgages, which includes registration of commercial aircraft engine mortgages.

The JAR operates in accordance with Aircraft Registration (Jersey) Law 2014, Air Navigation (Jersey) Law 2015 and relevant subordinate legislation to regulate administrative aspects.

Registration on the JAR provides benefits and advantages that are not available with other aircraft registries, such as the USA’s N-Reg and the U.K.’s G-Reg, such as:

• tax neutrality,
• a cost-effective, efficient registration process,
• an online registration system, available 24 hours a day; and
• a safe and comprehensive legal and regulatory framework.

Hawksford and our partner firms have a close relationship with the JAR and works with them to ensure our clients are always a priority.

Jurisdictions

These services are available from:

• JERSEY