Aviation

Our Aviation Practice Group handles complex claims and litigation for a wide variety of clients and has represented a number of aircraft and aircraft component part manufacturers, domestic and international air carriers, as well as ground service providers and airport and airline operators.

Mendes has earned a respected reputation for providing superior defense services by obtaining favorable verdicts, decisions and resolutions over the past 75 years of practice.  In addition, our practice group also offers practical services including claims prevention counseling and product integrity seminars.

Our success is founded upon meticulous preparation and our thorough knowledge and understanding of our clients, their products and their services.  Equally integral to quality service is applying an understanding of the technical issues and legal precedent with economical thinking and attentive analysis.

Our advanced technical expertise and our years of experience in the aviation arena have served many clients, new and old, extremely well throughout the years.  Our team is able to handle aviation matters from initial evaluation through litigation, discovery, and, ultimately through trial or negotiated settlement.

Recent legal representation has included:

• Aircraft manufacturers of almost every type, including large commercial aircraft, business and corporate airplanes, helicopters, military aircraft and experimental aircraft.
• Aircraft engine, engine component part manufacturers, including propulsion systems.
• Flight control systems, avionics, landing gear and system computer software controls.
• Airports and Terminal operators.
• Ground support and service providers, including cargo handlers, caterers and passenger service providers.
• Maintenance repair and overhaul facilities, including FAA Part 145 Repair Stations.
• Major air carriers, commercial and private operators.
• Manufacturers of ground support and ground services and navigational equipment.
• Navigational and Avionics manufacturers.

Some of the noteworthy types of aviation cases and issues have included:

• $100,000,000 subrogation litigation for domestic commuter turboprop on behalf of a major component manufacturer.
• Application of Borrowed Servant Rule with concern to a government contractor’s South American operations.
• Federal pre-emption of safety standards and regulations.
• The defense of aircraft component system design for crashes in the United States, Canada, Russia, and South America.
• The defense of a major helicopter safety device with models installed on over 13,500 helicopters worldwide.
• The defense of a turboprop OEM for aircraft design and maintenance manual instructions.
• Turboprop aircraft fuel system design in Panamanian crash of an air ambulance.
• Use of Economic Loss Rule in various jurisdictions.
• Use of GARA defense in State and Federal courts vs. maintenance contractor, including precedent set application to maintenance contractor.