NBAA Logo (2).jpg

Aviation and Aerospace

Services

  • Purchase, sale, lease, financing, and other transactions involving aircraft of all kinds, from piston singles to helicopters, corporate jets, and airliners.

  • FAA waiver processes for special events, especially airshows.

  • Operational issues under FAR Parts 91, 135, and 125, including air carrier matters.

  • Purchase, sale, and commercialization of aircraft type certificates and supplemental type certificates (STCs).

  • Subpart K fractional operations and shared-ownership programs, including representing both operators and owners of fleet aircraft.

Steve's Qualifications

  • Airline Transport Pilot with commercial privileges in multi-engine airplanes and in gliders. Private privileges in single-engine seaplanes.

  • Certificated Flight Instructor with instrument rating (CFII) qualified in single-engine land airplanes and gliders.

  • NAFI Master CFI.

  • Type-rated (SIC) in the Douglas DC-3/C-47 airliner/transport.

  • Past chair of the Aviation Section of the State Bar of Michigan.

  • Air Boss (RAB/SV) accredited by FAA letter of authorization (LoA), which includes Standard Air Boss privileges at all venues.

  • Airshow pilot with Lead formation card through the Red Star Pilots Association (one of only six FAST-card holders in the glider category).

  • Member, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)

  • Member, Experimental Aircraft Association.

  • Member, International Aerobatic Club.

  • Member, Soaring Society of America.

  • Lieutenant colonel, legal officer, check pilot - Civil Air Patrol (U.S. Air Force auxiliary)

    • Currently vice commander of CAP’s Michigan Wing.

    • Aviation advisor on CAP’s National Operations Staff, serving as the primary CAP legal officer for aviation matters.

    • Former legal officer for Great Lakes Region, covering six wings, 6,000 airmen, and 200 subordinate units.

    • Instructor pilot and check pilot examiner.

    • NESA Mission Aircrew School cadre.

    • Former director of glider operations for Michigan Wing.

  • Publisher and host of Airspeed, an aviation and aerospace podcast (10+ years and 200+ episodes).

Examples

  • Represented the organizer of a 500,000-attendee airshow in negotiations with an airport authority for the continued operation of the show, including assertion of FAA AIP grant assurances and federal preemption issues.

  • Counsel in charge of contracting for all aviation operations for the Part 125 air carrier that operated Roundball One, the Detroit Pistons’ DC-9 and later MD-83 from RFP through contract negotiation and renewal.

  • Purchases, sales, leases, and/or interchange agreements covering dozens of turboprop and jet aircraft.

  • Aircraft financing transactions, including those involving multiple lenders and priorities of security interests.

  • Aircraft title matters, including mechanic’s liens and related matters, including foreclosure.

  • Air Boss for the Oakland County International Airport annual Open House and Airshow, coordinating all operations at Michigan’s busiest general-aviation airport.

  • Consulting Air Boss for airshows throughout the region, including Thunder over Louisville.

  • Air Boss in charge of all planning and operations for the Tuskegee Airmen Detroit River Days Airshow.

    • Now in its seventh year, the show is a full surface-waivered airshow with everything from gliders to military jets, operating over the Detroit River.

    • The show site is one of the most complicated in all or North America, with skyscrapers on one side, an international border on the other, Detroit Metro Airport’s Class B airspace above, and a major international shipping land below.

    • The FAA waiver for the show involves waiver of 15 FAR subsections and more than 30 special provisions.

    • On a given show day, Steve commands or directs more than 100 personnel, five vessels, and up to 15 aircraft involving up to five airports. The show requires coordination with the City of Detroit, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Detroit Police (including dive team), Detroit Fire, Wayne County Sheriff (including dive team), the U.S. Coast Guard, the Windsor Harbourmaster, the U.S. Air Force, the Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Canada, NAV CANADA, and others.

Publications

Steve wrote the Pilot’s Legal Guide, published by Pilot Workshops. It’s a comprehensive guide to the most important legal issues encountered by GA pilots.

  • Cost Sharing for Private Pilots

  • Commercial Pilots Flying under Part 91

  • Logging Time

  • Declaring an Emergency

  • Accidents, Incidents, and Mistakes

  • Insurance

  • Maintenance and Equipment Issues

  • Ramp Inspections and Repercussions

  • Aircraft Rental Agreements

  • Aircraft Purchase Transactions

  • Using Organizations to Own Aircraft

  • Taxes and the GAS Pilot

  • Liens on Aircraft

  • Flight Instructor Liability

  • Charity Flights