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Aviation

Like most endeavors in a technically advanced society, neither commercial nor private aviation would be feasible without the availability of insurance.  Our aviation practice group attorneys have the skill and experience to advise and defend insurers in aviation-related coverage disputes of every kind.  Equally they are adept at defending liability claims against airlines, airports, repair and maintenance facilities and parts manufacturers.

Blog Posts | Florida Law Catches Up to Stalking Drones

Oct 07, 2022 | By James Michael Shaw , Jr., Ryan Hilton

In 2015, Dan Mouneimne’s stepdaughter sat outside a downtown Tampa bar when she noticed a drone hovering around her. She fled to her car, and…

Blog Posts | Butler Feature | LinkedIn Pages

Feb 09, 2021

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new LinkedIn showcase pages. Our showcase pages are an extension of Butler’s practice area pages and…

Blog Posts | The FAA’s New Digital License Plate Requirement for Drones

Jan 26, 2021 | By Ryan Hilton

The Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) has finalized a new rule that requires remote identification (remote ID) for drones,1 colloquially known as a digital license plate.2…

Events | The Drone Will See You Now: Law Enforcement From Above And Litigation From Below

Jan 24, 2020 | By James Michael Shaw , Jr.

Partner James Shaw, Jr. and co-hosts Dr. S.V. Dedmon, Dr. Ryan Wallace, and Anthony Galante of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University presented “The Drone Will See You…

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Publications/ Whitepapers | Drones: Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Cancel Your Pirate Insurance

Dec 04, 2019 | By Ryan Hilton, James Michael Shaw , Jr.

This article is originally a publication of DRI’s Insurance Law Committee newsletter on November 27, 2019. Legal opinions may vary when based on subtle factual differences. All rights…

Publications/ Whitepapers | Butler On Drones (Third Edition): A Practical Guide For Insurers

May 14, 2019 | By James Michael Shaw , Jr., Ryan Hilton

Drones – also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)—are a transformative technology affecting the recreational and commercial sectors at an…

Blog Posts | The Federal Aviation Authority Reauthorization Act of 2018 and Its Effect on Drones

Jan 15, 2019 | By Ryan Hilton, James Michael Shaw , Jr.

The Federal Aviation Authority (“FAA”) Reauthorization Act of 2018 (the “Act”) was signed into law on October 5, 2018, by President Donald Trump.[1] The Act…

Blog Posts | Drone Accident Excluded Under CGL Policy’s Aircraft Exclusion

Dec 14, 2018 | By Ryan Hilton, James Michael Shaw , Jr.

In the most recent edition of our book, Butler on Drones, we reported that ISO has issued specific exclusions for unmanned aircraft for inclusion into CGL…

Publications/ Whitepapers | Preemption In Aviation Product Liability Cases

Jan 26, 2018

This article is originally a publication of the Aviation Insurance Association, Binder Vol. 42 No.4 Winter 2017. Legal opinions may vary when based on subtle factual differences….

Blog Posts | Eighty Years After Earhart: Congress Moves to Motivate and Facilitate Women In Aviation

Jan 18, 2018

The aviation industry is in dire need of a future workforce. This industry is already suffering from a shortage of qualified individuals to work in…

Blog Posts | FAA Releases Drone Identification and Tracking Report that the FAA Will Consider in Drafting its Final Rule on In-Flight Drone Accountability

Jan 05, 2018 | By Ryan Hilton

Law enforcement agencies want accountability when it comes to drone flights, especially when those flights are over people. Enabling a drone and its owner/operator to…

Blog Posts | Recreational Drone Registration Requirement Has Returned

Jan 05, 2018 | By Ryan Hilton

Back on December 21, 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required drone owners to register their drones if their drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds…

Blog Posts | Drone Restrictions Over Certain Military Bases, Landmarks, and Department of Energy Facilities

Jan 04, 2018 | By Ryan Hilton

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (“FAA’s”) authority to institute airspace restrictions derives from 14 CFR § 99.7, “Special Security Instructions,” which is intended to address national…

Publications/ Whitepapers | Butler On Drones (Second Edition) : A Practical Guide For Insurers

Sep 26, 2017 | By Ryan Hilton, James Michael Shaw , Jr.

Drones – also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – have left no industry unaffected, and the insurance industry is…

Blog Posts | “It’s Not Old, It’s A Classic!”: Risk in Aging Aircraft with GARA Protecting Manufacturers

Aug 23, 2017

The General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994 (“GARA”) was a byproduct of aging aircraft, rising costs, and tort liability in the United States. Congress was…

Blog Posts | New Laws passed in Florida and Oregon add to Varying State Drone Regulations

Jul 14, 2017

Florida and Oregon have both recently changed their Unmanned Aircraft Systems “UAS” (or “drone”) regulations, joining the vast majority of states looking to protect their…

Blog Posts | The D.C. Court of Appeals Just Scrapped the Drone Registry and May Have Also Turned Homeowners Insurers into Aviation Insurers

May 24, 2017 | By Tracy Jurgus, James Michael Shaw , Jr.

Model-aircraft hobbyist John Taylor didn’t want to register his model aircraft with the FAA pursuant to the newly created drone registry. So he took on…

Blog Posts | The Answers to Some of Your Questions About What Airlines Can Do When a Flight is Overbooked and Someone Is Going to Have to Get Off of the Plane

Apr 13, 2017 | By James Michael Shaw , Jr.

Suddenly, the entire world is interested in learning about the laws governing airlines’ actions when a flight is overbooked. It isn’t every day that the…

Blog Posts | A Federal Court in Kentucky Shoots Down Drone Airspace Case

Apr 05, 2017

The Western District of Kentucky recently granted a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, determining that there is no federal question jurisdiction…

Publications/ Whitepapers | If You Invade Someone’s Privacy With A Drone, Your Insurance Might Not Cover It

Jan 03, 2017 | By Ryan Hilton, James Michael Shaw , Jr.

This article originally appeared in Property Casualty 360. Legal opinions may vary when based on subtle factual differences. All rights reserved. Drones, also known as…

Publications/ Whitepapers | Butler On Drones: A Practical Guide For Insurers

Jun 08, 2016 | By Ryan Hilton, James Michael Shaw , Jr.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems – better known as “drones” – are about to change the way most everything is done. The Consumer Electronics Association estimated that…

Publications/ Whitepapers | Flying Witnesses: Admissibility Of Drone-Gathered Evidence In Florida

Feb 22, 2016 | By James Michael Shaw , Jr., Ryan Hilton

This article was originally published in the Winter 2016 edition of Trial Advocate Quarterly. Reprinted with permission. If reported surveys are accurate, Americans are ambivalent…

Aviation