Higgs & Johnson in accordance with its commitment to facilitate the ongoing development of its international aviation practice and to support and remain current with advancements in the aviation industry across leading platforms within the region, participated as a sponsor of the 5th Annual AeroPodium Offshore Aircraft Registration Conference held in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, on the 15th and 16th October 2015.

The event which was hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands as the Prime Sponsor, brought together professionals representing the most forward thinking jurisdictions in regional aviation. Participants included presenters from leading aviation jurisdictions such as Aruba, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, in addition to North American and European aviation experts. The two day event provided significant insight into well managed, cost efficient civil aviation authorities which have achieved notable degrees of success in large measure as a result of close cooperation and focused efforts between government, civil aviation authorities and legal practitioners in the relevant jurisdictions. It also afforded a current analysis of world-wide aviation trends and varying perspectives on certain international aviation related conventions.

Michael Allen, head of Higgs & Johnson’s aviation practice group which straddles both the Bahamas and Cayman platforms, noted that successful offshore aviation jurisdictions have a decidedly global perspective on servicing the needs of aircraft owners, operators and also other jurisdictions. Determined efforts within jurisdictions and a culture of proactive responsiveness to the requirements of the international community have resulted in the stellar successes of certain countries which are able to boast of possessing internationally recognized aircraft registries of choice. Typically such jurisdictions will have well-crafted supporting legislation and a responsive judiciary. The event highlighted the successes of the Cayman, Aruba and Bermuda aircraft registries, the ongoing constructive initiatives within the Bermuda context and the current positive dynamic within the Cayman Islands aviation industry, in anticipation of its implementation of The Cape Town Convention (i.e. The Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and the Protocol thereto on matters specific to aircraft equipment).

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Photo 1 – (left to right)
Michael Allen, Partner Higgs & Johnson (Bahamas); Panagiotis Panagopoulos, CEO & Founder of AeroPodium; and Francine Bryce, Senior Associate Higgs & Johnson (Cayman Islands)

Photo 2 – (left to right)
Richard Smith, Director – General Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands; Andrea Moultrie, Associate, Higgs & Johnson (Bahamas); and Michael Allen, Partner, Higgs & Johnson (Bahamas)