The Tribune

BAHAMIAN aviation law specialist, Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright, is among 25 lawyers worldwide to be invited to a meeting dealing with aircraft leasing and mushrooming demand for specialised aircraft financing in Washington DC this month.

Mr Cartwright, a 29-year aviation industry veteran and senior associate at Callenders & Co, said: "It's an honour to be one of only 25 attorneys selected to attend and participate in the Legal Aspects of Aircraft leasing and financing."

In February, Mr Cartwright became the first Bahamian to be admitted to the Lawyer Pilots Bar Association, an international organisation dedicated to airline and aircraft safety, and legal issues surrounding the aviation industry.

That appointment came just weeks after he and Callenders & Co senior partner, Colin Callender, called for the creation of a Bahamas Aircraft Registry.

Mr Cartwright said: "The private, charter and leasing segments of the airline industry are growing phenomenally. Even the most challenging economy could not dampen the fervor of such growth, and all signals point toward continued growth.

"The more obstacles that are put in the way of the average traveler to improve security, the greater the growth is going to be of executive jet service and the accompanying business of private FBO's (Fixed Base Operations). For the business traveller or the high net worth individual, it's all about saving time, cutting the wait for an international flight from two to three hours sitting around an airport to a matter of minutes, walking up to a plane and boarding, and same at the other end with almost instant disembarking."

Mr Cartwright added: "The projected continued growth is dependent upon adequate funding vehicles and all the legal parameter

"It's very exciting to be on the cutting edge of this emerging industry and to be invited to help shape its future."

The Washington meeting under the auspices of the Legal Aviation Workshop program follows two others in London and Dubai and is hosted by the well-known law firm of Cozen O'Connor.