Ronald J. Rapp dedicates his practice solely to business aviation transactions, regulatory matters, and aircraft operations.  Mr. Rapp has nearly three decades of experience in the acquisition of new and previously owned business jets and turbine-powered helicopters, as well as aircraft sales. Since he began limiting his practice solely to business aviation in June of 2004, Mr. Rapp has represented purchasers or sellers in many dozens of used aircraft transactions, and he has represented new aircraft purchasers in more than $1 Billion of transactions involving aircraft manufactured by Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, Learjet, Cessna, Eurocopter, and Bell Helicopter.  Mr. Rapp has considerable experience and expertise in aircraft finance and leasing; in that arena, he normally represents borrowers or lessees.

Mr. Rapp has assisted dozens of clients with the planning and implementation of aircraft ownership and operating structures that effectively deal with regulatory, tax, and liability considerations.  In addition, Mr. Rapp has extensive experience and expertise in aircraft operations pursuant to Parts 91, 91(k), 125 and 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations; the establishment and operation of corporate flight departments; aircraft management and charter agreements; fractional ownership and leasehold interests involving the NetJets and Flexjet programs; hangar leases; and many types of aircraft services agreements.   For the nine-year period prior to his June 2013 establishment of the Law Office of Ronald J. Rapp, Mr. Rapp headed the business aviation practice at the Chicago Headquarters Office of Vedder Price P.C., a leading international aircraft leasing and finance law firm.  

An FAA-licensed pilot and former aircraft owner, Mr. Rapp brings a unique and valuable perspective to his practice.  During the 1990s, he formed and then actively managed a Fortune 300 corporate flight department with global aircraft operations. From on-site supervision of new and refurbished aircraft completions to hiring and managing flight crew members and aircraft maintenance technicians, Mr. Rapp has years of hands-on business aviation operational experience.

Mr. Rapp has forged strong relationships with business jet manufacturers, aircraft management and charter concerns, aircraft brokers, aircraft financiers, aircraft repair stations, fractional ownership programs, providers of hourly cost maintenance programs for aircraft engines and airframes, and other business aviation vendors which benefit his clients. With nearly three decades of experience at top international law firms and in the law departments of two Fortune 300 companies, Mr. Rapp is known for his strong drafting skills, his ability to craft practical business aviation solutions, his ability to efficiently manage the aircraft transaction process, and his comprehensive knowledge of business aviation operations and the related regulatory regime.