Aviation Expert Witness Services
Independent aircraft and helicopter valuation and technical analysis from David Fisher, ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser and FAA A&P/IA, with more than 30 years of expert witness experience. For attorneys, insurers, and lenders in the U.S. and internationally.
Facing a disclosure deadline? Rebuttal reviews are available on short timelines. We respond within one business day.
Independent Aviation Expertise When the Stakes Are High
Aviation litigation, disputes, and insurance claims often turn on technical and valuation questions: what an aircraft was worth before and after an incident, whether an appraisal will hold up under cross-examination, what the maintenance records actually show, or how FAA regulations apply to a contested matter. These questions call for an independent aviation expert witness, not an advocate.
Western Aviation provides expert witness and litigation support led by David Fisher, an ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser and FAA-certificated A&P mechanic with Inspection Authorization. His opinions follow USPAP-compliant methodology and draw on more than 40 years in aviation, from aircraft maintenance to aircraft finance and brokerage. Attorneys, insurers, lenders, and trustees get an objective, well-documented analysis they can rely on, from early case evaluation through deposition and trial testimony.
Typical matters, for both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, include breach of contract and aircraft purchase agreement disputes, brokerage and charter disputes, aircraft diminished value and post-accident damage claims, total loss and hull value disputes, aircraft property tax appeals, loss of use analysis, and FAA records and airworthiness questions.
Meet David Fisher, Aviation Expert Witness
David Fisher is Founder and President of Western Aviation, which he founded in Houston in 1999, and an ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser. His aviation career spans more than four decades. He began as a U.S. Air Force crew chief at RAF Bentwaters, England, and earned his FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate with Inspection Authorization (IA). He later served as a branch manager for GE Capital Aircraft Financing and founded AircraftMarketPlace.com. He has bought, sold, brokered, and appraised fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for more than 30 years, with more than 300 aircraft transactions.
David has served as an expert witness in aircraft matters for more than 30 years, for attorneys and insurance companies, in cases involving aircraft value, brokerage, charter, contracts, and other aviation issues. He has given deposition and trial testimony in federal and state court and has testified in arbitration and mediation. He has never been disqualified or removed from a case. Maintenance, finance, dealer, and appraiser experience lets him explain complex valuation and technical issues clearly to a judge, jury, arbitrator, or claims committee, and his opinions are independent of which party retains him.
- ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser (American Society of Appraisers)
- USPAP-current, with in-person and desktop appraisal reports prepared in compliance with USPAP
- FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA)
- 30+ years as an aviation expert witness; never disqualified or removed from a case
- Deposition and trial testimony in federal and state court, arbitration, and mediation
- 40+ years in aviation; 300+ aircraft transactions; aircraft dealer/broker in good standing since 2000
- Former branch manager, GE Capital Aircraft Financing
- Fixed-wing and rotorcraft appraisal experience
- Member, Lawyer Pilot Bar Association and National Aircraft Finance Association
- U.S. Air Force veteran (aircraft crew chief); Veteran-Owned Business verified by the Texas Veterans Commission
Vetting an expert for an upcoming disclosure? Request David's current CV, testimony list, and attorney references. We will send them within one business day.
Expert Witness Services for Aviation Disputes and Claims
Litigation Support
Independent aircraft valuation and technical analysis, rebuttal of opposing experts, and deposition and trial testimony for contract, transaction, and tax appeal matters.
Damage Analysis
Aircraft diminished value analysis, damage history evaluation, and repair-impact assessment after accidents, incidents, or maintenance events.
Insurance Matters
Pre-loss and post-loss valuation, total loss and hull value analysis, and expert support for carriers, adjusters, and policyholders.
FAA & Regulatory Matters
Review of FAA and maintenance records, airworthiness directive compliance, and how regulatory status affects value and transactions.
Aviation Litigation and Dispute Categories We Support
- Aircraft valuation disputes
- Aircraft diminished value claims
- Breach of contract and aircraft purchase agreement disputes
- Back-to-back transaction disputes
- Partnership and fractional ownership conflicts
- Aircraft property tax appeals
- Loss of use claims
- Total loss and hull value disputes
- Aircraft brokerage and commission disputes
- Charter operation and charter agreement disputes
- Helicopter valuation and rotorcraft disputes
- Corporate and commercial aviation litigation
- FAA records, airworthiness, and regulatory matters
Why Aviation Litigation Requires an Aviation-Specific Expert Witness
An aviation opinion is only useful if it holds up. Opposing counsel will test the methodology, challenge the credentials, and look for any sign that the expert is advocating instead of analyzing. Judges and juries give weight to a witness who used a recognized method, has relevant qualifications, and can explain complex aviation issues in plain terms.
General consultants and non-specialist appraisers often fall short here. Aircraft valuation, diminished value, and FAA records questions need someone who has worked in aviation operations, finance, and appraisal. David Fisher brings ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser credentials, an FAA A&P certificate with Inspection Authorization, USPAP-compliant reporting, and more than 30 years in the aircraft market. The result is an opinion that is clearly documented, reproducible, and independent.
What Western Aviation Helps Attorneys and Insurers Evaluate
- Pre- and post-incident aircraft value
- Diminished value following damage or repair
- Aircraft maintenance and logbook records
- Damage history and repair documentation
- Aircraft condition relative to represented condition
- Contract, purchase agreement, and transaction facts
- FAA airworthiness and regulatory compliance records
- Insurance claim, total loss, and settlement valuations
- Opposing expert reports and appraisal methodology
How to Retain an Aviation Expert Witness
Step 1: Conflict Check
Share the parties and the general nature of the matter. We confirm there is no conflict, usually within one business day.
Step 2: Scope and Engagement
We discuss the questions at issue, deadlines, and deliverables, then provide a written engagement letter.
Step 3: Records Review and Analysis
David reviews aircraft records, appraisals, damage documentation, and case materials and develops an independent opinion.
Step 4: Report and Testimony
We provide a written report and, as needed, deposition, trial, arbitration, or mediation testimony.
Independent Support for Every Side of an Aviation Dispute
Western Aviation is engaged by:
- Aviation attorneys (plaintiff and defense)
- Insurance carriers, adjusters, and claims professionals
- Policyholders and their counsel
- Aircraft lenders and lessors
- Trustees and restructuring professionals
- Aircraft owners, buyers, and sellers involved in disputes
- Corporate flight departments and family office stakeholders
The analysis is the same whichever side retains us. Each engagement is scoped to the matter, the jurisdiction or standard that applies, and the deadlines involved.
An Independent Aviation Expert Witness With Real Transaction Experience
Few aviation experts have worked on every side of an aircraft: maintaining it, financing it, selling it, and appraising it. David Fisher has. He was a U.S. Air Force crew chief and is an FAA A&P mechanic with Inspection Authorization. He was a GE Capital Aircraft Financing branch manager, has been an aircraft dealer and broker since 2000 with more than 300 aircraft transactions, and is an ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser. In more than 30 years as an expert witness, he has never been disqualified or removed from a case. Based in Houston and serving clients in the U.S. and internationally, Western Aviation gives attorneys, insurers, and lenders opinions grounded in technical knowledge and market reality.
- ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser
- FAA A&P / IA
- 30+ Years as an Expert Witness
- Deposition & Trial Testimony, Federal & State Court
- Never Disqualified or Removed From a Case
- 300+ Aircraft Transactions
- USPAP-Current
- Former GE Capital Aircraft Financing
- USAF Veteran-Owned
- Houston-Based, Nationwide & International Service
Credentials and Affiliations
USPAP-Compliant Appraisal Reports
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of aviation matters does Western Aviation support as an expert witness?
Aircraft valuation disputes, breach of contract and purchase agreement disputes, aircraft diminished value claims, total loss and insurance claim disputes, aircraft property tax appeals, loss of use, and FAA records and airworthiness matters in state and federal court, arbitration, and mediation.
Who is the expert, and what are his credentials?
David Fisher, Founder and President of Western Aviation. He is an ASA Senior Accredited Appraiser, is USPAP-current, and holds an FAA A&P certificate with Inspection Authorization. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a former GE Capital Aircraft Financing branch manager, and a member of the Lawyer Pilot Bar Association and the National Aircraft Finance Association.
How do I request David Fisher's CV, testimony list, and references?
Use the Expert Witness Inquiry form or call (281) 215-3332. We will send his current CV, testimony list, and attorney references within one business day.
Has David Fisher testified in court?
Yes. David has given deposition and trial testimony in federal and state court, and has testified in arbitration and mediation. He has served as an expert witness in aircraft matters for more than 30 years and has never been disqualified or removed from a case. His testimony list is available on request.
Do you handle helicopter matters?
Yes. David appraises and provides expert analysis for both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters (rotorcraft).
When should I engage an aviation expert witness?
Early, ideally during case evaluation or early discovery. Early engagement allows a complete records review and a better-supported opinion. If you are close to a disclosure deadline, we can also provide rebuttal reviews on short timelines.
Do you work for plaintiffs and defendants, or for insurers and policyholders?
Yes, all of them. Western Aviation provides independent analysis, and the opinion does not depend on which party retains us.
Where are you located, and do you take matters outside Texas?
Western Aviation is based in Houston, Texas, and handles aviation expert witness matters across the U.S. and internationally.
Need an Independent Aviation Expert?
If you are handling an aviation dispute, insurance claim, or litigation matter that turns on aircraft value or technical records, start with a quick conflict check. There is no obligation, and we respond within one business day.
Or request David Fisher's CV, testimony list, and references →