Scott D. McCreary
Shareholder, Practice Group Leader

As the practice group leader of the Aviation Group, Scott McCreary oversees one of the largest and most experienced FAA aircraft title and financing legal teams in the United States. He represents local, national and international clients in connection with matters involving the buying, selling, leasing and financing of aircraft. His practice is primarily focused on matters relating to the Cape Town Convention, the Federal Aviation Act and the FAA Aircraft Registry, such as aircraft title, registration, finance and leasing law, as well as regulatory issues relating to the operation of aircraft under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.
Scott is a frequent speaker at aviation conferences in the United States and abroad and has made presentations at venues such as the Strategic Research Institute’s Annual FAA Aircraft Registration, Lien & Securities Interest Conference; the Federal Bar Association’s Aircraft Title, Registration, Finance and Leasing Law Conference; the Institute for International Research’s Corporate Aviation Symposium; Opportunities in Business Jets, Malta; National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)’s BACE meetings and regional forums; Geneva International Forum on Aircraft Finance & Commercial Aviation; Corporate Jet Investor’s meetings in London, Florida, and Singapore; National Aircraft Finance Association’s annual meeting; the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE); International Aircraft Dealers Association’s annual meeting; and the Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association’s annual meeting.
Scott is also actively involved in advisory and leadership roles at leading industry organizations. He currently serves as:
- Member of the board of directors of the National Aircraft Finance Association and member of NAFA’s Regulatory Committee
- Vice chair of the Regulatory Issues Advisory Group of the National Business Aviation Association and member of the NBAA’s tax committee
- Member of the executive committee of the Aviation Working Group’s Legal Advisory Panel (LAP), whose primary focus is to provide thoughts, support and interpretation on the implementation of, and compliance with, the Cape Town Treaty and to provide advice, on request, on other projects undertaken by AWG
- Member of the International Registry Advisory Board (IRAB), which provides advice to the Registrar on matters relating to the needs of users in connection with the operations of the International Registry
His achievements in the area of aviation law have earned him inclusion in Oklahoma Super Lawyers, The International Who’s Who of Aviation Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal, and The Best Lawyers in America (aviation law; equipment finance law). He was selected by Best Lawyers as the “Oklahoma City Aviation Lawyer of the Year” for 2023 and the “Oklahoma City Equipment Finance Lawyer of the Year” for 2021 and 2023.
Scott has previously served on McAfee & Taft’s board of directors.
Download Bio (PDF)Representative Experience
- Representing individuals and companies with the purchase and sale of corporate and commercial aircraft.
- Representing fractional interest companies and their co-owners in connection with registering aircraft and recording documents with the FAA Aircraft Registry.
- Representing aircraft owners, including co-owners under fractional interest programs, with sharing the use of aircraft under FAR Post 91.501.
- Representing banks and other lenders in connection with financing aircraft and perfecting their interest of record with the FAA.
- Representing clients by issuing lien memorandums regarding the status of the FAA records, and drafting documents (releases, terminations, disclaimers, bills of sale, etc) to be recorded with the FAA, and issuing closing opinions addressing FAA issues.
- Acting as escrow agent of funds and documents for aircraft transactions.
Honors and Awards
- Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (aviation law; equipment finance law)
- Named “Oklahoma City Aviation Lawyer of the Year” for 2023 and “Oklahoma City Equipment Finance Lawyer of the Year” for 2021 and 2023 by The Best Lawyers in America
- Listed in Oklahoma Super Lawyers
- Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubble Peer Review Ratings
- Listed in The International Who’s Who of Aviation Lawyers
- Listed in Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Aviation Lawyers
- Listed in Legal Media Group’s Best of the Best USA
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal
Professional Organizations and Memberships
- Oklahoma County Bar Association
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- American Bar Association (Business law Section; Aircraft Finance and Contracts Division of the Forum on Air and Space Law; Aircraft Financing Subcommittee)
- Federal Bar Association
- National Aircraft Finance Association (Board of Directors; Regulatory Committee)
- National Business Aviation Association (Chair, Regulatory Issues Advisory Group; Member, Tax Committee)
- Aviation Working Group (Executive Committee, Legal Advisory Panel)
- International Registry Advisory Board (Advisory Member)