Scott D. McCreary

Shareholder, Practice Group Leader

Bio Menu
  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Honors & Involvement
Bio overview

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.

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Experience, Honors, & Awards

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)

ATPs display in this column

At The Podium

Top Ten Things Owners Should Know When Registering Aircraft With the FAA

2023 NBAA-BACE
Las Vegas, NV | October 17, 2023

Ownership & Operations Planning for Your Aircraft: An Introduction to FAA, Privacy & Tax Considerations

2023 NBAA Tax, Regulatory & Risk Management Conference
Las Vegas, NV | October 15, 2023

Aircraft Financing and Investment Opportunities Roundtable

Miami, FL | November 4, 2022

Corporate Jet Investor Miami 2022

Miami, FL | October 31 – November 2, 2022

Aircraft Registration Issues

Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association CLE Program
Traverse City, MI | July 9, 2022

Business Jet Finance 2022

Corporate Jet Investor Asia 2022
Singapore | June 30, 2022

FAA Registry Updates

National Aircraft Finance Association's 50th Annual Conference
Napa, CA | April 20, 2022

Changes to U.S. Transactions

Corporate Jet Investor London 2022
London, England | March 9, 2022

Bringing Title and Registration into the 21st Century

National Aircraft Finance Association Webinar
Online | November 10, 2020

GATS and Business Aviation Panel

Oklahoma City GATS Conference
Oklahoma City, OK | January 9, 2020

Introduction to the Global Aircraft Trading System (GATS) from a Business Aviation Perspective

Oklahoma City GATS Conference
Oklahoma City, OK | January 8, 2020

The Great GATS(by)?

Corporate Jet Investor Miami 2019
Miami Beach, FL | November 13, 2019

International Aircraft Transactions – Fact Checking the Fake News

NBAA 2019 Tax, Regulatory & Risk Management Conference
Las Vegas, NY | October 20, 2019

Back to the Basics — An Examination of United States Citizenship; Aircraft Registration and Alternatives for Non-U.S. Citizens

National Business Aviation Association's 2012 Aircraft Registration Conference
Delray Beach, Florida | February 9, 2012

The FAA Registry on the Razor’s Edge

National Business Aviation Association's 2012 Aircraft Registration Conference
Delray Beach, Florida | February 9, 2012

Cape Town Treaty and International Registry Update

NBAA Tax, Regulatory & Risk Management Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada | October 13, 2011 - October 14, 2011

NBAA Cape Town Treaty and International Registry Update – the Latest Issues and Practical Solutions

National Business Aviation Association 64th Annual Meeting & Convention
Las Vegas, Nevada | October 11, 2011
Attorney Articles
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Industry Groups

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Admissions

  • Oklahoma, 1992
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Education

  • J.D., with distinction, University of Oklahoma, 1992
  • B.S., Oklahoma State University, 1988
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In The News

Photo of McAfee & Taft exterior signage with the Best Lawyers logo overlaying the image
Graphic featuring image of business jet on an airport tarmac with the logo for National Aircraft Finance Association with portrait of Scott McCreary appearing over the graphic
Woman reviewing paperwork and working on her laptop
Private jet aircraft at airport

FAA chaos and foreboding on Friday the 13th

Corporate Jet Investor |
Close up of the side of a private corporate jet showing the engine and a few windows

Slow times at the aircraft registry

Business Jet Traveler |

Time running out to process new aircraft registrations in 2022

NBAA Insider |

Best Lawyers names 14 McAfee & Taft attorneys 2023 ‘Lawyers of the Year’ in 16 practice areas

Best Lawyers names 128 McAfee & Taft lawyers to 2023 lists

Fraud mitigation now an essential tool in every aircraft transaction

NBAA Insider |

Best Lawyers names 128 McAfee & Taft lawyers to 2022 lists

Best Lawyers names 20 McAfee & Taft attorneys 2021 ‘Lawyers of the Year’ in 21 practice areas

(re)Born in the FAA

Corporate Jet Investor One Minute Week |

McAfee & Taft names three new practice leaders for 2020

The Best Lawyers in America names 107 McAfee & Taft attorneys to 2019 edition

The Best Lawyers in America names 102 McAfee & Taft attorneys to 2018 edition

McAfee & Taft shareholders elect three new members to 2015 board of directors

McAfee & Taft takes the plunge for ALS and Team Polk

Into the Breach: Voluntary Compliance on Money Laundering Gets a Boost from the ABA and Treasury

ABA Journal |

Aviation Attorneys to Speak at 13th Annual FAA Registry Forum

Aviation Attorneys to Speak at 12th Annual FAA Registry Forum