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Bill Harger’s aviation career began in 1964, when he soloed a glider. He attended Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and became an Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic in 1977. He was an aircraft mechanic for several years, and worked on everything from Piper Cubs to corporate jets. He was Director of Maintenance for several FAR Part 135 charter operations, including the largest such operation in the southwest United States. He is familiar with most types of general aviation flight and maintenance operations and aircraft. During this time, Bill continued to advance his flying career, eventually earning his Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. He has over 5,000 hours of flight time, and is type rated in two jets. He has flown many different aircraft in most types of general aviation flight operations, from pipeline patrol to corporate. He was an international captain for several FAR 135 charter operations, and was chief pilot of several corporate flight departments. His flight training has included numerous Flight Safety and factory schools. Bill obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston, graduating Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Sigma Alpha. He was awarded a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Houston Law Center, and admitted to the Texas State Bar in 1995. He is also licensed in the United States Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Southern, Eastern and Northern Federal District Courts of Texas. Bill’s primary practice area is aviation litigation. He has been lead counsel on many lawsuits involving multiple deaths, serious injury and extensive property damage. His litigation experience also includes skydiving operations and helicopters. Bill’s clients are typically manufacturers, pilots, aircraft owners and operators, flight schools, airports, fixed base operators, and maintenance facilities. In Michaels v. Avitech, 531 U.S. 926 (2000), he successfully defended an aircraft maintenance operation in a crash litigation case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Bill has also been insurance defense counsel on many cases, and has worked extensively with aviation insurance companies and adjustors. He also represents international charter operators, aviation businesses and airmen in FAA enforcement actions. Bill is a member of the Aviation Section of the State Bar of Texas, the Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association, Aviation Insurance Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, National Business Aircraft Association, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, and Christian Legal Society. He is active in his church and various ministries, and is on the Board of Directors of the Southeast Texas Chapter of Tres Dias International. He has been married to his wife, Michel, since 1973, and they have five children and two grandchildren. |
