EXHIBIT 5(1)
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ONE SHELL PLAZA
910 LOUISIANA
HOUSTON, TEXAS
|
|
AUSTIN
DALLAS
DUBAI |
|
|
77002-4995
|
|
HONG KONG |
|
|
|
|
HOUSTON |
|
|
TEL +1 713.229.1234
|
|
LONDON |
|
|
FAX +1 713.229.1522
|
|
MOSCOW |
|
|
www.bakerbotts.com
|
|
NEW YORK |
|
|
|
|
RIYADH |
|
|
|
|
WASHINGTON |
|
|
|
|
|
November 28, 2007
Bristow Group Inc.
2000 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. S.
Houston, Texas 77042
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As set forth in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the Registration Statement) filed on
the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) by Bristow Group
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Act), relating to the registration under the Act of the offering and issuance of $350 million
aggregate principal amount of the Companys 71/2% Senior Notes due 2017 (the Exchange Notes), to be
offered by the Company in exchange (the Exchange Offer) for a like principal amount of the
Companys issued and outstanding 71/2% Senior Notes due 2017 (the Outstanding Notes), certain legal
matters in connection with the Exchange Notes are being passed upon for you by us. The Exchange
Notes are to be issued under an Indenture, dated as of June 13, 2007 (the Indenture), between the
Company, certain subsidiary guarantors (the Subsidiary Guarantors) and U.S. Bank National
Association as trustee (the Trustee). At your request, this opinion is being furnished to you
for filing as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.
In our capacity as your counsel in the connection referred to above and as a basis for the
opinions herein after expressed, we have examined (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the
Companys certificate of incorporation and bylaws, each as amended to date, (iii) originals, or
copies certified or otherwise identified, of the Indenture and corporate records of the Company,
including minute books of the Company, as furnished to us by the Company, (iv) certificates of
public officials and of representatives of the Company, (v) statutes and (vi) other instruments and
documents. We have assumed that the signatures on all documents examined by us are genuine, all
documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and all documents submitted to us as certified
or photostatic copies conform to the originals thereof. We also have assumed that (i) the Indenture
has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and constitutes the legal, valid
and binding obligation of the Trustee, (ii) the Registration Statement will have become effective
under the Act and the Indenture will have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, and (iii) the Exchange Notes will have been duly executed, authenticated and delivered in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and issued in exchange for outstanding Notes
pursuant to, and in accordance with the terms of, the Exchange Offer as contemplated in the
Registration Statement.
On the basis of the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations hereinafter
set forth, we are of the opinion that:
The Exchange Notes, when issued, will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms, except as that
enforcement is subject to (a) any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or conveyance or other laws
relating to or affecting creditors rights generally and (b) general principles of
equity (regardless of whether that enforceability is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law).
The opinion set forth above is limited in all respects to matters of the general contract law
of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and applicable federal
law, in each case as in effect on the date hereof. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion
of counsel as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our
Firm under the heading Legal Matters in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration
Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons
whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
Very truly yours,
|
|
| |
/s/ Baker Botts L.L.P.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
JDG/BAH
2