§ 1-4-2. Definitions. When used in this chapter:

(1) "Aeronautics" means transportation by aircraft, air instruction, the operation, repair, or maintenance of aircraft, and the design, operation, repair, or maintenance of airports, landing fields, or other air navigation facilities.

(2) "Aircraft" means any contrivance now known or invented, used, or designed for navigation of, or flight in, the air, except a parachute or other contrivance designed for air navigation but used primarily as safety equipment.

(3) "Air instruction" means the imparting of aeronautical information by any aviation instructor or in any air school or flying club.

(4) "Airport" means any area of land, water, or both, which is used or is made available for the landing and take off of aircraft, and which provides facilities for the shelter, supply, and repair of aircraft and which, as to size, design, surface, marking, equipment, and management meets the minimum requirements established from time to time by the director.

(5) "Air school" means any person engaged in giving, offering to give, or advertising, representing, or holding himself or herself out as giving, with or without compensation or other award, instruction in aeronautics - in flying, in ground subjects, or in both.

(6) "Aviation instructor" means any individual engaged in giving, or offering to give, instruction in aeronautics - in flying, in ground subjects, or in both - either with or without compensation or other reward, without advertising his or her occupation, without calling his or her facilities "air school" or any equivalent term, and without employing or using other instructors.

(7) "Certificated aircraft" means any aircraft for which an aircraft certificate other than a registration certificate has been issued by the government of the United States.

(8) "Chief aeronautics inspector" or "aeronautics inspector" means an employee of the Rhode Island airport corporation, as defined in the Rhode Island airport corporation personnel job description manual, who is charged by the director to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(9) "Civil aircraft" means any aircraft other than a public aircraft.

(10) "Dealer in aircraft" or "aircraft dealer" means any person who engages in a business, a substantial part of which consists of the manufacture, selling, or exchanging of aircraft and who is registered as a dealer with the federal government.

(11) "Director" means the executive director of the Rhode Island airport corporation. "Deputy director" means the deputy director of the Rhode Island airport corporation.

(12) "Flying club" means any person (other than an individual) who, neither for profit nor reward, owns, leases, or uses one or more aircraft for the purpose of instruction, pleasure, or both.

(13) "Landing field" means any area of land, water, or both, which is used or is made available for the landing and take off of aircraft, which may or may not provide facilities for the shelter, supply, and repair of aircraft, and which, as to size, design, surface, marking, equipment, and management meets the minimum requirements established from time to time by the director.

(14) "Military aircraft" means public aircraft operated in the service of the United States army, air force, national guard, navy, marine corps or coast guard.

(15) "Operate" means, with respect to aircraft, to use, cause to use or authorize to use an aircraft, for the purpose of engine start, movement on the ground (taxi), or air navigation including the piloting of aircraft, with or without the right of legal control (as owner, lessee, or otherwise).

(16) "Operator" means a person who operates or is in actual physical control of an aircraft.

(17) "Owner" means the legal title holder or any person, firm, copartnership, association, or corporation having the lawful possession or control of an aircraft under a written sale agreement.

(18) "Person" means any individual, or any corporation or other association of individuals.

(19) "Political subdivision" means any city or town or any other public corporation, authority, or district, or any combination of two (2) or more, which is or may be authorized by law to acquire, establish, construct, maintain, improve, and operate airports.

(20) "Public aircraft" means an aircraft used exclusively in the governmental service.

History of Section. (P.L. 1940, ch. 851, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 1-4-2; P.L. 1966, ch. 242, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 78, § 7; P.L. 2000, ch. 371, § 3.)