Civil Aviation Act 1971

64 Interpretation

(1) In this Act the following expressions have the following meanings except where the context otherwise requires—

• " accounting year ", in relation to the Authority or the Board or the group within the meaning of Part III of this Act, means the period of twelve months ending with the 31st March in any year except that the first accounting year of the Authority or the Board or the said group shall, if the Secretary of State so directs, be such period shorter or longer than twelve months (but not longer than two years) and ending with a 31st day of March as is specified in the direction;

• " aerodrome ", except in section 14(1) of this Act and Schedule 2 to this Act, means any area of land or water designed, equipped, set apart or commonly used for affording facilities for the landing and departure of aircraft and includes any area or space, whether on the ground, on the roof of a building or elsewhere, which is designed, equipped or set apart for affording facilities for the landing and departure of aircraft capable of descending or climbing vertically ;

• " Air Navigation Order " means an Order in Council under section 8 of the [1949 c. 67.] Civil Aviation Act 1949 (which among other things enables provision to be made by Order in Council with respect to the safety and navigation of aircraft);

• " air navigation services " includes information, directions and other facilities furnished, issued or provided in connection with the navigation or movement of aircraft and includes the control of movement of vehicles in any part of an aerodrome used for the movement of aircraft;

• " air transport licence " has the meaning assigned to it by section 21(1)(a) of this Act;

• " air transport service " means a service for the carriage by air of passengers or cargo ;

• " the Authority " has the meaning assigned to it by section 1(1) of this Act;

• " the Board " has the meaning assigned to it by section 37(1) of this Act;

• " cargo " includes mail;

• " flight " means a journey by air beginning when the aircraft in question takes off and ending when it next lands;

• " functions " includes powers and duties ;

• " the initial debt " has the meaning assigned to it by section 7(1) of this Act;

• " land " includes any estate or other interest in land and any easement or servitude ;

• " licence ", in sections 22 to 24 of this Act, means air transport licence;

• " modifications " includes additions, omissions and amendments, and " modify " shall be construed accordingly ;

• " operator ", in relation to an aircraft, means the person for the time being having the management of the aircraft;

• " prescribed " means prescribed by regulations ;

• " regulations " means regulations made by the Secretary of State ;

• " relevant overseas territory " means any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, any colony and any country or place outside Her Majesty's dominions in which for the time being Her Majesty has jurisdiction ;

• " reward ", in relation to a flight, includes any form of consideration received or to be received wholly or partly in connection with the flight irrespective of the person by whom or to whom the consideration has been or is to be given ;

• " subsidiary", except in Part III of this Act, shall be construed in accordance with section 154 of the [1948 c. 38.] Companies Act 1948 ; and

• " United Kingdom national " means an individual who is—

  (a)

  a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies ; or

  (b)

  a British subject by virtue of section 2 of the [1948 c. 56.] British Nationality Act 1948 (which provides for the continuance as British subjects of certain citizens of the Republic of Ireland); or

  (c)

  a British subject without citizenship by virtue of section 13 or section 16 of the said Act of 1948 ; or

  (d)

  a British subject by virtue of the [1965 c. 34.] British Nationality Act 1965 ; or

  (e)

  a British protected person within the meaning of the said Act of 1948.

(2) For the purposes of this Act a hovercraft within the meaning of the [1968 c. 59.] Hovercraft Act 1968 is not an aircraft.

(3) Any reference in this Act to any enactment is a reference to it as amended by or under any other enactment.