Sec. 15-34. Definitions.
Sec. 15-34. Definitions. For the purpose of the laws of this state relating to aeronautics, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings herein given, unless the
context otherwise requires:
(1) "Aeronautics" means transportation by aircraft; the operation, repair or maintenance of aircraft or aircraft engines except by a manufacturer, including the repair,
packing and maintenance of parachutes; the design, establishment, construction, extension, operation, improvement, repair or maintenance of airports, heliports, restricted
landing areas or other air navigation facilities, and air instruction.
(2) "Air instruction" means the imparting of aeronautical information by any aeronautics instructor or in or by any air school or flying club.
(3) "Air navigation" means the operation or navigation of aircraft in the air space
over this state or upon any airport or restricted landing area within this state.
(4) "Air navigation facility" means any facility, other than one owned or controlled
by the federal government, used in, available for use in or designed for use in, aid of
air navigation, including airports, heliports, restricted landing areas, and any structures,
mechanisms, lights, beacons, marks, communicating systems or other instrumentalities
or devices used or useful as an aid, or constituting an advantage or convenience, to the
safe taking-off, navigation and landing of aircraft, or the safe and efficient operation or
maintenance of an airport, heliport or restricted landing area, and any combination of
such facilities.
(5) "Aircraft" means any contrivance used or designed for navigation of or flight
in air, including (A) airplanes, meaning power-driven fixed-wing aircraft, heavier than
air, supported by the dynamic reaction of the air against their wings, (B) gliders, meaning
heavier than air aircraft, the free flight of which does not depend principally upon a
power-generating unit, and (C) rotorcraft, meaning power-driven aircraft, heavier than
air, supported during flight by one or more rotors.
(6) "Airman" means any individual who engages, as the person in command, or as
pilot, mechanic or member of the crew, in the navigation of aircraft while under way
and (excepting any individual employed outside the United States, any individual employed by a manufacturer of aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers or appliances to perform
duties as inspector or mechanic in connection therewith, and any individual performing
inspection or mechanical duties in connection with aircraft owned or operated by him)
any individual who is directly in charge of the inspection, maintenance, overhauling or
repair of aircraft engines, propellers or appliances; and any individual who serves in the
capacity of aircraft dispatcher or air-traffic control-tower operator.
(7) "Airport" means any area of land or water, except a restricted landing area,
which is designed for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, whether or not facilities are
provided for the shelter, servicing or repair of aircraft, or for receiving or discharging
passengers or cargo, and all appurtenant areas used or suitable for airport buildings or
other airport facilities, and all appurtenant rights-of-way.
(8) "Airport hazard" means any structure, object of natural growth or use of land
which obstructs the air space required for the flight of aircraft in landing or taking off
at any airport, heliport or restricted landing area or is otherwise hazardous to such landing
or taking-off.
(9) "Airport protection privileges" means easements through or other interests in
air space over land or water, interests in airport hazards outside the boundaries of airports,
heliports or restricted landing areas and other protection privileges the acquisition or
control of which is necessary to insure safe approaches to the landing areas of airports,
heliports and restricted landing areas and the safe and efficient operation thereof.
(10) "Careless, negligent or reckless operation" means the operation or piloting of
any aircraft carelessly, negligently, recklessly or in such manner as to endanger the
property, life or limb of any person, due regard being had to the proximity of other
aircraft, the prevailing weather conditions and the territory being flown over.
(11) "Civil aircraft" means any aircraft other than a public aircraft.
(12) Repealed by 1972, P.A. 134, S. 6.
(13) "Department" means the Department of Transportation of this state.
(14) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Transportation of this state.
(15) "Flying club" means any person other than an individual which, neither for
profit nor reward, owns, leases or uses one or more aircraft for the purpose of instruction
or pleasure or both.
(16) "Manufacturer" means a person, partnership, association, limited liability
company or corporation which, during the calendar year preceding application for registration, manufactured or assembled one or more aircraft for sale, or which proves to the
satisfaction of the commissioner that it intends in good faith to manufacture or assemble
one or more aircraft for sale during the year immediately ensuing.
(17) "Municipality" means any city, town or borough or other subdivision of this
state.
(18) "Navigable air space" means air space above the minimum altitudes of flight
prescribed by the laws of this state or by regulations of the commissioner consistent
therewith.
(19) "Nonresident" means any person whose legal residence is outside this state.
(20) "Operation of aircraft" means the use of aircraft for the purpose of air navigation and includes the navigation or piloting of aircraft. Any person who causes or authorizes the operation of aircraft, whether with or without the right of legal control thereof,
shall be deemed to be engaged in the operation of aircraft within the meaning of the
statutes of this state.
(21) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability
company, company, association, joint stock association or body politic and includes
any trustee, receiver, assignee or other similar representative thereof.
(22) "Public aircraft" means an aircraft used exclusively in the service of any government or of any political subdivision thereof, including the government of any state,
territory or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, but does not
include any government-owned aircraft engaged in carrying persons or property for
commercial purposes.
(23) "Restricted landing area" means any area of land or water or both, which is
used or is made available for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, the use of which shall,
except in case of emergency, be only as provided from time to time by the commissioner.
(24) Repealed by P.A. 85-130.
(25) Repealed by P.A. 77-614, S. 609, 610.
(26) Repealed by P.A. 77-614, S. 609, 610.
(27) "Heliport" means an area of defined dimensions, either at ground level or elevated on a structure, designated for the landing and take off of helicopters, which may
be restricted solely for that purpose.
(28) "Ultra light aircraft" means (A) any aircraft which meets the criteria established
by the Federal Aviation Administration, federal Air Regulation Part 103, or (B) any
vehicle which: (i) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation by a single
occupant in the air; (ii) is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes
only; (iii) has not been issued an airworthiness certificate by the government of the
United States or any foreign government; and (iv) if unpowered, weighs less than one
hundred fifty-five pounds or, if powered, weighs less than two hundred fifty-four
pounds, empty weight, has a fuel capacity of no more than five U.S. gallons, is not
capable of more than fifty-five knots calibrated air speed at full power in level flight
and has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed twenty-four knots calibrated air
speed.
(1949 Rev., S. 4782; 1959, P.A. 501; 1961, P.A. 41; 1969, P.A. 768, S. 161-165; 1972, P.A. 134, S. 6; P.A. 77-614,
S. 609, 610; P.A. 85-130; 85-262, S. 5; P.A. 86-403, S. 31, 32, 132; P.A. 87-589, S. 23, 87; P.A. 95-79, S. 43, 44, 189;
P.A. 07-217, S. 56, 57.)
History: 1959 act amended Subdiv. (5) by adding the phrase beginning "including," amended Subdiv. (18) which
formerly read a person having no place of abode or business in the state for more than 90 days in a year and amended
Subsec. (22) by adding "careless" and "negligent" to "reckless," including proximity of other aircraft as a consideration
and deleting consideration of field conditions; 1961 act added "other subdivision" to definition of municipality and redefined
"aircraft" to delete specific mention of airplanes, gliders and rotorcraft; 1969 act replaced "commission", referring to
repealed Connecticut aeronautics commission, with "commissioner", referring to commissioner of transportation, replaced
department of aeronautics with department of transportation, replaced director of aeronautics with commissioner of transportation and added Subdivs. (25) and (26) defining "bureau" and "deputy commissioner"; 1972 act repealed Subdiv. (12)
re Connecticut aeronautics commission; P.A. 77-614 repealed Subdivs. (25) and (26), effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 85-130 repealed former Subdiv. (24) which defined "state airway"; P.A. 85-262 added references to heliports throughout
section and added Subdivs. (27) and (28) defining "heliport" and "ultra light aircraft"; P.A. 86-403 made technical changes
in Subdivs. (5) and (16); P.A. 87-589 made technical change in Subdiv. (5); P.A. 95-79 redefined "manufacturer" and
"person" to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995; P.A. 07-217 made technical changes in Subdivs.
(5) and (28), effective July 12, 2007.
Subsec. (10):
See Sec. 15-72 re careless, negligent or reckless flying.
Cited. 201 C. 700.
Cited. 35 CS 157.
Subsec. (7):
Zones are embraced within "airport protection privileges" and are not part of "airports" per se. 159 C. 453.
Subsec. (8):
Cited. 185 C. 145.
Subsec. (9):
See 159 C. 453, above.