As used in this chapter:

1. (a) "Agency" means the Division of Aeronautics of the Department of Commerce.
2. (b) "Aircraft" means any contrivance now known, or hereafter invented, used or designed for navigation of or flight in the air.
3. (c) "Judgment" means any judgment which has become final by expiration without appeal of the time within which an appeal might have been perfected, or by final affirmation on appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a claim for damages suffered by a claimant arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of any aircraft, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person or injury to or destruction of property, including the loss of use thereof, or upon an agreement of settlement for such damages.
4. (d) "Nonresident's Operating Privilege" means the privilege conferred upon a nonresident by the law of this State pertaining to the operation by him of an aircraft, or the use of an aircraft owned by him, in this State.
5. (e) "Operator" means any person who is exercising actual physical control of an aircraft.

6. (f) "Owner" means any of the following persons who may be legally responsible for the operation of an aircraft:

   1. (1) A person who holds the legal title to an aircraft;
   2. (2) A lessee of an aircraft;
   3. (3) A conditional vendee, a trustee under a trust receipt, a mortgagor or other person holding an aircraft subject to a security interest.
7. (g) "Passenger" means any person in, on or boarding an aircraft for the purpose of riding therein, or alighting therefrom following a flight or attempted flight therein.
8. (h) "Person" means any individual, firm, co-partnership, association, or corporation, public or private, including his or its successors, assignees or legal representatives.
9. (i) "Registration" means a certificate of registration of aircraft, or of operators thereof, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

10. (j) "Notification" means notice in writing served upon a person by either:

    1. (1) Actual delivery or offer of delivery to such person by any adult individual whose rights are not affected by the proceeding involved; or
    2. (2) Registered mail addressed to the person at the last address known to the agency.
11. (k) "State" means any state, the District of Columbia, any territory or possession of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
12. (l) "Claimant" means any person having a claim for damages as the result of an accident within this State involving an aircraft.

HISTORY: 1978 Act No. 563 Section 1; 1988 Act No. 624, Section 3; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1290, eff July 1, 1993.