§ 31. — Definitions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC31]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 2--AIRCRAFT AND MOTOR VEHICLES
Sec. 31. Definitions
(a) Definitions.--In this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(1) Aircraft.--The term ``aircraft'' means a civil, military, or
public contrivance invented, used, or designed to navigate, fly, or
travel in the air.
(2) Aviation quality.--The term ``aviation quality'', with
respect to a part of an aircraft or space vehicle, means the quality
of having been manufactured, constructed, produced, maintained,
repaired, overhauled, rebuilt, reconditioned, or restored in
conformity with applicable standards specified by law (including
applicable regulations).
(3) Destructive substance.--The term ``destructive substance''
means an explosive substance, flammable material, infernal machine,
or other chemical, mechanical, or radioactive device or matter of a
combustible, contaminative, corrosive, or explosive nature.
(4) In flight.--The term ``in flight'' means--
(A) any time from the moment at which all the external doors
of an aircraft are closed following embarkation until the moment
when any such door is opened for disembarkation; and
(B) in the case of a forced landing, until competent
authorities take over the responsibility for the aircraft and
the persons and property on board.
(5) In service.--The term ``in service'' means--
(A) any time from the beginning of preflight preparation of
an aircraft by ground personnel or by the crew for a specific
flight until 24 hours after any landing; and
(B) in any event includes the entire period during which the
aircraft is in flight.
(6) Motor vehicle.--The term ``motor vehicle'' means every
description of carriage or other contrivance propelled or drawn by
mechanical power and used for commercial purposes on the highways in
the transportation of passengers, passengers and property, or
property or cargo.
(7) Part.--The term ``part'' means a frame, assembly, component,
appliance, engine, propeller, material, part, spare part, piece,
section, or related integral or auxiliary equipment.
(8) Space vehicle.--The term ``space vehicle'' means a man-made
device, either manned or unmanned, designed for operation beyond the
Earth's atmosphere.
(9) State.--The term ``State'' means a State of the United
States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory,
or possession of the United States.
(10) Used for commercial purposes.--The term ``used for
commercial purposes'' means the carriage of persons or property for
any fare, fee, rate, charge or other consideration, or directly or
indirectly in connection with any business, or other undertaking
intended for profit.
(b) Terms Defined in Other Law.--In this chapter, the terms
``aircraft engine'', ``air navigation facility'', ``appliance'', ``civil
aircraft'', ``foreign air commerce'', ``interstate air commerce'',
``landing area'', ``overseas air commerce'', ``propeller'', ``spare
part'', and ``special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States'' have
the meanings given those terms in sections 40102(a) and 46501 of title
49.
(Added July 14, 1956, ch. 595, Sec. 1, 70 Stat. 538; amended Pub. L. 98-
473, title II, Secs. 1010, 2013(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2141, 2187;
Pub. L. 100-690, title VII, Sec. 7015, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4395;
Pub. L. 103-272, Sec. 5(e)(1), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1373; Pub. L.
106-181, title V, Sec. 506(b), Apr. 5, 2000, 114 Stat. 136.)
Amendments
2000--Pub. L. 106-181 added subsecs. (a) and (b) and struck out
former text which read as follows: ``When used in this chapter the
term--
`` `Aircraft engine', `air navigation facility', `appliance', `civil
aircraft', `foreign air commerce', `interstate air commerce', `landing
area', `overseas air commerce', `propeller', `spare part' and `special
aircraft jurisdiction of the United States' shall have the meaning
ascribed to those terms in sections 40102(a) and 46501 of title 49.
`` `Motor vehicle' means every description of carriage or other
contrivance propelled or drawn by mechanical power and used for
commercial purposes on the highways in the transportation of passengers,
passengers and property, or property or cargo;
`` `Destructive substance' means any explosive substance, flammable
material, infernal machine, or other chemical, mechanical, or
radioactive device or matter of a combustible, contaminative, corrosive,
or explosive nature;
`` `Used for commercial purposes' means the carriage of persons or
property for any fare, fee, rate, charge or other consideration, or
directly or indirectly in connection with any business, or other
undertaking intended for profit;
`` `In flight' means any time from the moment all the external doors
of an aircraft are closed following embarkation until the moment when
any such door is opened for disembarkation. In the case of a forced
landing the flight shall be deemed to continue until competent
authorities take over the responsibility for the aircraft and the
persons and property on board; and
`` `In service' means any time from the beginning of preflight
preparation of the aircraft by ground personnel or by the crew for a
specific flight until twenty-four hours after any landing; the period of
service shall, in any event, extend for the entire period during which
the aircraft is in flight.''
1994--Pub. L. 103-272 substituted ``sections 40102(a) and 46501 of
title 49'' for ``the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended'' in par.
beginning with definition of ``Aircraft engine''.
1988--Pub. L. 100-690 substituted ``door is opened'' for ``door in
opened'' in definition of ``in flight''.
1984--Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 2013(a)(1), in first par. struck out
``and'' before ``spare part'', inserted ``and `special aircraft
jurisdiction of the United States' '', and substituted ``Federal
Aviation Act of 1958'' for ``Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938''.
Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 1010, substituted ``passengers and property, or
property or cargo'' for ``or passengers and property'' in definition of
motor vehicle.
Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 2013(a)(2)-(4), inserted definitions of ``in
flight'' and ``in service''.
Effective Date of 2000 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 106-181 applicable only to fiscal years
beginning after Sept. 30, 1999, see section 3 of Pub. L. 106-181, set
out as a note under section 106 of Title 49, Transportation.
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Section 2015 of part B (Secs. 2011-2015) of chapter XX of title II
of Pub. L. 98-473 provided that: ``This part [see Short Title of 1984
Amendment note below] shall become effective on the date of the
enactment of this joint resolution [Oct. 12, 1984].''
Short Title of 2000 Amendment
Pub. L. 106-181, title V, Sec. 506(a), Apr. 5, 2000, 114 Stat. 136,
provided that: ``This section [enacting section 38 of this title and
amending this section and section 2516 of this title] may be cited as
the `Aircraft Safety Act of 2000'.''
Short Title of 1984 Amendment
Section 2011 of part B (Secs. 2011-2015) of chapter XX of title II
of Pub. L. 98-473 provided that: ``This part [amending this section,
section 32 of this title, and sections 1301, 1471, and 1472 of former
Title 49, Transportation, and enacting provisions set out as notes under
this section] may be cited as the `Aircraft Sabotage Act'.''
Statement of Findings and Purpose for 1984 Amendment
Section 2012 of part B (Secs. 2011-2015) of chapter XX of title II
of Pub. L. 98-473 provided that: ``The Congress hereby finds that--
``(1) the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts
Against the Safety of Civil Aviation (ratified by the United States
on November 1, 1972) requires each contracting State to establish
its jurisdiction over certain offenses affecting the safety of civil
aviation;
``(2) such offenses place innocent lives in jeopardy, endanger
national security, affect domestic tranquility, gravely affect
interstate and foreign commerce, and are offenses against the law of
nations; and
``(3) the purpose of this subtitle [part, see Short Title of
1984 Amendment note above] is to implement fully the Convention for
the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil
Aviation and to expand the protection accorded to aircraft and
related facilities.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 1993 of this title.
