For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AIR CARRIER. Any person who undertakes directly, by lease, or other arrangement, to engage in air transportation of persons or things. They operate, in various categories, under authority or certification by the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board and/or the California Public Utilities Commission. Categories include certificated route air carriers, trunk carriers, flag carriers, local service carriers, all-cargo carriers, helicopter carriers, commercial air operators, air taxi operators and charter air carriers.
AIRCRAFT. A device that is used, or intended to be used, for flight in the air. It includes airplanes, helicopters and gliders, and lighter than air devices such as blimps or balloons, but does not include hang gliders.
AIRPORT. The Eureka Municipal Airport, its buildings and facilities, all lands owned by the city contiguous to the airport, including airspace above such land and the designated approaches thereto. Also “Airport” may be referred to as the Eureka Airport.
AIR TRAFFIC. Aircraft operating in the air or on an airport surface, exclusive of loading ramps or parking areas.
AIR TRAFFIC CLEARANCE. An authorization issued by Air Traffic Control personnel for an aircraft to proceed under specified traffic conditions within controlled airspace.
AUTOROTATION. A rotorcraft flight condition in which the lifting rotor is driven entirely by action of the air when the rotorcraft (helicopter) is in motion.
BALLOON. A lighter than air aircraft which is not engine driven.
CEILING. The height above the earth's surface of the lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena, that is reported as “broken,” “overcast,” or “obscuration,” and is not classified “thin” or “partial.”
CITY. The City of Eureka.
COMMERCIAL OPERATOR. Any person who, for compensation or hire, engages in the carriage of persons, property, or mail in air commerce, or engages in other aerial activity such as flight instruction, aerial photography, fire fighting, agricultural aviation activities, traffic surveillance.
COMMERCIAL USE. Use of the airport for revenue producing commercial activities.
FIXED BASE OPERATOR. Any person who rents, leases, or owns facilities located on the airport, who by virtue of his specific type of aviation (or aviation related) activity, requires the occupancy of a site with contiguous aircraft apron and direct access to the aircraft operation area, and who engages in a business activity providing aviation sales or services, including, but not limited to any of the following:
(1) Selling and/or servicing new and used aircraft and component parts;
(2) Aircraft maintenance and repairs;
(3) Sales and/or repair of avionics;
(4) Aviation training (including ground or flight instructions;
(5) Aerial photography;
(6) Air ambulance service;
(7) Aircraft agricultural operations (cropdusting, spraying, or the application of seed, fertilizers, pesticides, defoliants, and the like); and,
(8) Aircraft rental, charter, leasing.
FLIGHT VISIBILITY. The average forward horizontal distance from the cockpit of an aircraft in flight, at which prominent, unlighted objects may be seen and identified by day, and prominent lighted objects may be seen and identified by night.
GROUND VISIBILITY. Prevailing horizontal visibility near the earth's surface.
HELICOPTER. A rotor driven aircraft (rotorcraft) that, for its horizontal motion, depends primarily on its engine-driven rotors.
IFR. Instrument flight rules covering meteorological conditions below the minimums for flight under visual (VFR) conditions.
MAINTENANCE. Inspection, overhaul, repair, preservation, and the replacement of parts, but excludes preventive maintenance.
MAXIMUM GROSS LANDING WEIGHT. The maximum landing weight stipulated for a particular aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
NIGHT. The time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight as published in the American Air Almanac, converted to local time.
PERSON. An individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association, or governmental entity, and includes a trustee, receiver, assignee, or similar representative of any of them.
TRAFFIC PATTERN. The traffic flow that is prescribed for aircraft landing at, or taking off from the airport.
WORD CONSTRUCTION. The following construction applies throughout this chapter:
(1) Words importing the singular include the plural;
(2) Words importing plural include the singular; and,
(3) Words importing the masculine gender include the feminine.
VFR. Visual flight rules covering meteorological conditions, above those requiring flight under IFR conditions.
('63 Code, § 11-7.04) (Ord. 312-C.S., passed 6-5-79)