Terms defined in the Acts are used as so defined. As used in this part:

Act means a statute listed in §16.1 and any regulation, agreement, or document of conveyance issued or made under that statute.

Agency attorney means the Deputy Chief Counsel; the Assistant Chief Counsel and attorneys in the Airports/Environmental Law Division of the Office of the Chief Counsel; the Assistant Chief Counsel and attorneys in an FAA region or center who represent the FAA during the investigation of a complaint or at a hearing on a complaint, and who prosecute on behalf of the FAA, as appropriate. An agency attorney shall not include the Chief Counsel; the Assistant Chief Counsel for Litigation, or any attorney on the staff of the Assistant Chief Counsel for Litigation, who advises the Associate Administrator regarding an initial decision of the hearing officer or any appeal to the Associate Administrator or who is supervised in that action by a person who provides such advice in an action covered by this part.

Agency employee means any employee of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Associate Administrator means the Associate Administrator for Airports or a designee.

Complainant means the person submitting a complaint.

Complaint means a written document meeting the requirements of this part filed with the FAA by a person directly and substantially affected by anything allegedly done or omitted to be done by any person in contravention of any provision of any Act, as defined in this section, as to matters within the jurisdiction of the Administrator.

Director means the Director of the Office of Airport Safety and Standards.

Director's determination means the initial determination made by the Director following an investigation, which is a non-final agency decision.

File means to submit written documents to the FAA for inclusion in the Part 16 Airport Proceedings Docket or to a hearing officer.

Final decision and order means a final agency decision that disposes of a complaint or determines a respondent's compliance with any Act, as defined in this section, and directs appropriate action.

Hearing officer means an attorney designated by the FAA in a hearing order to serve as a hearing officer in a hearing under this part. The following are not designated as hearing officers: the Chief Counsel and Deputy Chief Counsel; the Assistant Chief Counsel and attorneys in the FAA region or center in which the noncompliance has allegedly occurred or is occurring; the Assistant Chief Counsel and attorneys in the Airports and Environmental Law Division of the FAA Office of the Chief Counsel; and the Assistant Chief Counsel and attorneys in the Litigation Division of the FAA Office of Chief Counsel.

Initial decision means a decision made by the hearing officer in a hearing under subpart F of this part.

Mail means U.S. first class mail; U.S. certified mail; and U.S. express mail.

Noncompliance means anything done or omitted to be done by any person in contravention of any provision of any Act, as defined in this section, as to matters within the jurisdiction of the Administrator.

Party means the complainant(s) and the respondent(s) named in the complaint and, after an initial determination providing an opportunity for hearing is issued under §16.31 and subpart E of this part, the agency.

Person in addition to its meaning under 49 U.S.C. 40102(a)(33), includes a public agency as defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102(a)(15).

Personal delivery means hand delivery or overnight express delivery service.

Respondent means any person named in a complaint as a person responsible for noncompliance.

Sponsor means:

(1) Any public agency which, either individually or jointly with one or more other public agencies, has received Federal financial assistance for airport development or planning under the Federal Airport Act, Airport and Airway Development Act or Airport and Airway Improvement Act;

(2) Any private owner of a public-use airport that has received financial assistance from the FAA for such airport; and