Operate
14 CFR § 1.1 — Definitions
Official definition — 14 CFR Part 1
REGULATION — OFFICIAL DEFINITIONOperate with respect to aircraft, means use, cause to use or authorize to use aircraft, for the purpose (except as provided in § 91.13 of this chapter) of air navigation including the piloting of aircraft, with or without the right of legal control (as owner, lessee, or otherwise).
Reproduced verbatim from the eCFR. Regulatory definitions control how the term is used throughout 14 CFR.
Is this a regulation?
Yes — this is regulatory text and is legally binding.
Definition published in 14 CFR Part 1. Regulatory definitions are legally binding wherever the defined term is used in 14 CFR.