Aviation Security Act 1982

20Inspection of aircraft and aerodromes

(1)For the purpose of enabling the Secretary of State to determine whether to give a direction to any person under any of the preceding provisions of this Part of this Act, or of ascertaining whether any such direction is being or has been complied with, any person authorised in writing by the Secretary of State (in this section referred to as an " authorised person ") shall have power, on production (if required) of his credentials, to inspect—

(a)any aircraft registered or operating in the United Kingdom, at a time when it is in the United Kingdom, or

(b)any part of any aerodrome in the United Kingdom.

(2)An authorised person inspecting an aircraft or any part of an aerodrome under subsection (1) above shall have power—

(a)to subject any property found by him in the aircraft (but not the aircraft itself or any apparatus or equipment installed in it) or, as the case may be, to subject that part of the aerodrome or any property found by him there, to such tests, or

(b)to require the operator of the aircraft, or the manager of the aerodrome, to furnish to him such information,

as the authorised person may consider necessary for the purpose for which the inspection is carried out.

(3)Subject to subsection (4) below, an authorised person, for the purpose of exercising any power conferred on him by the preceding provisions of this section in relation to an aircraft or in relation to an aerodrome, shall have power—

(a)for the purpose of inspecting an aircraft, to enter it and to take all such steps as are necessary to detain it, or

(b)for the purpose of inspecting any part of an aerodrome, to enter any building or works in the aerodrome or enter upon any land in the aerodrome.

(4)The powers conferred by subsection (3) above shall not include power for an authorised person to use force for the purpose of entering any aircraft, building or works or entering upon any land.

(5)Any person who—

(a)wilfully obstructs or impedes a person acting in the exercise of a power conferred on him by or under this section, or

(b)refuses or, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a requirement imposed on him under subsection (2)(b) above, or

(c)in furnishing any information so required, makes a statement which he knows to be false in a material particular, or recklessly makes a statement which is false in a material particular,

shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(i)on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(ii)on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.