(a) The purpose of this part is to name the FAA officials who, pursuant to part 9 of the regulations of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (49 CFR part 9) as amended (34 FR 11972, July 16, 1969), are those:

(1) Upon whom legal process or pleadings may be served in any legal proceeding concerning the FAA, and who have authority to acknowledge the service and take further action thereon; and

(2) Who otherwise perform the functions prescribed by part 9 in legal proceedings concerning the FAA with respect to testimony by FAA employees and production of FAA records in legal proceedings.

(b) For purposes of this part, “legal proceedings” includes any proceeding before a court of law, administrative board or commission, hearing officer, or other body conducting a legal or administrative proceeding.

Legal process or pleadings in any legal proceeding concerning the FAA may be served, at the option of the server, on the Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, Assistant Chief Counsel, Litigation Division, of the FAA, or any other FAA official designated by the Chief Counsel, with the same effect as if served upon the Secretary of Transportation or the Administrator. The official accepting the service under this section acknowledges the service and takes further action as appropriate.

The Chief Counsel, and each Assistant Chief Counsel, each Regional Counsel, the Aeronautical Center Counsel, and the Technical Center Counsel, with respect to matters arising within their respective jurisdictions, and any other FAA official designated by the Chief Counsel, perform the functions in legal proceedings (other than one described in § 185.3 of this part) as prescribed by part 9 of the regulations of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, with respect to testimony by FAA employees and production of FAA records in legal proceedings.