s 2 General functions of the Board
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Act, the Board shall have power— (a) to provide air transport services and carry out all other forms of aerial work, whether on charter terms or otherwise, in any part of the world ; (b) without prejudice to the generality of the preceding paragraph, to do all or any of the following— (i) to promote the formation of undertakings constituted for the purpose of providing air transport services or engaging in any other activities of a kind which the Board has power to carry on ; (ii) to acquire any such undertaking or a financial interest in any such undertaking ; (iii) to lend money to or enter into guarantees for the benefit of any such undertaking ; (c) to provide for any person technical advice or assistance, including research services, as respects any matter in which the Board has skill or experience ; (d) to do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the performance of any of the Board’s functions (including a function exercisable by the Board by virtue of this paragraph). (2) The Board shall not exercise its powers under paragraph (a) or (b) of the preceding subsection except with and in accordance with a general or special authorisation given by the Secretary of State; and the Board shall not by virtue of that subsection have power to manufacture airframes, aero-engines or airscrews except in so far as the Secretary of State provides by order that it shall have such a power. (3) In subsection (1) of this section “air transport service ” means a service for the carriage by air of passengers or cargo (including mail).