[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 9]
[Revised as of April 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.861-16]

[Page 239-240]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
    CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1--INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.861-16  Income from certain craft first leased after December 28, 1980.

    (a) General rule. If a taxpayer--
    (1) Owns a qualified craft (as defined in paragraph (b) of this 
section).
    (2) Leases such qualified craft after December 28, 1980, to a United 
States person that is not a member of the same controlled group of 
corporations as the taxpayer, and
    (3) The lease is the taxpayer's first lease of the craft and the 
taxpayer is not considered to have made an election with respect to the 
craft under Sec. 1.861-9(e)(2),

then the taxpayer shall treat all amounts includible in gross income 
with respect to the qualified craft as income from sources within the 
United States for each taxable year ending after commencement of the 
lease. If this section applies to income with respect to a craft, it 
applies to all such amounts that are includible in the taxpayer's gross 
income, whether or not includible during or after the period of a lease 
to a United States person. Amounts derived by the taxpayer with respect 
to the qualified craft include any gain from the sale, exchange, or 
other disposition of the qualified craft. If this section applies to 
income with respect to a craft and there is a loss with respect to that 
craft (either due to the allowance of expenses and other deductions or 
due to a sale, exchange, or other disposition of the qualified craft), 
such loss is treated as allocable or apportionable to sources within the 
United States. The fact that a craft ceases to be section 38 property, 
ceases to be leased by the taxpayer to a United States person, or is 
leased or subleased for any period of time to a person who is not a 
United States person will not terminate the application of this section.
    (b) Qualified craft--(1) In general. A qualified craft is a vessel, 
aircraft, or spacecraft that--
    (i) Is section 38 property (or would be section 38 property but for 
section 48(a)(5), relating to use by governmental units), and
    (ii) Is manufactured or constructed in the United States.
    (2) Vessel. The term ``vessel'' includes every type of watercraft 
capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, and any 
items of property that are affixed in a permanent fashion or are 
integral to the vessel. A vessel that is used predominately outside the 
United States must be described in section 48(a)(2)(B)(iii) and 
Sec. 1.48-1(g)(2)(iii), relating to vessels documented for use in the 
foreign or domestic commerce of the United States, to be a qualified 
craft.
    (3) Aircraft. An aircraft used predominantly outside the United 
States must be described in section 48(a)(2)(B)(i) and Sec. 1.48-
1(g)(2)(i), relating to aircraft registered by the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Agency, and operated to and from the United States or 
operated under contract with the United States, to be a qualified craft.
    (4) Spacecraft. A spacecraft must be described in section 
48(a)(2)(B)(viii) and Sec. 1.48-1(g)(2)(viii), relating to 
communications satellites, or any interest therein, of a United States 
person, to be a qualified craft.
    (5) United States manufacture or construction. A craft will be 
considered to be manufactured or constructed in the United States if 50 
percent or more of the basis of the craft on the date of the lease to a 
United States person is attributable to value added within the United 
States.
    (c) United States person. For purposes of this section, the term 
``United States person'' includes those persons described in section 
7701(a)(30) and individuals with respect to whom an election under 
section 6013 (g) or (h) (relating to nonresident alien individuals 
married to United States citizens or residents) is in effect.
    (d) Controlled group. For purposes of paragraph (a)(2) of this 
section, whether a taxpayer and a United States person are members of 
the same controlled group of corporations is determined under section 
1563. Solely for purposes of this section, if at least 80% of the 
capital interest, or the profits

[[Page 240]]

interest, in a partnership is owned, directly or indirectly, by a member 
or members of a controlled group of corporations, then the partnership 
shall be considered a member of that controlled group of corporations. 
In addition, if at least 80% of the capital interest, or the profits 
interest, in a partnership is owned, directly or indirectly, by a 
corporation, then the partnership and that corporation shall be 
considered members of a controlled group of corporations.
    (e) Certain transfers and distributions--(1) Transfers and 
distributions involving carryover of basis. If--
    (i) The income with respect to a craft is subject to this section,
    (ii) The taxpayer transfers or distributes such craft, and
    (iii) The basis of such craft in the hands of the transferee or 
distributee is determined by reference to its basis in the hands of the 
transferor or distributor,

then this section will apply to the income with respect to the craft 
includible in the gross income of the transferee or distributee. This 
paragraph (e)(1) applies even though the transferor or distributor 
recognizes an amount of gain that increases basis in the hands of the 
transferee or distributee and even though the transferee or distributee 
is a nonresident alien or foreign corporation. For example, if a 
corporation distributes a craft the income of which is subject to this 
section to its parent corporation in a complete liquidation described in 
section 332(b), the parent corporation will be treated as if it 
satisified the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section with 
respect to such craft if the basis of the property in the hands of the 
parent corporation is determined under section 334(b) (relating to the 
general rule on carryover of basis in liquidations). In further 
illustration, if a corporation distributes a craft the income of which 
is subject to this section, in a distribution to which section 301(a) 
applies, the distributee will be treated as if it satisfied the 
requirements of paragraph (a) of this section with respect to such craft 
if its basis is determined under section 301(d)(2) (relating to basis of 
corporate distributees) even though the basis may be the fair market 
value of the craft under section 301(d)(2)(A).
    (2) Partnerships. If a partnership satisfies the requirements of 
paragraph (a) (1), (2), and (3) of this section, each partner shall 
treat all amounts includible in gross income with respect to the craft 
as income from sources within the United States for any taxable year of 
the partnership ending after commencement of the lease. In addition, if 
a partnership distributes a craft the income of which is subject to this 
section, to a partner, the partner will be treated as if he or she 
satisfied the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section with respect 
to such craft.
    (3) Affiliated groups. If a member of a group of corporations that 
files a consolidated return transfers a craft, the income of which is 
subject to this section, to another member of that same group, the 
transferee will be treated as if it satisfied the requirements of 
paragraph (a) of this section with respect to the craft.

[T.D. 7928, 48 FR 55846, Dec. 16, 1983. Redesignated by T.D. 8228, 53 FR 
35477, Sept. 14, 1988]