<P> Only air carriers that are "citizens of the United States" may operate aircraft in domestic air service (cabotage) and may provide international scheduled and non-scheduled air service as U.S. air carriers...</P> <P> Under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, a "citizen of the United States" means: </P> <Dl> <Dd> (a) an individual who is a U.S. citizen; </Dd> <Dd> (b) a partnership in which each member is a U.S. citizen; or </Dd> <Dd> (c) a U.S. corporation of which the president and at least two - thirds of the board of directors and other managing officers are U.S. citizens, and at least 75 percent of the voting interest in the corporation is owned or controlled by U.S. citizens . </Dd> </Dl> <Dd> (a) an individual who is a U.S. citizen; </Dd>

When did the colonists began using the word american to describe themselves