Article 101 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 101 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: العمليات الجوية
The operator or its representative is responsible for monitoring the flight operations of its aircraft, to ensure they are carried out to the prescribed safety levels and that the laws and instructions are implemented.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يكون المشغل أو ممثله مسؤولا عن مراقبة عمليات الطيران الخاصة بطائرته بما يضمن القيام بها طبقا لمستويات السلامة المحددة وتنفيذ أحكام الأنظمة والتعليمات الصادرة في شأنها.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 101 explained in plain English
This article places direct responsibility on the aircraft operator for oversight of its air operations.
Who is responsible? The operator, or its representative.
For what? Monitoring the flight operations of its aircraft.
What is the aim of the monitoring?
- to ensure these operations are carried out to the prescribed safety levels;
- to ensure the laws and instructions issued on them are implemented.
Practical meaning: It is not enough for the operator to rely on the crew alone to ensure safety; it must have the means to follow and supervise flights, so that it is sure each operation is carried out to the required levels and laws. The text does not specify the means of this monitoring or its internal organization, so one looks to the laws and instructions issued.
Relation to neighboring articles: This article follows Article 100, which gives the Authority's approved representatives the right to inspect the operator's workplaces and the right to stop any violating flight or air route. Oversight therefore works at two levels: internal oversight by the operator itself under this article, and external oversight by the Authority. It is followed by Article 102, which requires the operator to appoint a pilot-in-command for each flight, responsible for the safety of the aircraft and those on board. To learn the limits of the operator's responsibility in a particular incident, one may consult a lawyer specializing in civil aviation law.
Practical example
A charter airline in Riyadh runs several flights a day. It, or its representative, is responsible for monitoring these flights to ensure they are carried out to the prescribed safety levels and the laws and instructions, and it does not simply rely on its pilots.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 101 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Who is responsible for monitoring an aircraft's flight operations?
The operator or its representative, to ensure they are carried out to the prescribed safety levels and that the laws and instructions are implemented.
Does the article specify the means of monitoring?
No. It sets the responsibility and its aim without specifying the means.
More articles on Air Operations and Flight Safety
- Article 14
Unauthorized persons may not interfere with or obstruct the flight crew during flight, and no one may tamper with the aircraft or endanger its safety, its crew or its passengers.
يحظر على أي شخص غير مخول رسميا أن يتدخل في أعمال أي عضو من أعضاء هيئة القيادة أو يعوقه عن عمله أثناء فترة الطيران ، كما يحظر على أي شخص العبث بأي جزء من أجزاء ا
- Article 85
No aircraft may operate in the Kingdom's territory on an international flight unless it carries the documents and records required by the Chicago Convention and its annexes and any others the Authority specifies.
لا يجوز لأي طائرة أن تعمل في إقليم المملكة أثناء رحلة دولية إلا إذا كانت تحمل الوثائق والسجلات الواجب حملها طبقًا لأحكام معاهدة شيكاغو ملاحقها وأي وثائق أو سجلا
- Article 86
No operator may begin operating its aircraft before the Authority approves the operations specifications it prepares, which form part of its license and are binding.
لا يجوز لأي مشغل أن يبدأ في تشغيل طائرته إلا بعد اعتماد الهيئة لمواصفات التشغيل المعدة من قبل المشغل ، وتعد جزءًا من الترخيص الممنوح له، وتكون واجبة التطبيق، ول
- Article 87
The operator must prepare an operations manual for each aircraft it operates, including the operations specifications, for pilots and operations staff to use as guidance, and have the Authority approve it.
على المشغل أن يعد دليلا للعمليات ولكل طائرة يشغلها متضمنا مواصفات التشغيل ليستعمله ويسترشد به الطيارون وموظفو العمليات واعتماده من الهيئة وفقًا لما تحدده اللائح
- Article 88
An operator may not run a new air route or extend an existing one before one or more preparatory flights with no passengers except those needed to operate the aircraft; mail and goods may be carried, and the Authority may exempt.
لا يجوز للمشغل تشغيل أي خط جوي جديد أو مد خط قائم قبل إجراء رحلة، أو رحلات تمهيدية ، ولا يجوز له فيها حمل أشخاص عدا الأشخاص اللازمين لتشغيل الطائرة ، ويجوز له ح
- Article 98
The article sets the scope of the air operations part: Saudi aircraft operators, Saudi operators using foreign aircraft, and foreign operators inside the territory, as well as the people they employ and those on board.
مع مراعاة أحكام المادة (الثالثة) من هذا النظام تطبق الأحكام الواردة في هذا الباب على الآتي: 1 - العمليات الجوية التي يقوم بها مشغل طائرة مدنية مسجلة في المملكة
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.