Article 102 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 102 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: العمليات الجوية
An operator may not run any flight before appointing a pilot as its commander, responsible for the safety of the aircraft and those on board, and everyone on board must carry out the commander's orders to ensure safety.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على مشغل الطائرة ألا يقوم بتشغيل أي رحلة جوية بطائرته إلا بعد أن يعين أحد الطيارين قائدا لها يكون مسؤولا عن سلامة الطائرة ومن على متنها. وعلى جميع الأشخاص الموجودين على متن الطائرة تنفيذ أي أوامر أو تعليمات يصدرها قائد الطائرة لضمان سلامة الطائرة وحمولتها، وتحدد اللائحة ما يلزم على أعضاء طاقم الطائرة التقيد به أثناء عمليات الهبوط والإقلاع وأثناء الطيران ( العمليات الجوية )، ضمانًا لسلامة الطائرة وحمولتها.
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 102 explained in plain English
This article sets a basic principle of aviation: every flight has a responsible commander, and the commander's orders must be carried out.
1- Appointing the commander: The operator may not run any flight with its aircraft until it has appointed one of the pilots as its commander. This commander is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and those on board.
2- Duty of obedience: All persons on board the aircraft, crew and passengers, must carry out any orders or instructions the aircraft commander issues to ensure the safety of the aircraft and its load. Obedience here is tied to this purpose.
3- Crew obligations: The Regulations set what the members of the aircraft's crew must comply with during landing and takeoff operations and during flight, to ensure the safety of the aircraft and its load. The article does not give these obligations in detail.
Practical effect: A passenger who is asked to sit down, fasten a seat belt or comply with safety-related instructions must do so under this article. And the operator may not launch a flight without designating a commander for it.
This article follows Article 101, which makes the operator or its representative responsible for monitoring the flight operations of its aircraft, and precedes Article 103, which prohibits unauthorized persons from entering the flight deck and anyone but the qualified assigned pilot from using the flight controls. Anyone facing liability over an incident on board an aircraft may consult a lawyer specializing in civil aviation law or criminal matters.
Practical example
During a flight from Riyadh to Jeddah, the aircraft commander asks all passengers to return to their seats and fasten their belts because of turbulence, and one passenger refuses. This passenger must carry out the commander's instructions because they are issued to ensure the safety of the aircraft and its load.
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 102 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Must a passenger obey the aircraft commander's orders?
Yes. All persons on board must carry out any orders or instructions the aircraft commander issues to ensure the safety of the aircraft and its load.
Who is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and passengers during the flight?
The pilot the operator appoints as commander of the flight is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and those on board.
May a flight be run without appointing a commander?
No. The operator may not run any flight until it has appointed one of the pilots as its commander.
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.