Article 177 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 177 من نظام الطيران المدني · الباب الرابع عشر: أحكام ختامية
The Law applies to all types of aerial vehicles other than aircraft currently in use, unless its provisions are impossible to apply because of the vehicles' nature or technical makeup, and the Regulations set the conditions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تطبق أحكام هذا النظام على جميع أنواع المركبات الهوائية الأخرى غير الطائرات المستعملة حاليا، وذلك ما لم تكن هذه الأحكام مستحيلة التطبيق بسبب طبيعة هذه المركبات أو تركيبتها التقنية، وتحدد اللائحة شروط وضوابط تطبيق هذه المادة.
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 177 explained in plain English
This article makes the Civil Aviation Law applicable to aerial vehicles that do not fall within the concept of aircraft currently in use.
The rule: The provisions of this Law apply to all types of other aerial vehicles other than aircraft currently in use.
The exception: If these provisions are impossible to apply because of:
- the nature of these vehicles; or
- their technical makeup.
The details: The Regulations set the conditions and rules for applying this article.
Practical meaning: The article is worded generally to extend to types of aerial vehicles to which the description of aircraft currently in use does not apply. In principle these vehicles are subject to the provisions of the Law, and only what is impossible to apply to them is excepted. The article names no particular types, so identifying the vehicles covered and the provisions that apply to them is a matter for the Regulations.
The standard of impossibility: The text is not satisfied with difficulty of application; it requires impossibility resulting from the vehicle's nature or technical makeup.
This article falls within the final provisions, after Article 176, which requires an agreement and a special permit for foreign military aircraft to fly or land, and before Article 178, which repeals earlier aviation laws. Anyone operating or importing new aerial vehicles should consult the Regulations and the Authority, or a lawyer specializing in civil aviation law.
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 177 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Does the Civil Aviation Law apply to aerial vehicles other than aircraft?
Yes. Its provisions apply to all types of other aerial vehicles other than aircraft currently in use, unless the provisions are impossible to apply because of their nature or technical makeup.
Who sets the conditions for applying the Law to these vehicles?
The Regulations set the conditions and rules for applying this article.
More articles on Scope of the Civil Aviation Law and Airspace Sovereignty
- Article 2
The article provides that the Kingdom has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace within its territory.
للمملكة السيادة الكاملة والمطلقة على الفضاء الجوي داخل إقليمها.
- Article 3
The article defines the scope of the Civil Aviation Law: civil activities and airports in the Kingdom, aircraft registered in it, non-military state aircraft, and foreign aircraft on conditions.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على الآتي: 1 - أنشطة وعمليات الطيران المدني داخل إقليم المملكة . 2- المطارات المدنية ومرافق النقل الجوي وتأمين سلامة الطيران وأمن الطيران
- Article 4
The Chicago Convention, its annexes and the other international civil aviation treaties the Kingdom has approved are an integral part of the Civil Aviation Law.
تعد أحكام معاهدة شيكاغو وملاحقها وسائر المعاهدات الدولية للطيران المدني الأخرى التي وافقت المملكة عليها جزءا مكملا لهذا النظام.
- Article 5
The Authority is the body responsible for all civil aviation affairs in the Kingdom, including the wired and wireless communications services for flight safety and orderly air traffic.
الهيئة هي السلطة المسؤولة عن جميع شؤون الطيران المدني في المملكة بما في ذلك القيام بجميع خدمات الاتصالات السلكية واللاسلكية المتعلقة بتأمين سلامة الطيران وانتظا
- Article 80
The article applies the international technical regulations and standards in the Chicago Convention and its annexes, as adopted by the Kingdom, to aircraft airworthiness, to achieve the highest safety levels with regard to the environment.
مع مراعاة الأحكام الواردة في هذا الفصل تطبق الأنظمة والمقاييس الفنية الدولية الواردة في معاهدة شيكاغو وملاحقها التي اعتمدتها المملكة لتحقيق أعلى مستويات السلامة
- 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.

