Article 3 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 3 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: سيادة المملكة وسلطاتها
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 داخل إقليم المملكة
3- الطائرة المدنية المسجلة في المملكة.
4- طائرات الدولة عدا الطائرات العسكرية .
5- أي طائرة مسجلة في دولة أجنبية يشغلها أو يقوم بصيانتها شخص سعودي بموجب اتفاق إيجار أو تبادل أو أي اتفاق مشابه، في حال وجود اتفاق بين المملكة ودولة تسجيل الطائرة ينص على ذلك.
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 3 explained in plain English
After Article 2 provided for the Kingdom's sovereignty over its airspace, this article sets what the law applies to, which is five matters:
- Civil aviation activities and operations within the Kingdom's territory.
- Civil airports and air transport facilities, and securing aviation safety and security within the territory.
- Civil aircraft registered in the Kingdom.
- State aircraft other than military aircraft; military aircraft are expressly excluded from this item.
- An aircraft registered in a foreign state if it is operated or maintained by a Saudi person under a lease, interchange or similar agreement, provided there is an agreement between the Kingdom and the aircraft's state of registry providing for that. It is not enough for the operator to be Saudi; the agreement between the two states is required.
Territory under Article 1 includes the land territory, territorial waters and the airspace above them, and the state of registry is the state in which the aircraft is registered.
Article 4 completes this framework by treating the Chicago Convention and its annexes and the other treaties the Kingdom has approved as an integral part of the law. Anyone who operates a foreign aircraft and wants to know whether he is subject to the law may consult a lawyer specialized in aviation law and foreign investment.
Practical example
A Saudi company in Jeddah leased an aircraft registered in a foreign state and operates it. The provisions of the Civil Aviation Law apply to this aircraft if there is an agreement between the Kingdom and the aircraft's state of registry providing for that.
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 3 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Does the Civil Aviation Law apply to military aircraft?
The article makes the law apply to state aircraft other than military aircraft.
Does the law apply to a foreign aircraft leased by a Saudi company?
It applies if it is operated or maintained by a Saudi person under a lease, interchange or similar agreement, and there is an agreement between the Kingdom and the state of registry providing for that.
Are civil airports subject to the Civil Aviation Law?
Yes. The law applies to civil airports and air transport facilities and securing aviation safety and security within the Kingdom's territory.
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 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
- Article 99
The operator of a civil aircraft registered in the Kingdom engaged in air transport or aerial work must observe the Law's provisions wherever the aircraft is, unless they conflict with the laws of the States where it operates.
مع مراعاة أحكام المادة (الرابعة) من هذا النظام؛ يجب على مشغل أي طائرة مدنية مسجلة في المملكة وتعمل في النقل الجوي أو الأشغال الجوية أن يراعي في تشغيلها أينما كا
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.