Article 40 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 40 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: حقوق الارتفاق الجوية
Air easements are created to secure air navigation safety, providing for removing or preventing buildings and obstacles or limiting their height near airports and navigation equipment, and for marking hazardous obstacles.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تنشأ حقوق ارتفاق خاصة تسمى حقوق ارتفاق جوية لتأمين سلامة الملاحة الجوية وحسن عمل الأجهزة المتعلقة بها، وتقضي بالآتي:
1- إزالة أو منع أي مبان أو منشآت أو غرس أو مد أو تثبيت الأسلاك الهوائية أو أي عقبة مهما كان نوعها أو تحديد ارتفاعها وذلك في المناطق المجاورة للمطارات ومنشآت الأجهزة الملاحية .
2- وضع علامات الإرشاد عن العوائق التي تشكل خطرا على سلامة الملاحة الجوية .
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 40 explained in plain English
An easement is a restriction placed on real property for a particular benefit. This article creates a special kind called air easements, whose purpose is to secure air navigation safety and the proper working of the equipment related to it.
What these rights provide:
- Removing or preventing any of the following, or limiting its height:
- Buildings or structures.
- Planting.
- Laying or fixing overhead wires.
- Any obstacle of whatever kind.
- Placing marker signs on obstacles that pose a danger to air navigation safety.
In practice, owners of land near airports or navigation equipment facilities may be prevented from building or restricted in the height of their buildings, and existing obstacles may be removed. This article does not state the scope or extent of the areas covered; Article 41, which follows, makes it for the Authority to determine the scope and extent of these rights and the areas in which they are imposed, according to Annex 14 to the Chicago Convention.
The article does not address the question of compensating the owner, so no rule on it should be inferred. Anyone whose property is affected would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in real estate and administrative cases.
Practical example
Fahd owns land next to an airport in the Al-Jouf region and plans to build a ten-story tower. Air easements may prevent this building or limit its height, because they provide for preventing buildings or limiting their height in the areas adjacent to airports.
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 40 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Can I build next to an airport in Saudi Arabia?
Air easements provide for removing or preventing buildings and structures or limiting their height in the areas adjacent to airports and navigation equipment facilities.
Do air easements cover wires and trees?
Yes. They cover planting, laying or fixing overhead wires and any obstacle of whatever kind.
Who determines the areas covered by easements?
The Authority determines them under Article 41, according to Annex 14 to the Chicago Convention.
More articles on Airports and Aviation Security
- Article 33
Civil airports and landing strips for civil aircraft in the Kingdom may not be established, prepared, used or operated as an investment without the Authority's approval.
لا يجوز إنشاء وإعداد المطارات المدنية أو المهابط للطائرات المدنية في المملكة، أو استعمالها أو استثمارها؛ إلا بعد الحصول على موافقة من الهيئة.
- Article 34
Airports, facilities, buildings, equipment, wired and wireless stations and beacons belonging to the Authority are public utilities.
تعد المطارات والمنشآت والمباني والأجهزة والمعدات والمحطات السلكية واللاسلكية والمنارات التابعة للهيئة من المرافق العامة .
- Article 35
The Authority manages its airports and supervises their operation, maintenance and working rules, and may license others to do all or part of this without affecting civil aviation security and safety.
مع مراعاة أحكام الفقرة (5) من المادة (السادسة عشرة) من هذا النظام تتولى الهيئة إدارة المطارات التابعة لها والإشراف على تشغيلها وصيانتها ووضع قواعد العمل بها، وي
- Article 36
The Authority determines the types and categories of airports in coordination with the competent bodies.
تحدد الهيئة أنواع المطارات وفئاتها بالتنسيق مع الجهات المختصة.
- Article 37
Aircraft use declared civil airports in line with their rules, and may not land elsewhere except in emergencies and as the Implementing Regulations provide.
تستعمل الطائرات المطارات المدنية المعلن عنها، وعليها مراعاة الضوابط والقواعد الخاصة بذلك. ولا يجوز لها الهبوط في غير هذه المطارات المعلن عنها إلا في الحالات الا
- Article 38
The Authority sets the permitted noise level for aircraft using the Kingdom's airports, and the heights, speeds, engine capacities and other conditions that keep aircraft within that level.
تحدد الهيئة مستوى الضوضاء المسموح بها للطائرات التي تستخدم مطارات المملكة، كما تحدد ارتفاعات وسرعات الطائرات وقدرات محركاتها وخلاف ذلك من الشروط والمواصفات الكف
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.