Article 70 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 70 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: الحقوق على الطائرات
Before buying, leasing out or leasing any aircraft, a Saudi operator must verify that the aircraft meets the technical conditions and standards set by the Authority.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على المشغل السعودي قبل شراء أي طائرة ، أو تأجيرها، أو استئجارها؛ التحقق من توافر الشروط والمستويات الفنية التي تحددها الهيئة في الطائرة .
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 70 explained in plain English
This article places a preventive duty on the Saudi operator, meaning the entity that operates aircraft in the Kingdom, before it brings an aircraft into its operations.
When does the duty apply? Before any of these three transactions:
- buying any aircraft;
- leasing it out to another party;
- leasing it from another party.
Content of the duty: verifying that the aircraft meets the technical conditions and standards set by the Authority. The text does not list these conditions; it refers to what the Authority sets, so its applicable technical requirements must be consulted.
The practical benefit of this article is that it keeps aircraft that do not meet the standards out of the national fleet, and makes verification the operator's own responsibility before the deal is completed, not after. It follows Article 69, which allocates liability between the owner of a leased aircraft and its lessee according to the lease period, so the framework is complete: liability defined by period, and an aircraft that meets the technical standards before the deal is concluded.
Because failure to verify may expose the deal to problems with approval or operation, the operator is advised to involve technical specialists and a lawyer specializing in civil aviation law when drafting the purchase or lease contract.
Practical example
A start-up airline in Dammam plans to buy a used aircraft from abroad. Before signing the purchase contract, it must verify that the aircraft meets the technical conditions and standards set by the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
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 70 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Must an aircraft be checked before it is leased?
Yes. Before buying, leasing out or leasing any aircraft, the Saudi operator must verify that it meets the technical conditions and standards set by the Authority.
Who sets the technical conditions required of the aircraft?
The Authority sets these conditions and technical standards; the article does not give their details.
More articles on Aircraft Leasing
- Article 56
Ownership, a possessor's right to acquire by purchase, lease use and formal mortgage or similar rights may be created over civil aircraft; no other right may take priority over them except privileged debts.
1- يجوز إنشاء الحقوق الآتية على الطائرات المدنية : أ - حق ملكية الطائرة . ب - حق حائز الطائرة في اكتساب ملكيتها بالشراء. ج - حق استعمال الطائرة وفقا لأحكام عقد
- Article 60
Any legal disposition of a national aircraft, such as sale, lease or mortgage, to any person is permitted, but it does not take effect against third parties until registered in the register.
يجوز إجراء أي تصرف قانوني على أي طائرة وطنية إلى أي شخص بالبيع أو الإيجار أو الرهن، أو أي تصرف شرعي أو قانوني آخر، ولا يسري هذا التصرف في مواجهة الغير إلا بعد ق
- Article 68
The article defines an aircraft lease as a written contract for the lessee to use the aircraft, with or without crew, for a fee, and it takes effect only after the Authority approves it.
عقد إيجار الطائرة عقد مكتوب يلتزم بمقتضاه المؤجر بتمكين المستأجر من الانتفاع بطائرته مع هيئة القيادة أو بدونها لرحلة أو أكثر أو لعمل جوي، أو لمدة معينة، وذلك بم
- Article 69
The aircraft owner remains jointly liable with the lessee if the lease does not exceed 14 days; the operating lessee alone is liable for longer leases or leases made with a view to purchase.
1- يبقى مالك الطائرة المؤجرة مسؤولا بالتضامن مع مستأجرها عن الالتزامات القانونية الملقاة على عاتق المستثمر فيما يتعلق بالطائرة وهيئة قيادتها عملا بأحكام هذا الن
- Article 143
A person entitled to use the aircraft for less than 14 days is jointly liable with the person who authorized the use, and the operator is jointly liable with anyone who used its aircraft without its consent unless it proves it took the necessary care.
1- يكون الشخص الذي له حق استعمال الطائرة لمدة تقل عن أربعة عشر يوما مسؤولا بالتضامن مع الشخص الذي خوله هذا الحق في دفع التعويض عن الأضرار الموجبة للتعويض المشار
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.