Article 81 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 81 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الرابع: صلاحية الطائرات للطيران
The Authority issues airworthiness certificates for aircraft registered in the Kingdom and validates foreign ones; no aircraft may fly in the territory without a valid certificate, and some domestic flights may be exempted.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تصدر الهيئة شهادات الصلاحية للطيران للطائرات المسجلة في المملكة، ولها اعتماد أي شهادة صلاحية طائرة للطيران صادرة من دولة أخرى لطائرة مسجلة في المملكة وفقا للشروط التي تحددها اللائحة.
2- لا يجوز لأي طائرة أن تطير في إقليم المملكة ما لم تكن لها شهادة صلاحية للطيران سارية المفعول صادرة أو معتمدة من سلطة التسجيل المختصة، ويجب الالتزام بالشروط والقيود الواردة في الشهادة ودليل الطيران الخاص بالطائرة .
3- يجوز للهيئة إعفاء الطائرات التي تقوم برحلات داخل المملكة لأغراض التجربة الفنية أو لأغراض أخرى تحددها اللائحة من هذه الشهادة بشرط مراعاة القيود والشروط التي تحددها.
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 81 explained in plain English
An airworthiness certificate is the document proving that an aircraft is technically fit to fly. This article regulates its issue, the requirement to hold it, and exemption from it.
- Issue and validation: The Authority issues airworthiness certificates for aircraft registered in the Kingdom, and may validate an airworthiness certificate issued by another State for an aircraft registered in the Kingdom, under the conditions set by the Regulations.
- Condition for flying: No aircraft may fly in the territory of the Kingdom unless it has a valid airworthiness certificate issued or validated by the competent registration authority. This includes foreign aircraft, whose certificate is issued or validated by their registration authority. The conditions and restrictions in the certificate and in the aircraft's flight manual must also be complied with.
- Exemption: The Authority may exempt from this certificate aircraft making flights within the Kingdom for technical testing purposes or other purposes set by the Regulations, subject to the restrictions and conditions the Authority sets.
This article applies the international reference set by Article 80, that is, the standards of the Chicago Convention and its annexes adopted by the Kingdom. It is followed by Article 82, which requires keeping technical records for every aircraft registered in the Kingdom, determining its weight, and equipping it with the prescribed equipment. Anyone who needs a foreign certificate validated or a particular exemption should consult the Authority or a lawyer specializing in civil aviation law.
Practical example
A company in Riyadh bought a business jet and registered it in the Kingdom, and the aircraft has an airworthiness certificate issued by the country of manufacture. The Authority may validate this certificate under the Regulations' conditions, and the aircraft may fly in the Kingdom only with a valid certificate, complying with its restrictions and with its flight manual.
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 81 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Can an aircraft fly with an expired airworthiness certificate?
No. No aircraft may fly in the territory of the Kingdom unless it has a valid airworthiness certificate issued or validated by the competent registration authority.
Does the Authority accept an airworthiness certificate issued by another country?
The Authority may validate an airworthiness certificate issued by another State for an aircraft registered in the Kingdom, under the conditions set by the Regulations.
When can an aircraft be exempted from the airworthiness certificate?
The Authority may exempt aircraft making flights within the Kingdom for technical testing or other purposes set by the Regulations, subject to the restrictions it sets.
More articles on Airworthiness and Maintenance of Aircraft
- Article 10
The article sets the requirements for an aircraft operating in the Kingdom: registration, a valid airworthiness certificate, markings, equipment, crew licenses and insurance, with possible exemptions for test and training aircraft except insurance.
1 - يجب أن تتوافر في الطائرة التي تعمل في إقليم المملكة ، الشروط الآتية: أ - أن تكون مسجلة في الدولة التابعة لها أو مسجلة وفقا لقواعد التسجيل الدولي أو المشترك.
- Article 70
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.
على المشغل السعودي قبل شراء أي طائرة ، أو تأجيرها، أو استئجارها؛ التحقق من توافر الشروط والمستويات الفنية التي تحددها الهيئة في الطائرة .
- 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 82
The article requires technical records for every aircraft registered in the Kingdom, determining the aircraft's weight and preparing its weight schedule, and equipping it with the instruments prescribed in the Chicago Convention annexes.
1- يجب الاحتفاظ بسجلات فنية لكل طائرة مسجلة في المملكة، تدون فيها البيانات التي تحددها الهيئة. 2- يجب أن يحدد وزن كل طائرة تصدر أو تعتمد لها الهيئة شهادة صلاحية
- Article 83
The article gives the Authority the right to inspect an aircraft to verify its airworthiness, suspend its airworthiness certificate if necessary, and issue the necessary instructions, under the Regulations' controls.
للهيئة تفتيش الطائرة للتحقق من صلاحيتها للطيران، وتعليق شهادة صلاحية الطيران إذا لزم الأمر، وإصدار التعليمات اللازمة لذلك، وفقا للضوابط والإجراءات التي تحددها ا
- Article 84
The article requires prior licensing by the Authority to manufacture aircraft or parts in the Kingdom and prior licensing for maintenance and overhaul, and places the Authority's oversight costs on the companies.
مع عدم الإخلال بما تقضي به الأنظمة الأخرى: 1 - لا يجوز صنع أي طائرة أو جزء منها في المملكة دون الحصول على ترخيص مسبق بذلك من الهيئة وفقا للأنظمة والقواعد المطبق
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.