Article 85 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 85 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الخامس: مواصفات التشغيل
No aircraft may operate in the Kingdom's territory on an international flight unless it carries the documents and records required by the Chicago Convention and its annexes and any others the Authority specifies.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز لأي طائرة أن تعمل في إقليم المملكة أثناء رحلة دولية إلا إذا كانت تحمل الوثائق والسجلات الواجب حملها طبقًا لأحكام معاهدة شيكاغو ملاحقها وأي وثائق أو سجلات أخرى تحددها الهيئة.
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 85 explained in plain English
This article concerns international flights and sets a condition for an aircraft operating in the Kingdom's territory during them: that it carries on board the required documents and records.
Source of the required documents:
- the documents and records that must be carried under the provisions of the Chicago Convention and its annexes;
- any other documents or records specified by the Authority.
Scope of the rule: The text covers any aircraft, Saudi or foreign, as long as it operates in the Kingdom's territory on an international flight. According to the definitions, the territory includes the land areas and territorial waters under the Kingdom's sovereignty and the airspace above them.
The text does not list these documents by name; it refers to the Convention and its annexes and to what the Authority specifies, so the operator must consult them to know the required list.
Practical effect: An aircraft that does not carry the required documents may not operate in the territory during the international flight. Operators therefore use checklists before every flight. This article follows Article 84 on manufacture and maintenance licensing, and precedes Article 86, which requires the Authority's approval of operations specifications before operation begins. Anyone who needs to verify the requirements for a particular flight may consult the Authority or a lawyer specializing in civil aviation law.
Practical example
A private aircraft is preparing for a flight from Riyadh to a European capital. Before takeoff, the operator checks that the aircraft carries the documents and records required by the Chicago Convention and its annexes, in addition to any other documents the Authority specifies.
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 85 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
What documents must an aircraft carry on international flights?
The documents and records that must be carried under the Chicago Convention and its annexes, and any other documents or records the Authority specifies.
Does the rule apply to foreign aircraft?
Yes. The text covers any aircraft operating in the Kingdom's territory on an international flight.
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 81
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.
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 لل
- 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
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.