Article 87 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 87 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الخامس: مواصفات التشغيل
The operator must prepare an operations manual for each aircraft it operates, including the operations specifications, for pilots and operations staff to use as guidance, and have the Authority approve it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على المشغل أن يعد دليلا للعمليات ولكل طائرة يشغلها متضمنا مواصفات التشغيل ليستعمله ويسترشد به الطيارون وموظفو العمليات واعتماده من الهيئة وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة.
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 87 explained in plain English
The operations manual is the everyday practical reference under which an operator's pilots and operations staff work, and this article regulates its preparation and approval.
The operator's obligations:
- to prepare an operations manual;
- for each aircraft it operates;
- the manual must include the operations specifications;
- the manual must be approved by the Authority as the Regulations specify.
Purpose of the manual: for pilots and operations staff to use and be guided by, so that procedures are uniform and known to everyone who works on the aircraft.
The article does not specify the manual's detailed content or its approval procedures, but refers to the Regulations.
This article is linked to Article 86, which bars the operator from starting operation before the Authority approves the operations specifications and makes them part of its license, binding on it; the operations manual is the tool that carries these specifications to the staff in practice. It is followed by Article 88 on preparatory flights before operating a new air route. Anyone preparing an operations manual for a new operator should involve operations experts and a lawyer specializing in civil aviation law to make sure the requirements are met.
Practical example
An airline in Jeddah adds a new aircraft type to its fleet. It must prepare an operations manual for this aircraft, including the operations specifications, for its pilots and operations staff to use as guidance, and obtain the Authority's approval of it.
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 87 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Is an operations manual required for each aircraft?
Yes. The operator must prepare an operations manual for each aircraft it operates, including the operations specifications.
Who approves the operations manual?
The Authority approves it, as the Regulations specify.
More articles on Air Operations and Flight Safety
- Article 14
Unauthorized persons may not interfere with or obstruct the flight crew during flight, and no one may tamper with the aircraft or endanger its safety, its crew or its passengers.
يحظر على أي شخص غير مخول رسميا أن يتدخل في أعمال أي عضو من أعضاء هيئة القيادة أو يعوقه عن عمله أثناء فترة الطيران ، كما يحظر على أي شخص العبث بأي جزء من أجزاء ا
- Article 85
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.
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 سجلا
- Article 86
No operator may begin operating its aircraft before the Authority approves the operations specifications it prepares, which form part of its license and are binding.
لا يجوز لأي مشغل أن يبدأ في تشغيل طائرته إلا بعد اعتماد الهيئة لمواصفات التشغيل المعدة من قبل المشغل ، وتعد جزءًا من الترخيص الممنوح له، وتكون واجبة التطبيق، ول
- Article 88
An operator may not run a new air route or extend an existing one before one or more preparatory flights with no passengers except those needed to operate the aircraft; mail and goods may be carried, and the Authority may exempt.
لا يجوز للمشغل تشغيل أي خط جوي جديد أو مد خط قائم قبل إجراء رحلة، أو رحلات تمهيدية ، ولا يجوز له فيها حمل أشخاص عدا الأشخاص اللازمين لتشغيل الطائرة ، ويجوز له ح
- 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.