The words and phrases mentioned hereinafter in this Law shall have the meanings assigned to them unless the context requires otherwise:

• 1- Law: Civil Aviation Law.

• 2- Regulation: The Implementing Regulation of this Law.

• 3- Kingdom: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

• 4- State of Registration: The state in which the aircraft is registered.

• 5- Region: The land territories and territorial waters subject to the sovereignty of the Kingdom and the airspace above them.

• 6- President: The President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

• 7- Civil Aviation Authority: The authority officially responsible for overseeing civil aviation affairs.

• 8- Authority: The General Authority of Civil Aviation, which is the authority officially responsible for overseeing civil aviation affairs in the Kingdom.

• 9- Board of Directors: The Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

• 10- Chairman of the Board: The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

• 11- International Treaties: The treaties and international agreements to which the Kingdom is a party and their amendments.

• 12- Chicago Convention: The International Civil Aviation Convention signed in Chicago on December 7, 1944, and its ratified amendments by royal decrees.

• 13- Aircraft: Any machine capable of deriving its lift in the air from the reactions of the air other than those reflected from the surface of the earth.

• 14- Operator: A natural or legal person who operates one or more aircraft for their own account and whose crew is subject to their orders.

• 15- State Aircraft: Aircraft owned by the Kingdom and designated for serving non-commercial public interests, such as military, customs, and medical evacuation aircraft.

• 16- Aerial Works: All aerial operations other than the transport of passengers and cargo, such as firefighting, agricultural spraying, aerial photography, and aerial advertising.

• 17- Air Traffic: The movement of all aircraft flying or operating in the airport maneuvering area.

• 18- Airport: A defined area of land or water, including buildings, facilities, and equipment, designated wholly or partially for the arrival, movement, and departure of aircraft.

• 19- International Airport: An airport designated by the Kingdom in its territory for the entry and exit of international air traffic, where customs, passport, health, and quarantine procedures, including the quarantine of animals and plants, and other similar procedures are conducted.

• 20- Airport Maneuvering Area: That part of the airport used for the takeoff and landing of aircraft and their other movements related to takeoff and landing, excluding the aircraft parking area.

• 21- Airport Operator: Any natural or legal person who operates the airport or part of it.

• 22- Aircraft Commander: The pilot responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during its flight period.

• 23- Flight Crew Member: A member of the aircraft crew holding a valid license assigned to essential duties for operating an aircraft during the flight period.

• 24- Aircraft Crew Member: A person assigned by the operator to duties on the aircraft during the flight period.

• 25- Flight Period: The total time from the moment the aircraft begins its movement by its own power for takeoff until the moment it stops moving after completing its flight.

• 26- Prohibited Area: A defined area of the region announced by the authority where flying is prohibited.

• 27- Restricted Area: A defined area of the region announced by the authority where flying is subject to certain restrictions.

• 28- Hazardous Area: A defined area of the region announced by the authority where hazardous activities occur at certain times.

• 29- Regular Air Route: An air route open for public use that operates according to a published schedule, or regularly or repeatedly in a clear manner, forming a series of regular flights that are easily observable.

• 30- International Air Route: Any air route that passes through the airspace of more than one country.

• 31- Domestic Air Route: Any air route that operates entirely within the territory of a single country.

• 32- Air Carrier: A natural or legal person who offers or operates air routes for the transport of passengers, mail, cargo, or any of them.

• 33- National Registration: The registration of aircraft in the Saudi National Aircraft Register maintained and supervised by the authority.

• 34- Register: The Saudi National Register for the registration of aircraft prepared by the authority for the registration of national civil aircraft.

• 35- International Registration: The registration of aircraft with an organization that has international legal personality.

• 36- General Mark: A mark designated by the International Civil Aviation Organization for the authority of the general mark registration to register aircraft of an international or joint air transport organization for international registration.

• 37- General Mark Registration Authority: The authority entrusted with the non-national register or any part thereof in which aircraft belonging to a foreign or joint air transport organization are registered.

• 38- Aircraft Accident: Any incident related to the operation of the aircraft occurring during the period from the time any person boards the aircraft with the intent to fly until the time all persons leave the aircraft, resulting in one of the following outcomes:

  • A- Injury to any person resulting in serious injury or death due to their presence on board the aircraft or direct contact with it or any part thereof or as a result of exposure to the aircraft's jet exhaust.

  • B- Damage to the aircraft resulting in significant impairment.

  • C- Loss of the aircraft or inability to access it.

  • Injuries resulting from natural causes or self-inflicted injuries or caused by others, or injuries to trespassers hiding outside areas normally accessible to passengers and crew are excluded.

• 39- Aircraft Incident: Any occurrence that does not meet the definition of an aircraft accident and is related to the operation of the aircraft and affects or may affect its operational safety.

• 40- Aviation Accident: Any situation or circumstance that could lead to an aircraft accident or incident.

• 41- Air Obstacles: These may be artificial obstacles such as tall buildings, towers, and high wires, or natural obstacles such as mountains and tall trees.

• 42- Saudi Aviation Guide: The guide issued by the authority that includes the basic principles contained in the laws, regulations, instructions, and rules necessary to ensure the safety, regularity, speed, and facilitation of air traffic in the region of the Kingdom under its supervision.

• 43- Airworthiness Certificate: A document issued by the authority to the State of Registration of the aircraft certifying the aircraft's airworthiness for a specified period, provided that the operator complies with the conditions stated therein.

• 44- Permit: Permission for an aircraft to cross the airspace of the Kingdom or land at one of its airports for commercial or diplomatic purposes, and may take the form of a permit for scheduled flights or a temporary permit for unscheduled flights.

• 45- License: Approval issued by the authority to a natural or legal person to engage in a specific activity within its jurisdiction.

• 46- Authorization: A certificate or license granted or approved by the authority for personnel in the civil aviation sector, such as flight crews, maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers, and others whose work requires holding certificates or licenses according to internationally established levels.

• 47- Government Orders: Instructions issued by the Civil Aviation Authority to airlines operating regarding those companies' activities within the territory of the state.

The words and phrases contained in international treaties not mentioned in this article shall retain the meanings assigned to them in those treaties.

The Kingdom has complete and absolute sovereignty over the airspace within its territory.

The provisions of this Law shall apply to the following:

• 1. Civil aviation activities and operations within the territory of the Kingdom.

• 2. Civil aerodromes and air carriage facilities, and ensuring aviation safety and security within the territory of the Kingdom.

• 3. Civil aircraft registered in the Kingdom.

• 4. State aircraft other than military ones.

• 5. Any aircraft registered in a foreign country and operated or maintained by a Saudi national by virtue of a lease, exchange, or any similar agreement, if an agreement between the Kingdom and the aircraft registration country so states.

Provisions of, and annexes to, the Chicago Convention and all other international treaties on civil aviation to which the Kingdom is party shall be deemed supplements to this Law.

The Authority shall be solely in charge of all civil aviation affairs in the Kingdom, including undertaking all wired and wireless communication services related to aviation safety and air traffic regularity.

Without prejudice to the provisions of other laws and international treaties, the Authority shall have the right to inspect aircraft, prevent them from flying, or seize any relevant documents for the purpose of overseeing the implementation of this Law. Rules for inspecting aircraft, preventing them from flying, and seizing documents shall be specified in the Regulations.

Officials of customs, security, immigration, health and agricultural quarantine, and any other competent authority shall have the right to inspect aircraft or any person or cargo on board thereof, as per the powers provided for in laws and rules in force in the Kingdom. Such inspection shall be conducted in the presence of a representative of the Authority in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.