THE AVIATOR'S GUIDE TO GACA
Saudi pilot licensing, in plain language.
Ten guides — six that walk each licence end to end, and four plain-language explainers of the weather, notices and airspace every pilot has to read.
GACA issues seven pilot licences (Student, Recreational, Private, Commercial, Multi-crew, Airline Transport, plus Flight Instructor ratings) under GACAR Part 61. The route is the same as ICAO Annex 1: a Class 1 or 2 medical first, then training hours, theoretical knowledge exams, and a skills test. Each guide below walks one license end-to-end.
Licensing guides
Saudi PPL — every requirement
Age, medical, hours, theoretical subjects, the GACA written exam, the skills test, and what the licence actually lets you do.
Saudi CPL — going professional
From PPL to CPL — extra hours, the night-flying minimum, the new theoretical scope, and what airline cadetships expect.
Saudi Instrument Rating (IR)
The hours, the approaches, and the IR skills test — plus AIP-KSA quirks no other guide covers.
GACA Class 1 medical — step by step
Booking the AME, what's tested, validity periods, common deferrals, and the path to revalidation.
Converting an FAA / EASA / ICAO licence to GACA
The validation route, the verification packet, ICAO Doc 9379 alignment, and how long the conversion really takes.
ICAO English & SAELPT — passing Level 4+
The six skills, what Level 4 vs 5 vs 6 means in practice, and the SAELPT format Saudi pilots actually sit.
How-to guides
Plain-language explainers of the things every pilot has to read — the weather, the notices, and the airspace.
Reading a METAR & TAF
Decode aviation weather reports and forecasts field by field, with fully worked examples.
Decoding NOTAMs
The Q-line, the A–G item format and the contractions — how to read a NOTAM and a PIB.
The AIRAC cycle explained
The 28-day cycle, effective dates, what changes when — and how to stay current.
Airspace explained
Classes A–G, controlled vs uncontrolled, the Saudi FIRs and special-use airspace.
What we cite, what we don't
These guides cite the GACAR (the Saudi Civil Aviation Regulations) and the AIP-KSA. Anything we're unsure of — fees that may have changed, internal GACA processes, deadlines specific to a single Approved Training Organisation — is flagged so you can verify with the source.
Always confirm operational data against gaca.gov.sa or the live AIP-KSA. Captain Adel, our AI assistant, will quote the source paragraph when you ask.
Where to go next
If you're brand new to flying in Saudi Arabia, start with the PPL guide — every other licence builds on it. If you already hold a foreign licence, jump straight to the conversion guide.