Saudi Aviation Club

What Saudi Aviation Club does

Saudi Aviation Club is an independent, non-profit aviation organization founded in December 2000 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, operating under GACAR.149 licensing from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). It serves as the Kingdom's official representative to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). The Club provides general and sport aviation services to individual pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation enthusiasts through an integrated portfolio of flight training (Sport Pilot License, Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating theoretical courses, and ground school), FBO services (AvGas and Jet A1 fuel, hangaring on annual and daily terms, certified maintenance, and aircraft rental), and large-scale events including the annual Sand & Fun airshow and Hangar Talks conference program.

The Club's operating footprint spans three GACA-authorized airports: Al Thumamah (OETH) as the home base north of Riyadh, Al-Madinah Airport (OEMD) in the western region, and Al-Rass Airport (OERG) in the Qassim region. Its training fleet includes Diamond DA40NG and TECNAM 92 aircraft, and its operational scale, as disclosed on its website, includes 93,000+ takeoffs and landings, 15,000+ flights flown, 5,000+ training hours, and 1,400+ memberships issued cumulatively. The organization is led by Founder and Chairman HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (the first Arab astronaut) with Vice Chairman Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Faisal, General Supervisor Dr. Ahmed Fahad Al-Fahaid (appointed February 2024), and Executive General Manager Farres Mohammad Muneer.

Commercially, the Club operates a three-tier membership model (Student at 900 SAR/year, Standard at 1,500 SAR/year, and Gold at 5,000 SAR/year) that provides differentiated access to lounges, fuel services, family permits, guest permits, aircraft exterior care, and event entitlements. Unit-priced training courses are offered separately (e.g., Ground School Private Pilot Licence at 2,950 SAR for members vs. 3,500 SAR for non-members). Distribution is direct-to-customer through on-airport FBOs and event channels, with go-to-market reinforced by Sand & Fun (which in 2025 attracted 210,000+ visitors from 90 countries and announced 18 major agreements valued at over 250 million SAR), fly-in programs, and partnerships with GACA, the Ministry of Defense, SANS, Messe Frankfurt, and Samson Sky. All stated activities are explicitly positioned within Saudi Vision 2030's diversification and aviation sector development agenda.

Name

Saudi Aviation Club

Legal name

Saudi Aviation Club

Website

https://sac.com.sa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saudi Aviation Club is a Riyadh-based, GACA-licensed non-profit aviation organization operating FBO services, flight training, and the annual Sand & Fun airshow across three Saudi airports, serving individual pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation enthusiasts in alignment with Vision 2030.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

General Aviation Club Services

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581), Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Aviation Pilot & Crew Staffing/Training Services (THABAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business Jet Charter (On-Demand) (THABAFAA)

Keywords

• Flight training services
• General aviation services
• Aircraft fuel services
• Aircraft hangaring services
• Pilot license training

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Three-tier membership structure (Student 900 SAR, Standard 1,500 SAR, Gold 5,000 SAR annually) providing access to club facilities, services, and events.
2. Aviation Services: Aircraft fuel (AvGas, Jet A1), hangaring (annual and daily), maintenance, and rental services at club airports.
3. Flight Training: Training courses for Sport Pilot License and Private Pilot License, including ground school and theoretical courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Saudi Aviation Club is a non-profit, FAI-affiliated flying club that delivers integrated general and sport aviation services through three GACA-licensed airports in Saudi Arabia. Its core offerings are flight training (Sport Pilot License, Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating theoretical course, and Ground School), aircraft services (AvGas and Jet A1 fueling, annual and daily hangaring, certified maintenance, and member aircraft rental), and a tiered membership program (Student, Standard, Gold) that gates access to club facilities, events, and discounted services.

Product overview

Saudi Aviation Club operates as an accredited flying club offering an integrated portfolio of aviation services centered around three pillars: flight training programs (Sport Pilot License, Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, Ground School), aircraft services (fuel, hangaring, maintenance, rental), and airport operations at three locations (Thumamah, Al-Madinah, Al-Rass). The club serves members through tiered membership programs (Student, Standard, Gold) and organizes major events including the Sand & Fun Airshow, Hangar Talks, and Fly-In group flights. The organization functions as a non-profit entity promoting general and sport aviation culture in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sand & Fun: Annual general aviation airshow and exhibition event organized by the club

Quantifiable outcome

• 210,000+ visitors at Sand & Fun 2025 from 90 countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Samson Sky (Switchblade Flying Car)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025MOU signed during Sand & Fun 2025 Air Show in Riyadh to collaborate on implementing the Switchblade flying car in Saudi Arabia. Agreement involves training, approval, use of SAC facilities, and working towards qualifying the vehicle for road and flight use in Saudi Arabia.
• Messe FrankfurtflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025MoU signed to establish the largest annual general aviation event in Riyadh. Messe Frankfurt, one of the world's leading trade fair and event organizers, will collaborate with SAC on AERO Middle East x Sand & Fun 2026 exhibition at Thumamah Airport.
• AeropactcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAir show management company specializing in aerial pyrotechnics and event execution. Partnered with SAC for Sand & Fun airshows and Guinness World Records attempts.
• General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA)coreOthersPrimary regulatory authority for civil aviation in Saudi Arabia. Licenses and regulates SAC airports and aviation activities under GACAR 149 standards.
• Saudi Air Navigation Services (SANS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational air navigation services provider. Operational partnership supporting general and sport aviation operations and expanding club impact.
• Ministry of DefensecoreOthersGovernment partnership supporting national aviation initiatives and club operations.
• King Khalid Royal ReserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for environmental sustainability initiatives and community programs around the reserve area.
• Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiatives for environmental protection, carbon emission reduction studies, and vegetation development aligned with Vision 2030 sustainability goals.
• Prince Sultan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational agreement signed during Future of Aviation Conference for aviation awareness programs and student engagement.
• Ar Rass Chamber of Commerce and IndustryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgreement signed to promote aviation culture and business opportunities in the Al-Qassim region.
• Al Jazira Aviation Club (UAE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational aviation club partnership. Participated in UAE National Day celebrations with joint fly-in events to Ras Al Khaimah.
• Qatar Aviation ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional aviation club partnership for cross-border fly-in events and cultural exchange.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jet Aviation: Business aviation services company offering FBO, maintenance, and charter. Overlaps with SAC's aircraft services portfolio, particularly maintenance, hangaring, and VIP handling.
• Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA): US-based membership aviation organization famous for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, which SAC explicitly participates in. Comparable event-driven, member-based general aviation model at much greater scale.
• AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association): Global aviation membership organization of which SAC is itself a member. Comparable in mission (advocating for and serving general aviation pilots and owners) but vastly larger in scale and advocacy scope.
• FlightSafety International: Major professional flight training organization serving commercial and business aviation. Overlaps with SAC's PPL/IR training offering but operates at a much larger commercial and corporate scale.
• Signature Flight Support: Global FBO network offering fuel, hangaring, and maintenance at airports worldwide. Directly comparable to SAC's FBO service lines (fuel, hangaring, maintenance) but operates across hundreds of locations globally.
• CAE: Global flight training and simulation leader with significant presence in the Middle East. Comparable in flight-training revenue line and pilot certification programs but at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Emerging players

• ATP Flight School: US-based professional pilot training school operating a large fleet. Comparable in the training line but with a much more commercial, airline-pipeline-oriented operating model than SAC's club structure.

Direct peers

• Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom: Historic national aviation membership organization and FAI representative for the UK. Closely comparable to SAC in role as a member-based, FAI-affiliated body promoting sport and general aviation.
• Al Jazira Aviation Club: UAE-based member aviation club offering flight training, FBO-style services, and aviation events. SAC has a formal partnership with them for joint fly-in events, making them the closest operating peer in the region.
• Qatar Aviation Club: Regional Gulf aviation club offering pilot training, aircraft services, and community events. Has a signed partnership with SAC for cross-border fly-ins and cultural exchange, indicating comparable operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AviationClub_Sa
• Facebookfacebook.com/aviationclub.sa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saudi-aviation-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saudi Aviation Club