Saudi Arabia has a glitzy future in aviation — and an incredible past

Saudi Arabia has a glitzy future in aviation but it also had an incredible past.

Join me in this series "Aviation in Saudi: Past, Present, and Future" to learn more about the evolution of aviation in the Kingdom.

The genesis of civil aviation in Saudi can be traced to HZ-SAR-1, a Douglas C-47, which is a military version of the legendary DC-3.

This aircraft was gifted to the founding father of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz Al Saud by POTUS Franklin D Roosevelt in 1945 after their historic meeting onboard the American cruiser, USS Quincy in the Suez Canal and was the first plane in the fleet of what is now Saudia.

Scheduled operations began in 1947 under the banner of Saudi Arabian Airlines, which was setup as an operating agency under the Ministry of Defense with three Dakotas in its fleet.

Trivia: (Share your answers in comments)

• The first route it operated?
• The first airport in the Kingdom and Saudia's first base?
• The original registration of the aircraft? It was rechristened HZ-SAR-1.

The prized aircraft now rests at the Royal Saudi Air Force Museum in Riyadh (an avgeeks's paradise) and is a rich tribute to Saudi Arabia's aviation history.

Next week, we will dive into more details of the Kingdom's first airport, which has ceased to exist, unlike the first aircraft.

(Credits to respective photographers for images from the early days; views my own; happy to amend inaccuracies, if any)

GACA - General Authority of Civil Aviation - Saudi Arabia, SAUDI AIRLINES, flynas, flyadeal, Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP) | برنامج الربط الجوي | برنامج الربط الجوي, RSAF - Royal Saudi Air Force , MATARAT Holding | مطارات القابضة AviLease

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