The Saudi Aviation Flight Academy (Safa), has taken delivery of its first two training aircraft from Diamond Aircraft Industries.

The two DA40 NG single-engine trainers are the first batch of a total of 20 training aircraft and 12 Technically Advanced Flight Training Devices (aka simulators) that Al-Thumamah Airport-based Safa has agreed to purchase and will form the foundation for Safa’s advanced approach to pilot training.

The Diamond DA40 NG is a four-seat, single engine aircraft primarily constructed from composite materials. Built in both Austria and Canada, the plane is manufactured by internationally acclaimed Diamond Aircraft Industries, a company, which was founded in 1981 as Hoffman Flugzeubau in Friesach, Austria. 

The Flight Academy is a joint venture between the Saudi Aviation Club (SAC), and Safa.

“Each air-conditioned aircraft will feature GPS tracking units to precisely follow the fleet in real time to add additional safety. Also, each aircraft will be equipped with video/audio recording equipment, which enables students to learn to fly more efficiently while reducing training costs, and ultimately develop their aeronautical decision making skills as quickly as possible. This reduces the occurrence of human errors, which plays the primary role in aviation accidents globally,” stated Captain William Roe, managing director of Safa.

Safa will receive another twelve DA40 NG single-engine trainers over the coming five years (two in 2011, five in 2012, two in 2013, one in 2014 and two in 2015).

Safa is also expecting to receive another six training aircraft, the DA42 NG, which is arguably the most technologically advanced multi-engine training aircraft available in the market today. SAFA will start taking delivery of the DA42 NG aircraft in May 2011.

By the end of 2015, Safa will boast a total fleet of fourteen DA40 NG single-engine, six DA42 NG multi-engine aircraft trainers, and 12 Technologically Advanced Flight Training Devices.-TradeArabia News Service