The Saudi Aviation Flight Academy (SAFA) took delivery of its first 2 training aircraft from Diamond Aircraft Industries.
The 2 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 a primary role in aviation accidents globally,” stated Captain William Roe, Managing Director of SAFA.
SAFA will receive another 12 DA40 NG single-engine trainers over the coming 5 years (2 in 2011, 5 in 2012, 2 in 2013, 1 in 2014 and 2 in 2015).
SAFA is also expecting to receive another 6 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 end of 2015, SAFA will boast a total fleet of 14 DA40 NG single-engine, 6DA42 NG multi-engine aircraft trainers, and 12 Technologically Advanced Flight Training Devices.