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Saudia takes delivery of fifth Airbus A321

JEDDAH - Saudi Arabian Airlines has taken delivery of its fifth Airbus A321, the latest of 15 such planes it has purchased. The plane has 165 seats - 20 Business and 145 Guest Class.

As the airline's fleet has grown, 457 pilots were trained in the last two years to fly 62 new Airbus 320/321 aircraft and A330s, 45 of which have entered service, said Engineer Khalid Bin Abdullah Al-Molhem, Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines .

Training a pilot to fly another type of aircraft takes about two to three months, he added.

There are 202 pilots and 165 assistant pilots qualified to fly the Airbus A320 and 52 pilots and 46 assistant pilots are being trained, Al-Molhem said.

There are 49 pilots and 41 assistant pilots trained to fly the A330 while three pilots are still under training, he added.

It is expected that by the end of 2011, 26 pilots will be trained by 29 trainers who provide instruction via flight simulators and practical training on flying the A320; 11 trainers have been allocated for the A330, Al-Molhem said. The installation of new flight simulators at Prince Sultan Academy for Aviation Sciences has been completed; there are two A320 simulators and one for the A330, he added.

There are now 37 new Airbus A320/A321 planes in the fleet and eight A330s, Al-Molhem said.

By the end of 2011, Saudi Arabian Airlines will take delivery of four new A320 and A321 aircraft, bringing the total of new planes received in two years to 49, which is among the fastest periods for introducing a fleet of this size, he said.

In the next three years, Saudia will receive all the planes it has ordered, he added.

In 2012, the airline will take delivery of one A320, seven A321s and six Boeing ER300-777Bs.

In 2013, it will receive the last A321, two A330s and four ER300-777Bs.

The airline will complete taking delivery of its Airbus and Boeing planes in 2014.

To ensure that the aircraft are properly maintained, the Saudi Company for Engineering and Aviation Industry has equipped and prepared all stations that these planes would reach with the required machinery and spare parts, Al-Molhem said.

It has also provided the main station at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah with all machinery, inspection-and-testing equipment and spare parts needed to maintain the planes, he added.

More than 1,000 highly efficient Saudi technicians have been trained to work in the Saudi Company for Engineering and Aviation Industry and maintain the aircraft, Al-Molhem said.

Saudi Arabian Airlines will also provide maintenance and support services to international airlines and private aviation companies working in the Kingdom's airports, and it will provide maintenance service for these planes at some international airports, he added.

© The Saudi Gazette 2011