Saudia Private Aviation (SPA), a unit of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said it has become the largest single customer/operator of the Falcon 7X business jet with the delivery of its fourth aircraft by French aviation giant Dassault.

The four-aircraft order was first announced at the 2007 Dubai Air Show, said the Saudi group in a statement.

Dassault has a fleet of more than 60 Falcon business jets operated by customers in the Middle East region and has a backlog of a dozen additional aircraft to be delivered to regional buyers over the next two years.

The advanced tri-engined Falcon 7X is Dassault Falcon’s flagship business jet model and accounts for 40 per cent of the company’s Middle East aircraft sales.

The 7X fleet has just passed the milestones of 100,000 flying hours and the company will feature a 7X on display at the upcoming Abu Dhabi Air Expo.

Falcon 7X sales in the Middle East continue to be especially strong, with three Falcon 7X business jets delivered to owners in the period of fourth quarter of 2011 to first quarter of 2012.

The Middle East region remains a major market for Dassault Falcon with aircraft deliveries rising as the regional market for business jets recovers, helped by the increasing globalization of business and the rise of strong companies, operating internationally.

Wajdi Abdullah Al-Idrissi, the managing director of SPA said, "The Falcon 7X is a great addition to our fleet of business jets and is in great demand for charter flights worldwide. The Falcon 7X has received high marks from our customers in regard to its advanced technology and its exceptional cabin comfort."

The Falcon 7X, he said, offers a unique bundle of technology in addition to exceptional range and comfort. It was the first business jet available equipped with a fully-digital flight control system.

The tri-engined 7X offers flexible range, large and comfortable cabin interior, efficient and economical performance and advanced technology based on Dassault’s military heritage.

The 7X features a long range of 5,950nm, which enables it to meet the demands of more than 90 percent of city trips done by the typical business aviation traveller.

It can connect New York to Riyadh, Riyadh to Perth or Dubai to Tokyo, and access challenging airports such as London City Airport (the only business jets in their category), he added.

John Rosanvallon, the president and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet, said, "The Falcon 7X has achieved impressive sales worldwide and demand in the Middle East has been especially strong, with several aircraft now operating from the region."

"We are delighted to be work with SPA and congratulate them on becoming the world’s largest single customer/operator of the aircraft. The 7X is well suited to the demands of Saudi charter clients where they are flying intensively, supported effectively by our ASC and Technical centres in the Kingdom," he added.-TradeArabia News Service