Jordan's Arab Wings has ordered a Phenom 100 and a Phenom 300 knowing that demand for them will exceed their availability as they come into service late in 2008 or early in 2009.

Ahmad Abu Ghazaleh, the ceo of Arab Wings, Royal Jordanian Air Academy (RJAA) and Queen Noor Academy, predicts that, although the Phenom 300 is convertible for vip transport use, it will be fully utilised for medevac with its speed and manoeuvrability ideal for mercy missions into Iraq.

The Phenom 100, he adds, could be extremely useful for training air academy trainees and graduates as co-pilots as well as for vip transport. The RJAA is expected to have a significant impact on providing the qualified pilots needed to spearhead accelerated development of the growing private aviation sector. Established in 1966 by directives issued by the late King Hussein Bin Talal of Jordan, the RJAA has what is believed to be the first and only flight academy in the region with the EASA syllabus. It also fulfills ICAO requirements and offers training to private and commercial pilots with instrument rating, certified flight instructor (CFI), certified flight instructor instrument (CFII) and airline transport pilot license (ATPL).

"The Royal Jordanian Air Academy trains students to become aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians in the field of airframe and power plant and avionics maintenance engineering," says Abu Ghazaleh. He adds: "We will fine-tune the deployment of the Phenoms but with the established and growing demand for medevac, vip transport and the RJAA, they will not be under-utilised.

The basic financial outlay for a Phenom is approximately the same as for a helicopter so they are very cost-effective acquisitions. The take-off distance is very short which has numerous advantages for medevac and vip charter especially in this region. And then they are much more economical to charter for smaller numbers than, say, the Challenger 604, which more ideally suits larger parties.

"The Phenoms will slot very well into our business plan to service the growing demand for private aviation that is partly the result of the widespread international investment by Middle East countries in each and the prosperity that most, if not all, are enjoying." Arab Wings is expecting the delivery of a G450 before the end of the year and already deploys a Challenger 604, two Hawkers 800XPs and a King Air Beech 200. The privately owned executive operator started operations in 1975 as a Royal Jordanian business jet subsidiary. Since 2005 it has been owned by RJAA.