To Become International Launch Customer

Saudi Arabia's first private airline, National Air Services (NAS), has placed a $250+ million order for up to 20 Hawker 750 bizjets. Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) announced the order on Tuesday, one day before opening ceremonies for the first annual Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) conference & exhibition to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This is the largest single order on record for Raytheon in the region with deliveries slated for 4Q 2007.

"This is an exceptional order and we are delighted with the value proposition this airplane brings to the market," says Ted Farid, vice president, New Business Development for Raytheon Aircraft Company, "National Air Services has proven to be an excellent partner for us in the Middle East. This order will help them meet the demand for private aviation solutions in the region, and we anticipate it will be the first of many in the area."

Taher Agueel, Chief Executive Officer of NAS, said, "As the leading provider of private aviation services in the Middle East, National Air Services continues to invest in the future of this rapidly expanding sector. The region’s economic trends are all pointing upwards, and demand for aviation services is expanding in line with such growth. At NAS, we are extremely pleased to partner with world-class firms such as Raytheon Aircraft as we chart our own course towards an even brighter future.  We are also proud to be the international launch customer for the new Hawker 750, which we believe will quickly become the first choice for private aircraft users across the region."

Raytheon bills the new Hawker 750, announced at NBAA 2006, as a "2,100 nautical mile range airplane with the largest fuselage in the light-mid size aircraft segment," although it's not clear how many other manufacturers use the "light-mid" classification. The jet is derived from the Hawker 800-series airframe, and will have the same cabin as the Hawker 800-series, accommodating up to eight passengers. Raytheon says instead of a ventral fuel tank, the Hawker 750 will be have a heated external baggage compartment with a 32 cubic foot capacity. Also making the leap from 800 to 750 is Honeywell's TFE-731-5BR engine and state-of-the-art Pro Line 21 avionics package. The aircraft will not sport winglets but it will feature a Hawker 400XP-style interior. RAC claims firm orders for 40 Hawker 750s.

Raytheon says the jet is ideally suited to the Middle Eastern market with a range capable of non-stop point-to-point travel anywhere in the region.

 Since its establishment in 1999, National Air Services (NAS) has become the leading provider of private aviation services in the Middle East with 33 aircraft under management. Based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, NAS provides regional businesses with several different aviation services, including NetJets Middle East (fractional aircraft ownership and lease), Aircraft Management Services and Aircraft Charter Services. NAS also operates Al Khayala Airlines for business travelers, and recently received an operating certificate for the nation's only privately-owned airline set to launched soon.

FMI: www.raytheonaircraft.com, www.nasaviation.com