THE SIXTH BRAZILIAN EMBRAER-170 PLANE HAS JOINED THE SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES (SAA), IT WAS ANNOUNCED HERE TODAY. EARLIER, SAA SIGNED A CONTRACT TO PURCHASE A TOTAL OF 15 EMBRAER PLANES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA. IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT THE REMAINING PLANES WILL GRADUALLY ARRIVE IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, ONE PLANE EACH MONTH. 'EMBRAER'S NEW JETS WILL PROVIDE SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES WITH THE POSSIBILITY TO EXPAND OUR DOMESTIC AND REGIONAL AVIATION ACTIVITY,' DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES KHALED BEN-BAKR SAID IN A PRESS STATEMENT. THE SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES HAS A FLEET OF 139 PLANES. SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES WILL USE THE EMBRAER TO ADD FREQUENCIES ON EXISTING REGIONAL AND LOCAL FLIGHTS AND EVENTUALLY DEVELOP MINI-HUBS AT HAIL IN NORTHERN SAUDI ARABIA AND ABHA IN THE SOUTH OF THE KINGDOM. IT SAID THE CONTRACT INCLUDED SETTING UP A MAINTENANCE BASE AND THE BRAZILIAN AIRCRAFT MAKER WILL ALSO PROVIDE A FLIGHT SIMULATOR AND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT FOR TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE OF THE NEW AIRCRAFT.