RayaJet chairman Nader Dajani today explained the thinking behind the Jordanian charter operator’s purchase yesterday at EBACE of a Hawker Beechcraft Premier II light jet. “The Middle East has always been focused on luxury,” Dajani said. “The bigger and fancier, the better. In the U.S., business people work out their cost per hour and decide how they can save money. They are astute. They count dollars before cents. We hope we can bring that kind of thinking to the Middle East with the Premier II.” RayaJet will target the Premier II, which is scheduled for delivery in 2011, to “upper managers” in the Middle East by advertising per-hour charter rates between $2,000 and $2,500. Dajani said the introduction of a six-passenger light jet would “open a market niche that is not available” in a region dominated by large-cabin Gulfstreams and Challengers. Founded in 2005, RayaJet operates a Challenger 601 and is negotiating to buy a Challenger 604, Dajani said. The firm plans to merge by the end of this year with sister company Ayla Aviation Academy, a flight training organization, to offer charter, management and maintenance services from its Amman base.