SEATTLE FELLOW
Horizon Air Fokker F28 [N802PH] Aeroclassics 1/400
There have now been 43 Fokker 28 Fellowships produced by Aeroclassics, with a healthy 14 this year expanding the range of subjects beyond the former release focus of Australia, Canada and Indonesia. Pleasingly half of 2017s F28 output has been for Holy Grail US operators from the 1980s like Piedmont and USAir. Now it is Horizon Air’s chance for some Fellowships. Sadly the lack of a series 4000 mould makes it difficult to imagine we’ll ever see other US operators like Empire or Air 21, but regardless Seattle’s regional carrier is a worthy subject.
THE REAL THING Horizon Air is almost unique amongst the regional carriers of the United States in that it managed to avoid the deletion of its own public identity for far longer than anybody else involved in a franchise style feeder operation with a major carrier. This was despite the fact that it has been owned by Alaska Air Group since 1986. Indeed it wasn't until January 25, 2011 that the Horizon Air name and the sunset branding was replaced with Alaska Airlines own branding. Then again Alaska Airlines isn't like other US airlines and even today the Horizon fleet carries Alaska Horizon titles, although Chester the Eskimo now graces the tail. Horizon had begun service in September 1981 with a trio of Fairchild F-27s and grew through acquisitions designed primarily it seems to try and consolidate loss making airlines. The airline went public in 1984 and a codeshare with United in 1985 attracted Alaska to acquire it. It has grown steadily and reliably under the stewardship of its parent albeit it keeping 12
Article and Photos by Richard Stretton
its independent management. Jet operations began as early as November 1984 with the arrival of a 1975 built F28-1000 that had been operating with Air Ivoire. She was joined by N802PH in September 1986. This aircraft had also had an interesting career. It started service with Iberia as EC-BVA in April 1970 but five years later joined Aerolinee Itavia as PH-ZAM, on lease from Fokker. After only a year it was exported to Asia for service with Union of Burma Airways (as XY-ADV). A decade of service pre-empted her return to Fokker. Horizon's F28 fleet grew slowly, with a third frame only added in 1989, as it focused instead on acquiring DHC-8s. Between 1993 and 1996 Horizon expanded its F28-1000 fleet by taking another 9 aircraft on lease. These were all ex-Piedmont and USAir units. From 1996 larger series F28-4000s joined the fleet and added extra capacity. They were all of similar USAir ancestry but some had seen short service with the failed startup Air 21 also. The larger series 4000s replaced the smaller series 1000s, including the three
original frames, which had been sold to General Electric Capital in 1992, but remained with Horizon. N802PH still had plenty of life in her and went to Argentina in September 1997 as LV-WZC. She served with Aerogaucho and then American Falcon. Her career ended after a year of operating for Aerolineas Argentinas and she was stored in July 2005. Horizon’s F28-4000s continued in service until February 14, 2003 when the type was finally replaced by new Canadair CRJ-701s.
THE MODEL The format for my reviews is to split them into three key areas: • The mould of the aircraft • The paint and livery • Printing and quality control Each can get a maximum score of 10 for a section giving a maximum combined total score of 30.