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Horizon 'fogbuster'-equipped aircraft cut through Boise fog
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4/18/2006 4:58 p.m. (PT)
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Boise – Thanks to its state-of-the-art equipment, Horizon Air can now land in Boise more often when the airport is covered by fog.
Horizon today received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to use Boise Airport's new Category II (CAT II) landing minimums. These new landing minimums, which were approved for operation by the FAA last week, permit carriers with the Head-up Guidance System (HGS) – informally called the "fogbuster" – to land in lower visibility than previously allowed.
In practice, this means that pilots in aircraft equipped with HGS need only 1,200 feet of runway visibility to land on Boise's CAT II-designated runway, as opposed to the 1,800 feet required for airlines not equipped with HGS. Horizon estimates this new approach will allow the airline to land an average of 42 more flights a year in Boise – flights that would have otherwise been diverted due to poor weather.
Horizon's sister carrier, Alaska Airlines, has applied for approval to use CAT II landing minimums in Boise and anticipates FAA approval in the near future. Alaska operates two daily nonstop flights between Boise and Seattle.
Horizon has served Boise Airport since 1983 and currently operates 22 daily flights, with nonstop service to Idaho Falls, Lewiston, Los Angeles, Portland, Sacramento, San Jose, Seattle, and Spokane.
Founded in 1981 and celebrating its 25th anniversary on Sept. 1, 2006, Horizon today serves 45 cities throughout California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and British Columbia and Alberta. In 2005, Horizon flew 6.5 million passengers, a portion of these on flights operated as Frontier JetExpress under contract to Denver-based Frontier Airlines. Together, Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines serve more than 80 cities and are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK).
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