Horizon Air is 25 years old. It started in September of 1981, as a company looking to provide a higher level of service on routes around the Pacific Northwest. At the time, no one could imagine it would become, by far, Portland's most preferred airline, flying to 25 non-stop destinations, with more than 100 departures a day.

In honor of the anniversary, the airline painted one of its signature aircraft, the Dash 8 Q400, with a special scheme. The scheme was unveiled at the Portland base late last week, and is already flying the Northwest skies.

Photo Courtesy Horizon Air

Posted by at 9:55 AM | Permalink

Sorry about the lack of updates here over the past couple of weeks. I've been away... traveling all over the country on a summer jaunt. Really, it was a baseball trip, to see my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play three games, in two cities, over four nights.

My father, Jack Penning, Jr., and me at the new Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

The Cards won two of three, so I was fortunate in that respect. I wasn't so fortunate when it came to my flights.

Of the six flights I took, over a 10-day period, just three arrived on-time (I use the Department of Transportation definition: within 15-minutes of the scheduled arrival time). The other three were all more than 1:30 late. All three of those delayed flights could technically be blamed on the weather: high winds in Chicago, thunderstorms north of St. Louis, and thunderstorms in Denver. But the real problem is too many flights, and not enough capacity in the system.

Air traffic is finally breaking pre-2001 records. This summer, 200-million Americans will take a trip by air... 2-million more than the previous record. The number of flights the airlines offer is rebounding, too... which means crowded airports, like O'Hare, LAX, and Atlanta Hartsfield, are again bumping capacity limits. They're fine when the weather's okay. But a little weather problem means massive delays, that ripple across the country.

My flight approaches Chicago O'Hare Airport, after a 1:30 delay.

On Monday, June 19th, I flew from St. Louis to O'Hare. The weather at both airports was beautiful: sunny, some high clouds, and breezy. Too breezy at O'Hare. The airport could only use two of its six runways, because of the wind. That meant all the air traffic was forced into a third the normal capacity. Which meant we sat on the ground at Lambert Field for an hour and a half, waiting for a slot to land in Chicago.

Last Saturday, I was flying from Denver back to PDX. A storm hit just before our flight was due to leave. We were delayed. But we were lucky. The storm caused some planes to divert, stranding crews in other airports. There were enough pilots in Denver to handle all the flying. So three other Portland-bound flights were cancelled, stranding hundreds in Denver until the next morning... and even longer, in some cases. Because flights are so full this summer, it's much harder to just "grab the next one out." It can take airlines days to work through the backlog of stranded passengers.

Delays happen. Cancellations are inevitable. And it's only going to get worse, as we choose to fly in record numbers.

Have a summer travel story? I'd love to hear about it. E-mail me at jpenning@kgw.com.

Posted by at 9:52 AM | Permalink

Just yesterday, on this blog, and on NewsChannel 8, we talked about a new noise monitoring system that PDX is installing. Once it's up and running, sometime next summer, you'll be able to log-on to the airport's website and get a real-time view of all the planes in PDX airspace... down to street level. If one plane is particularily loud, you'll be able to see the exact airline, type, and flight number... so you can more easily report a complaint.

I received dozens of e-mails... both from residents who live near the airport... and from other viewers who think the noise complaints are overblown.

Neighbors say the noise monitor doesn't make a difference. Just because they'll be able to figure out what flight is causing the noise, doesn't mean the Port's doing anything to alleviate the problem. They want the flight patterns moved back over industrial areas in North Portland.

Meanwhile, some other viewers told me, in no uncertain terms, if you knew you were moving next to an airport, you shouldn't complain. The only problem with that argument is that many of these airport "neighbors" don't live particularily close to PDX. Many live near Downtown Vancouver... or in Hazel Dell... or out by Vancouver Lake. And many moved in years ago... in the '60s and '70s... when airport noise hadn't reached its current crescendo.

I wanted to share some of the comments here on the blog... in hopes of furthering the discussion.

"I would bet the majority of what I own that the airport was there when they moved in. Im tired of people thinking that the moment the are inconvienced, that the world needs to jump and cater to them."
- Woodland, WA

"That is expecting an awful lot of residents but worst of all, which you
fail to mention, is there is NO punishment, no fines, nothing... if a
plane is discovered to be off track so i ask, how useful is such a system?"
- Vancouver, WA

"How long [have the neighbors] lived there? Probably not as long as the airport has been there. [A] little research before you move goes along ways."
- Anonymous

"The FAA and PDX are not really trying to mitigate the noise. The economical benefits of the PDX are born on the backs of the populace on the ground."
- Vancouver, WA

"I moved into a neighborhood and my son has hay fever. My neighbor is mowing his lawn, you think I can sue him?"
- Anonymous

"The problem is real and getting worse. I've rarely encountered an agency as arrogant and unresponsive as PDX or Port of Portland. Neither agency is interested in people north of the River..."
- Vancouver, WA

There was this comment, from a man worried about the flight tracking system being used for the wrong reasons:

"How do you suppose this will benefit the terrorist organizations? It shows the flight number, the location, the elevation. Who are they trying to help here?"

The Port says the information will be on a 10-minute delay... so as not to pose any security risk. You won't be able to see where any of the planes are at that specific moment. But you will be able to set the monitor to any past time. If you heard a loud plane at 5pm... you can go back at 7pm and check to see which flight it was.

Thanks for all your e-mails. This is a story we'll continue to follow... and I always look forward to hearing what you have to say about it. Feel free to e-mail me. While I can't guarantee I'll respond to every note, I can guarantee I'll read each one, and work to represent your thoughts in my continued reporting.

Posted by at 5:09 PM | Permalink

Big Sky Airlines annouced today it will offer new, non-stop service between Portland and Missoula, with continuing service to Bozeman. The service is only offered on Saturdays and Sundays... obviously designed for vacation travelers who plan to spend a full week in Montana. Fares start at $175 round-trip... very low for the route.

Portland to Missoula
Departs 11:55am Arrives 2:40pm

Missoula to Portland
Departs 10:25am Arrives 11:25am

The flight is operated by a Raytheon Beechcraft 1900 aircraft... seating 19 passengers.

Here's the press release from Big Sky:

June 7, 2006
Billings, Montana

New Service from Big Sky Airlines will connect passengers from Portland to Missoula

Summer is here! Take advantage of the beautiful weather and our EASYFARES and get out there and explore. Big Sky Airlines announces new weekend service from Portland, OR to Missoula, MT as well as one stop service to Bozeman, MT starting June 24, 2006. With weekend EASYFARES as low as $175 to Missoula and $185 to Bozeman there is no reason not to travel. Big Sky's EASYFARES are available on every seat, and every flight, with no minimum stay requirements, or advance purchase.

You can even purchase an EASYFARE right up to departure time. Big Sky Airlines makes travel easy and affordable.

* EASYFARES are one way and include excise tax. PFC charges and security taxes are not included.

Fred deLeeuw, Big Sky's President said, "With the summer travel season upon us we are excited to offer more travel options for the weekend traveler."

For reservations and flight information, call 1-800-237-7788. For arrival and departure information contact the Bozeman Ticket counter at 406-388-5018.

Big Sky Airlines currently serves 22 cities in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Wyoming. Big Sky Airlines operates as a code sharing and frequent flier program partner with Alaska/Horizon Air, Northwest Airlines and America West/USAir, which allows customers the convenience of traveling with one ticket, through baggage checking and economical through fares to destinations throughout the world. Big Sky Transportation Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of MAIR, Holdings (NASDAQ: MAIR).

Posted by at 2:10 PM | Permalink

The Port of Portland has annouced it will invest $1.9 million in a new airport noise monitoring system for PDX. Once it's up and running, sometime next summer, you'll be able to log-on to the airport's website and get a real-time view of all the planes in PDX airspace... down to street level. If one plane is particularily loud, you'll be able to see the exact airline, type, and flight number... so you can more easily report a complaint.

Currently, noise complaints take days to research. Port engineers have to go back over the flight records, and reconstruct the flights patterns for the day and hour of the complaint. Neighbors say they're frustrated by the slow response. Many want to know immediately what plane, and airline, is causing the noise.

With the new monitor, the Port says it will be able to respond much more quickly to complaints. It will also be able to give an exact explaination for the location of each noisy aircraft.

The new system will look a lot like one designed by Passur, that's currently in use at dozens of airports around the country.

Many neighbors... including an especially frustrated group in Vancouver... say the monitor won't solve the real problem. They say they want to make sure jets stay out over the Columbia River... at all times... and not over their neighborhoods. Still, the Port says, at the very least, the monitor should allow those residents to better collect data on offending aircraft.

This map, posted on the airport's website shows that controllers do try to keep most jet aircraft over the river.

Typical West-to-East Jet Flight Patterns at PDX (Courtesy Port of Portland).

But this map shows just how many non-jet aircraft end-up over residental areas... both on the Washington and the Oregon side of the Columbia.

Typical Non-Jet Flight Patterns at PDX (Courtesy Port of Portland).

If you have a noise complaint, you can contact the Port of Portland, using this Noise Complaint Form, or you can call the Port at (503) 460-4100 from the Portland area, or toll-free, (800) 938-6647 from Clark County.

The Port will host an Airport Noise Committee meeting this Thursday, from 6pm to 8pm, in the St. Helens Conference Room, at Portland International Airport.

Comments? E-mail me at jpenning@kgw.com.

Posted by at 4:21 PM | Permalink

US Airways began it's new, non-stop flights from PDX to Philadelphia last night. It's Portland's first and only non-stop to Philly.

US Airways is using an Airbus A320 on the new flights, seating 12 in first class and 138 in economy.

Here's the flight schedule:

Portland to Philadelphia
US8078 Departs 10:45pm Arrives 6:50am

Philadelphia to Portland
US8022 Departs 8:30pm Arrives 11:25pm

Click here to read the press release from US Airways.

Click here to read the press release from the Port of Portland.

Posted by at 2:19 PM | Permalink