View from the control tower: LAX aircraft spotters' guide: de Havilland Dash 8

The LAX aircraft spotters' guide series continues, this time with the de Havilland Dash 8. The Dash 8 entered development in 1980 as a follow-on to the Dash 7, a four-engined STOL (short takeoff and landing) regional airliner. Whereas the DHC-7 concentrated on short runway performance and low noise, the DHC-8 was designed for efficiency. The twin-engined Dash 8 is thus faster than its predecessor as well as less expensive to operate and maintain. As a result it has become much more popular with regional carriers, with over 1,000 delivered so far since it entered service in 1984. In 1986, de Havilland was sold to Boeing, who subsequently sold the company to Bombardier Aerospace in 1992. Bombardier made improvements to the Dash 8 that resulted in a jet-like cabin environment, and the Dash 8 remains in production, now known as the Q400. The DHC-8's primary competition comes from the French-Italian ATR series of turboprops (which we don't see at all at LAX) along with the various models of regional jets. The Dash 8's cruising speed is over 400 mph (670 kph), making it very competitive with regional jets on shorter routes of 350 miles (500km) or less.

While there have been several smaller versions of the Dash 8, originally known as the series -100/-200/-300 (and later the Q200 and Q300); the Q400 (originally -400) we see at LAX is the largest, with a maximum seating capacity of 78 (so far - a stretched 90-seat version is being contemplated). Just as we see only the one model at LAX, we also see only one operator: Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, who is also the parent company of Alaska Airlines. Alaska has announced that they intend to retire the Horizon Air brand; Horizon aircraft will be repainted with the Alaska name and Eskimo logo on the tail. Horizon has a fleet of forty Dash 8s, with more on order. The Dash 8s are configured with 76 seats, and are replacing 70-seat CRJ-700s. As of this writing, Horizon still has some CRJ7s, but we don't see them at LAX anymore; I do occasionally see one pass over my house as it departs from Long Beach.

Taken just the day before publication, these shots show a Horizon Air Dash 8 re-branded as Alaska Horizon - the first that I've seen at LAX.

The retiring Horizon Air livery, seen here modeled by Dash 8s, along with (a couple of years ago) a CRJ7 (no longer seen at LAX)

Gallery of Dash 8s seen with other aircraft of various sizes:

It's a small world: The Canadian-built Dash 8 with an Air Canada B767-300; at one time Boeing owned de Havilland

Horizon crosses the threshold for runway 24 Right as US Air prepares to depart runway 24 Left. The US Airways A319 wears one of the America West retro liveries.

Almost the same shot again, except this time it's an Air Canada A319 wearing Trans-Canada retro colors

Horizon exits runway 24 Right behind a Volaris A319; in the foreground is a Cathay Pacific B777-300 bearing the Oneworld livery

Seen here with something smaller: A Gulfstream G-II business jet

At LAX, American Eagle operates 44-seat E140 regional jets; the Horizon Dash 8s have nearly twice that capacity, but the jets are about 100 mph faster

Another B767-300, this time in the old United "gray top" scheme

The Southwest is a 122-seat B737-500, the smallest of the aircraft in Southwest's fleet

Another retro US Airways A319, wearing the last America West livery

Face off!

Two out, one in: Outbound Dash 8s with an inbound Virgin America A320

Horizon arriving on runway 24 Left, while Virgin American and Southwest wait to go

Horizon sandwich! Virgin America A320 and an Alaska B737-900

AeroMexico B737-700

Mesa Airlines (callsign: Air Shuttle) flies as US Airways Express out of LAX; seen here in a 90-seat CRJ9, also built by Bombardier

Asiana B747-400

British Airways (callsign: Speedbird) B747-400

Virgin Atlantic A340-600 and an Air France B777-200

Horizon has a number of special paint schemes. Many of them feature public universities in cities served by Horizon, some of which previously appeared on Horizon's CRJ7 fleet:

University of Montana Grizzlies

Boise State University Broncos

Washington State University Cougars

University of Oregon Ducks

Oregon State University Beavers

University of Washington Huskies

Montana State University Bobcats

University of Idaho Vandals

In addition to the school colors aircraft, Horizon also has a couple of Dash 8s painted in the "Comfortably Greener" livery, which highlights the economic and ecologic advantages of their turboprop aircraft: