PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 2002--The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding Horizon Air's Maintenance and Engineering Department the Diamond Certificate of Excellence for achieving the highest level in safety training programs.

This will be the third year in a row that Horizon has received the award.

FAA representatives will make the presentations in a ceremony on Thursday, April 18, starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Horizon Air Portland Operations Center, 8070 NE Airtrans Way, Portland, Ore.

Horizon earned the FAA's recognition for the quality of its safety training program, and for its high level of employee participation in ongoing safety training. Approximately 150 maintenance employees will be recognized for their initiative to complete training.

FAA Portland Flight Standard District Office Manager Larry Bird stated: "While this number represents a significant portion of the Horizon workforce, it is likely that many other employees may have been eligible. The training received for the new aircraft that Horizon has chosen to lead the company through the first segment of the 21st century would complete a significant portion of the training requirement. We are committed to working with Horizon as they continue to lead the Northwest aviation community in this area."

"Horizon has always fostered an environment that encourages our maintenance technicians to build on their safety training," said Mike Fox, Horizon's director of maintenance. "This participation increases pride in our profession which, in turn, is reflected in our professionalism and safety efforts."

The FAA created the Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards program in 1992. The program is meant to encourage companies to provide initial and recurrent training and for individual maintenance technicians to actively participate in employer-sponsored programs or outside programs.

"Horizon's technical training department, which includes 11 full-time instructors, a records coordinator and two multi-media technicians, conducts at least 20 80-hour initial training classes and 90-100 shorter, subject-specific classes a year," said Keith Dieringer, Horizon technical training instructor. He said that individual training is offered as well.

Horizon Air operates with a fleet of 62 aircraft, including the Bombardier 70-seat CRJ-700 jet, 70-seat Q400 turboprop and 37-seat Q200 turboprop, and the Fokker 70-seat F-28 jet. Horizon Air and its sister carrier, Alaska Airlines, serve 80 cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Horizon and Alaska are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group. For more information, visit Horizon Air's Newsroom at http://newsroom.horizonair.com.