de Havilland Dash 8-400 (N403QX)

It was the PERFECT day for Horizon to launch new direct flight service between Reno and Orange County / John Wayne Airport. Following a big celebratory party in the main lobby (complete with hundreds of beach balls, Beach Boys music, lots of Orange Crush, and the most fantastic sand castle triple layer cake << whoever designed and baked it deserves national recognition); the festivities moved to the gate area and lasted until the passengers boarded N403QX to leave for Santa Ana.
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I had a wonderful time. Snapped hundreds of shots ... AND .. since I'm a baked goods junkie and everyone who knows me knows it, I was served a huge slice of that delicious cake. I can't wait for QX to announce the next new destination (grin).

Was just notified that the folks at QXE have posted my picture of the cake on ...
https://www.facebook.com/alaskaairlines/

Hi Gary. How's it been going? Hope you are staying busy. A most excellent snap of this Dash-8 here...A definite full 5. I was hoping to catch its arrival into SNA, but unfortunately I was way too busy. Both of Horizon's daily flights arrive in the early to mid afternoon, so I haven't been able to catch any yet. Maybe I will take a little "personal time" from school and work to get out there and snap them one afternoon this week :)

Hey, Mark, Howdy. Good to see you back on FA. I'd been wondering about you. (I've also been thinking about Sam K from Buffalo; I haven't heard anything from him in quite a long time, either. ????)
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TYVM for the comment and compliment here, Mark. Now that there is a direct flight to SNA, perhaps I'll be able to make a one-day, out-and-back, "Road Trip" visit. It won't be soon (I'm going back east soon, and I'm now also trying to work in another trip to Ohio for my second visit to the USAF Museum in September/October). But if I can find a few extra $$$$$, I'll see about a 1-day R/T to SNA. But in the meantime, I'm looking forward to more posts from you.