| 1910 |
Hawaii enters the
aviation age as daredevil J.C. "Bud" Mars
circles Moanalua Polo Field and lands there on December
31. |
| 1911 |
French aviator Didier
Masson made the first "long distance" flight
from Leilehua/Schofield Barracks to Kapiolani Park at a
5,000-foot altitude in a monoplane. |
| 1913 |
Tom Gunn takes the first
paying passengers for rides in a seaplane from Honolulu
Harbor. |
| 1918 |
The first interisland
flight is made by Army officer Maj. Harold M. Clark, Jr.
Clark flew to Molokai and back to Oahu on March 15. |
| 1919 |
Hawaii's first landing
strip, Luke Field, is established on Ford Island in
Honolulu by the combined aerial forces of the Army and
Navy.
Official air mail goes from Honolulu
to Hilo in Army planes. |
| 1920 |
Charles Fern carriers the
first paying interisland passenger. The trip is from
Kapiolani Park to Maui. Between Molokai and Maui, Fern’s
gas gauge malfunctioned, indicating an empty tank, and
forced him to land in a pasture near the Cooke Ranch
office on Molokai. He refueled and continued on. He was
unable to locate the polo field where he was supposed to
land, and landed instead in the fair grounds of Kahului. |
| 1923 |
Aviator Charles Stoffer
in "Charley’s Crate" delivered the Sunday
morning newspaper to Molokai, then to Maui, landing at
Camp One near Spreckelsville. |
| 1925 |
A joint fund-raising
drive is made by the Chamber of Commerce and the
Territorial Legislature. The funds raised are used to
acquire land along Keehi Lagoon for a sum of $27,410 to be
used for an airport.
Commander John Rodgers departs from
San Pablo Bay, California, for the Hawaiian Islands in a
Navy seaplane during the first trans-Pacific flight. |
| 1927 |
Hawaii's first airport
becomes a reality. The John Rodgers Airport is dedicated
on March 21. It is named in honor of the late Commander
John Rodgers, a naval aviator who piloted the first
aircraft to reach Hawaii.
The Territorial Legislature
appropriates $75,000 for further development of John
Rodgers Airport and aviation enterprises boom.
Lt. Lester J. Maitland and Lt.
Albert F. Hegenberger, in the "Bird of Paradise"
made the first successful flight into Hawaii from the West
Coast (Oakland, CA) on June 28. |
| 1929 |
Inter-Island Airways,
modern-day Hawaiian Airlines, is organized and begins
service to neighbor islands on November 11. This is
Hawaii's first scheduled inter- island air transportation
service. |
| 1930 |
Runways at John Rodgers
are set-up and extended using prison labor. |
| 1934 |
Charles Kingsford-Smith
in the "Lady Southern Cross" made the first
east-bound flight from Wheeler Field to Oakland, CA in 15
hours on November 3. The flight takes 15 hours. |
| 1935 |
Amelia Earhart makes the
first solo trans-Pacific flight from Wheeler Field to
Oakland Airport, California, on January 12 in 18 hours and
15 minutes.
Pan American Airways makes the first
commercial airline flight from the mainland to Hawaii on
April 16. The San Francisco to Pearl Harbor flight took 17
hours and 14 minutes.
Scheduled air mail and passenger
service across the Pacific begins on November 22. |
| 1939 |
Development of a seaplane
harbor at Keehi Lagoon begins with a Federal appropriation
of $9 million. |
| 1940 |
$3.3 million is
appropriated for dredging Keehi Lagoon for a seaplane
harbor. |
| 1941 |
After the Japanese attack
on Pearl Harbor the military takes control of all airport
operations in Hawaii and grounds all civilian aircrafts. |
| 1943 |
Landplane area at
John Rodgers Airport is filled with soil from the dredging
of Keehi Lagoon.
Three runways are completed at John
Rodgers Airport. |
| 1946 |
Military relinquishes
control of all airport operations and returns it to the
territory of Hawaii on October 1. |
| 1947 |
The Territorial
Legislature forms the Hawaii Aeronautics Commission to
operate all airports in the Territory.
John Rodgers Airport is renamed
Honolulu Airport.
The communications facilities of the
Civil Aeronautics Administration were moved to the third
floor of the terminal building at Honolulu Airport.
The U.S. Weather Bureau establishes
a weather station at Honolulu Airport. |
| 1950 |
HIA ranks third in the
nation in aircraft operations. |
| 1951 |
The Hawaii Aeronautics
Commission leases 104 acres of Hickam reservation and a
runway connecting link is paved, resulting in a runway 200
feet wide and 13,104 feet long. |
| 1952 |
Lei stands near the main
entrance at Honolulu International Airport are completed
in June. |
| 1955 |
Construction of
small-plane hangers at Honolulu International Airport are
completed on September 14. |
| 1958 |
700,000 cubic yards of
coral fill material is stockpiled at HIA for future
terminal construction, March 28. |
| 1959 |
Hawaii becomes a state.
Qantas Airlines introduces jet
service to Honolulu cutting travel time from California to
Hawaii in half -- from nine propeller hours to 4 1/2 jet
hours.
Construction begins in February on
the new John Rodgers Terminal designed to meet the
"jet" age. |
| 1961 |
The state Department of
Transportation takes over the duties of the now defunct
Hawaii Aeronautic Commission on July 1. |
| 1962 |
A beautiful fountain is
built on the main road into the new Honolulu International
Airport.
A four-engine jet turboprop crashes
and burns on July 22. While there were 13 survivors, 27
persons were killed, making it the worst civil air carrier
crash in the island’s history.
The new John Rodgers Terminal is
dedicated on August 22. The John Rodgers Terminal begins
operations on October 14 at midnight. |
| 1963 |
The FAA ranks HIA as the
10th busies airport in the U.S. |
| 1964 |
The drive around the
fountain on the main road is named Arthur Godfrey Circle
in honor of the famed entertainer whose ukulele talents
and aloha shirts focused attention on Hawaii. |
| 1965 |
Demolition of the old
terminal building at Honolulu International Airport is
completed on September 15. |
| 1966 |
The Aircraft Crash Fire
Fighting Station I is dedicated on June 9.
Planning begins for new and larger
jet planes such as the "stretch-out" and the 747
begins in November. |
| 1968 |
DOT assumes full
responsibility for all state airport projects. Previously,
the responsibility was shared with the Department of
Accounting and General Services. |
| 1969 |
Groundbreaking ceremonies
were held on March 7 for the construction of the Diamond
Head Gull Wing, designed to accommodate Boeing 747's. |
| 1970 |
The new 2,000-car,
five-story, parking structure at Honolulu International
Airport was completed in February.
The Diamond Head Gull Wing, with a
capacity to handle 747 aircraft, was opened on March 3. It
is one of the world's first airport facilities
specifically designed to handle the Boeing 747's. |
| 1971 |
HIA became the first
major airport to install a centralized flight information
display system in May. |
| 1972 |
$12.5 million Ewa Gull
Wing extension of the main terminal completed. |
| 1973 |
The three-level
International Arrivals Terminal is completed and dedicated
on May 14.
Construction begins on the Reef
Runway on February 28, the world’s first major runway
built entirely offshore. |
| 1974 |
Personnel of the Hawaii
Protective Association, Ltd. replace the "off
duty" police who were providing security service
require by the FAA. |
| 1977 |
The 12,000-foot Reef
Runway opens on October in a shallow reef-lagoon between
Honolulu Harbor and Pearl Harbor. The project later earns
three awards: the 1978 Outstanding Civil Engineering
Achievement Nominee, American Society of Civil Engineers;
one of the Ten Outstanding Engineering Achievement sin the
U.S. in 1997, National Society of Professional Engineers;
and the Aviation Environment Awards from the FAA. The last
award was only the second time it had been presented. |
| 1978 |
A 2,900-sq. ft. holding
wing is dedicated on July 14 in the Interisland Terminal. |
| 1980 |
A central concourse with
Gates 14 through 23 is dedicated on July 24 to accommodate
wide-bodied aircraft.
Lei stands are relocated in front of
Aolele Street.
Mid Pacific Airlines started daily
scheduled flights to Kauai, Maui and Oahu in March. |
| 1983 |
Work begins on the
Diamond Head Extension of the Central Concourse.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held f
or the South Ramp Development Project. |
| 1984 |
The new $6.7 million FAA
air traffic control tower is completed. |
| 1986 |
The new $23.3 million
Diamond Head Extension opens in October.
An overseas access roadway
connecting the H-1 Freeway with the Overseas Terminal is
completed in March.
The International Group Tour
Arrivals area, with baggage loading docks and an arriving
passenger waiting lounge, is completed in December. |
| 1987 |
The new Garden Court
conference room complex opens in January.
Twenty-fifth anniversary of the John
Rodgers Terminal. |
| 1988 |
The $23.3 million
Interisland Terminal 3 opens in June. Hawaiian Air moves
into the new terminal while plans are made for the
demolition of the old Interisland Terminal.
Demolition of the old Interisland
Terminal in October is followed by the opening of the new
Interisland public parking lot.
Duty Free Shoppers bid $1.15 billion
for 4 year 11 month concession contract at HIA. It was the
highest bid for any duty free concession in the world. |
| 1989 |
The Reef Runway was
chosen as one of several emergency landing sites for the
NASA space shuttle.
November 22, groundbreaking
ceremonies for the new $136 million Interisland Terminal
Complex were held.
Over $41.8 million was spent to
upgrade airport lobbies, concessionaire shops and restroom
facilities in the Main Overseas Terminal Complex. |
| 1990 |
April, the Aloha Lounge
was completed. It gives arriving international passengers
a comfortable place to relax while waiting to enter the
Immigration Hall.
Improvements to the Ewa Ticket Lobby
was completed in June for $11 million.
An $8.5 million South Ramp Air
Cargo/ Lease Lot Facility was dedicated in March. |
| 1991 |
Lei stands were relocated
in July for $1.9 million. |
| 1992 |
New $4. 6 million
Aircraft rescue and Firefighting Station I was dedicated
in April.
HIA is ranked as the 10th
busiest airport in the United States, the 15th
busiest in the world, and the fifth busiest in the Pacific
Rim. HIA handled 22.9 million passengers in FY 1992.
Diamond Head Hardstand extension was
completed in July and the Ewa Wing Hardstand extension was
completed in November.
New $6.9 million General Aviation
Facilities located on the South Ramp were completed in
October. |
| 1993 |
A new Duty Free contract
decreased airport income from $300 million per year to
$100,00 million per year. As a result, the construction of
a new International Terminal Building and other
construction projects are deferred.
Work began on the new Airport
Training Center Building on the South Ramp. When completed
in 1994, it will provide work shops and classrooms for
Airports Division personnel and up to 150 Honolulu
Community College students studying aviation related
fields.
On July 23, the new Interisland
Terminal opened its doors for business. The opening of the
$130 million complex culminated more than 10 years of
planning and construction. The largest airport project
ever undertaken by the Airports Division, the IIT is a
seven-floor structure with parking for 1,726 vehicles, a
station for the intra-airport transportation system,
ticket lobbies, concessions, passenger waiting areas,
baggage claim and state Airport Division Offices. |
| 1994 |
On January 21, four
additional gates were dedicated at the Ewa Concourse,
Gates 31-34, to service overseas and international
flights. The gates provide passenger hold rooms and three
gates able to handle wide body aircraft.
With the announced closure of the
Barbers Point Naval Air Station, the Department began
working with the federal government to obtain space at the
station for a general aviation reliever airport.
Work began on the Makai Pier
extension to the Interisland Terminal on September 19.
When completed, this project will add five additional
gates and loading bridges to the Interisland Terminal. It
will also provide a connecting link with a 240-foot moving
walkway between the Interisland and Overseas Terminals. |
| 1995 |
Plans are being developed
for the renovation of the International Arrivals Building.
The renovation will increase the available floor space,
install faster baggage handling equipment and make
modification to process passengers more quickly and
efficiently.
The new Airport Training Center
Building on the South Ramp was dedicated on May 18, 1995.
The facility replaces an older structure on the Ewa side
of the airport.
On May 15, work began on the
International Terminal Building Complex Site Improvements,
Parking and Landscaping project. The project will provide
an employee parking lot near the planned location of the
International Terminal Complex.
The Makai Pier extension to the
Interisland Terminal was opened on October 20. |
| 1996 |
The Airports Division has
negotiated with the Barbers Point Naval Air Station
Redevelopment Commission to acquire 725 acres at Barbers
Point Naval Air Station for use as Kalaeloa General
Aviation Reliever Airport. Acquisition of the Barbers
Point site will make HIA safer and extend its capacity
well into the future without additional runway
construction; provide for general aviation training and
compensate for the loss of Ford Island Field in 1999;
satisfy the airlines’ need for an alternate landing
area, which will save them fuel, and provide a sturdy
disaster relief base.
Work on the International Terminal
Building Complex Site Improvements, Parking and
Landscaping project was completed in August. |
| 1997 |
Three major systems
projects, emergency power for both the airfield and
terminal and an update of the fire alarm system, were
started.
Work began on the relocation of the
employee parking lot at Elliott Street. The parking lot
was relocated because it is the future site of the Federal
Detention Center. |
| 1998 |
A planning study for
cargo marshaling facilities is in progress. The study is
looking at existing cargo operations in order to determine
facility and site requirements for agricultural and
perishable goods.
Work is completed on modifications
to the International Arrivals Building. The project
provided exterior improvements to the IAB to improve
passenger comfort. The project included a new glass roof
on the second level, renovation of the Group Tour area on
the second level, renovation of the Baggage Loading area
and a new fabric canopy on the ground level.
A project to renovate the interior
of the IAB began in August.
Construction of 11 new hard stands
was completed. The project strengthened and more durable
aircraft parking at the Interisland Terminal area.
The 85,000 square foot Continental
Airline Heavy Maintenance Facility was dedicated on July
3. It allows maintenance of large aircraft locally in lieu
of sending them to the mainland.
United Airlines completed its state
of the art cargo facility in August. It provides more than
65,000 square feet of cargo space. |
| 1999 |
The Airports Division
accepted 757 acres of surplus land at Barbers Point Naval
Air Station on July 1 to be used for Kalaeloa Airport for
general aviation aircraft. A perimeter fence to bring the
airport up to FAA standards, was completed prior to July
1. |
