How the Boeing 747 in Hawaii upended travel and brought costs down by 50%. The rest is fascinating history.
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46 thoughts on “Boeing 747 In Hawaii | Amazing Half-Century”
How the Boeing 747 in Hawaii upended travel and brought costs down by 50%. The rest is fascinating history.
I was in the Air Force from 1970 until 1974. I was stationed in Hawaii from 1971 until 1973. I flew into Hawaii from California on a 707 in August of 1971. I flew from Hawaii to O’Hare on a red eye in 1972 to visit my parents in Washington, DC. It was a 707 which was struck by lightning mid-flight between Honolulu and Chicago. On the way back I flew through Dallas Love Field. The plane out of Dallas was one of the first Braniff “Flying Colors” 747s. There were more crew than passengers and the food and drink were outstanding. When I returned to the mainland for the last time, it was in First Class on a 747, but 747s to and from the islands had become common by then. But the food and drinks in First Class were awesome.
After completing military basic and advanced training, I returned to Hilo, Hawaii for a weeks furlough and to get my beautiful, pregnant wife and year old son. We had to get back to California where my first duty assignment was located. This was 1971 and whenever a military member/family travels on a military-discounted ticket (which is all we could afford with help from family), the member was required to travel in class-a uniform. I think the flight originated in Honolulu and stopped in Hilo before returning to the mainland. After all the passengers were seated, a stewardess (as they were called back then) asked if we wanted to sit in first class. Of course we obliged. We were pampered throughout the flight!
Pan Am forever in our hearts and memories. The finest service!
Great history unfortunately for Hawaii I have begun taking my money to Florida.
I feel welcomed by the locals and the government as a whole is very welcoming.
$20,000 a year added to the Florida economy.
I agree you have an excellent history there. I have to mention that I always preferred the 747 to the Airbus because of its backup systems. Airbus is 100% fly-by-wire so if electronics goes, flight control goes with it. We were all very nervous about the fly-by-wire concept when first introduced. Now we have drive by wire cars (the accelerator and everything but the steering wheel, that is). That would be a good question for the readers. Do you trust fly-by-wire?
Loved your history of the 747s. I flew for 35 years as a flight attendant for first Cp Air then Canadian airlines and finally Air Canada! Worked alot of those Yvr to Ams plus Hnl from Vancouver. Loved the spacious feeling onboard.That aircraft went to Hong Kong…Japan…everywhere! Loved it!
First 747 was a -400 on SQ SFO-HKG-HKG-CGK. Only 747 to Hawaii was a -300 also on SQ SIN-TPE-HNL-LAX. Would’ve loved to have flown on a PA or TW 747 to Hawaii.
Worthy of note that the USA is producing 2 VC-25B’s based on the 747 8i Platform (assuming it is not canceled by this or any future White House incumbent) whereas no World Leader in Europe or outside has opted to fit out an Airbus A380 for Head of State use. Interesting. The Vc-25B’s will probably be around for a long time to come.
I watched the first 747 land at Honolulu and taxi to the ramp.
It was flown by a Boeing crew and had dozens of flags on the nose. I have slides somewhere.
I was flying Air Force C-141 Starlifters, mostly between California and Vietnam.
Korean Air still flies the 748i to Honolulu from Seoul. Lufthansa and Air China are the only other passenger airlines that have it.