Thank you for this overview on the evolution of 2-engine flights to Hawaii. Good technical aviation info. I grew up with the 747 from Hawaii to the mainland; was nervous when 2-engines became the only option. Now I’m fine with them, but only when they are the larger 767s and A330s. Still won’t fly the tiny 737s. That’s like flying in a sardine can.
Well let’s give an “A”, to the genius who figured out Hawaii destinations have the longest flights over the water. God Bless our public education system.
It was known to be the longest overwater route from the first days of air travel. In fact, PanAm had to have planes made in order to make it from San Francisco to Honolulu without stopping, the seaplanes of the 1920s and ’30s. Because from Hawaii, doing the island hop to Midway, Wake, etc, the times in the air were not as long.
Our Hawaiian Air flight in July from Sydney to Honolulu had a medical emergency onboard. We were 3000 miles from Sydney and 2000 miles to Honolulu. The specks of islands on the flight map were likely not able to accommodate the plane. Poor lady looked DRT but she was given oxygen by the flight attendants. There was one passenger who came forward as either a Dr, nurse or EMT. I felt so bad for the husband. They looked like they were nearly 80. It was a worst nightmare I’m sure. We hope she is ok. There wasn’t an ambulance waiting for us in Honolulu so maybe she was fine after a while. I would be afraid to fly home if she were Australian. Kudos to the flight attendants too cause they stayed by her side and didn’t freak out. Very professional!
Aloha! The segment from the west coast to (near) Hawaii is all water. From that point on to SYD (or anywhere else South of the equator) there are many diversion airports dotted along the way.
All I know is my Alaska Air flight from SEA to HON was a nightmare! Supposedly didn’t hold enough fuel to make it to Honolulu, so we had to fly 180 miles south to Portland to upload extra fuel. Then we bounced our way across the Pacific…seatbelt sign on the whole way. Took us 8 hours, so we landed about 11pm instead of 9pm. I will never fly AK again! Instead fly wide body Hawaiian yearly.
They had severe head winds nothing to do with the airline! I’ve been flying for 33 years across the pond and had that happen twice. Different airlines. Ridiculous to think it was the airline. Widebody aircraft won’t make any difference…
An interesting addition to the part about Aloha becoming a 737 ETOPS-180 operator. Aloha actually had ETOPS certification at before, which it worked off of when going for their -180 certification in 1999-2000. The reason, why AQ had (I believe it was -120) certification, was because they operated the only 737-200 with ETOPS certification in the world. Their flights to Christmas Island were done in modified -200s, where you could tell long-range antennas were installed and stretched between the tail and the fuselage.
I believe the A350XWB has ETOPS certification for ETOPS-370.
Earth is flat.
No if and or buts about it.
So actually Korean airlines flies the 747-8 still for passenger traffic to Hawaii. Not just Ana with the a380
Thank you for this overview on the evolution of 2-engine flights to Hawaii. Good technical aviation info. I grew up with the 747 from Hawaii to the mainland; was nervous when 2-engines became the only option. Now I’m fine with them, but only when they are the larger 767s and A330s. Still won’t fly the tiny 737s. That’s like flying in a sardine can.
Hi Carol.
Thank you. Who wouldn’t rather fly in a wide body? But when it comes down to connections with that or narrow-body nonstop, we’ll take the 737.
Aloha.
Well let’s give an “A”, to the genius who figured out Hawaii destinations have the longest flights over the water. God Bless our public education system.
It was known to be the longest overwater route from the first days of air travel. In fact, PanAm had to have planes made in order to make it from San Francisco to Honolulu without stopping, the seaplanes of the 1920s and ’30s. Because from Hawaii, doing the island hop to Midway, Wake, etc, the times in the air were not as long.
Our Hawaiian Air flight in July from Sydney to Honolulu had a medical emergency onboard. We were 3000 miles from Sydney and 2000 miles to Honolulu. The specks of islands on the flight map were likely not able to accommodate the plane. Poor lady looked DRT but she was given oxygen by the flight attendants. There was one passenger who came forward as either a Dr, nurse or EMT. I felt so bad for the husband. They looked like they were nearly 80. It was a worst nightmare I’m sure. We hope she is ok. There wasn’t an ambulance waiting for us in Honolulu so maybe she was fine after a while. I would be afraid to fly home if she were Australian. Kudos to the flight attendants too cause they stayed by her side and didn’t freak out. Very professional!
ETOPS: Engines Turn Or Passengers Swim. Or, Engines Turn Or Planes Sinks.
Aloha! The segment from the west coast to (near) Hawaii is all water. From that point on to SYD (or anywhere else South of the equator) there are many diversion airports dotted along the way.
What about LAX to SYD? Wouldn’t that be the longest overwater flight?
All I know is my Alaska Air flight from SEA to HON was a nightmare! Supposedly didn’t hold enough fuel to make it to Honolulu, so we had to fly 180 miles south to Portland to upload extra fuel. Then we bounced our way across the Pacific…seatbelt sign on the whole way. Took us 8 hours, so we landed about 11pm instead of 9pm. I will never fly AK again! Instead fly wide body Hawaiian yearly.
They had severe head winds nothing to do with the airline! I’ve been flying for 33 years across the pond and had that happen twice. Different airlines. Ridiculous to think it was the airline. Widebody aircraft won’t make any difference…
It is a long flight, but has multiple alternate airports along the way, until the portion that equates to Hawaii to California.
An interesting addition to the part about Aloha becoming a 737 ETOPS-180 operator. Aloha actually had ETOPS certification at before, which it worked off of when going for their -180 certification in 1999-2000. The reason, why AQ had (I believe it was -120) certification, was because they operated the only 737-200 with ETOPS certification in the world. Their flights to Christmas Island were done in modified -200s, where you could tell long-range antennas were installed and stretched between the tail and the fuselage.
Hi Stan.
Ah good point. They used to fly to the Cook Islands, but not to Christmas Island, which is in the Indian Ocean NW of Australia.
Aloha.
Aloha guys, there’s more than one Christmas Island and AQ definitely flew there. 🙂
Hi Mark.
Thanks. We appreciate that. They did fly to the other Christmas Island.
Aloha.