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Hawaii's Aviation History

An archive of historic photos and information about aircraft, pilots and airports in the Hawaiian islands.

Welcome aboard!

As the Crossroads of the Pacific, Hawaii played a vital role in the development of both commercial and military air travel. The first flight in Hawaii occurred on December 31, 1910. It captured the imagination and hearts of residents who dreamed of traveling by air between islands and the Mainland, Asia and Australia.

On this site you'll find the incredible story of the first trans-Pacific flight by Navy Commander John Rodgers in 1925. Inter-Island Airways made its first commercial interisland flight in 1929, and Pan American Airways entered the trans-Pacific market in 1935. You'll find numerous historical documents, and the complete book Above the Pacific written by the late William J. Horvat and originally published in 1966.

This website features more than 4,000 photos from the collections of the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Hawaii State Archives, Hickam Air Force Base, the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii, the U. S. Naval History Center, Marine Corp Base Hawaii and private collections. We welcome additions to our collection.

Aviation History Highlights

March 21, 1927--John Rodgers Airport, later to become Honolulu International Airport was dedicated.  It was the first Territory of Hawaii airport. The airport was named after Commander John Rodgers who made the first trans-Pacific flight to Hawaii.

News
Territorial Aeronautical Commission --

The Territorial Aeronautical Commission was established in 1927 by the Legislature and was the first government agency in Hawaii to have responsibility for building all airports and overseeing aeronautics in the Territory. The Commission was abolished in 1932 and its responsibilities given to the Superintendent of Public Works. The complete minutes of the TAC describing all actions taken are now available.  Read more...

 

Hawaii Aviation is brought to you courtesy of the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division.