An HNL RareBirds Blast From The Past: The China Clipper - 75 Years Later

75 years ago today on the morning of November 23rd 1935, Pan American Airways and their Martin M-130 named the "China Clipper" arrived at Pearl Harbor after a 20 hour and 33 minute flight completing the first leg of Pan American's Trans-Pacific flight from Alameda California. Piloted by Captain Edwin C. Musick and a crew of six, the flying boat officially started Air Mail service to the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific. This eventually led the way to what was to become passenger service later in 1936. The rest as they say, is "History".

It's been a while since we have had an "HNL Blast From The Past"

Aloha Airlines took delivery of its first BAC-111 on April 16, 1966. Flying from London, the aircraft set two world records enroute to Honolulu. The BAC-111's served Aloha until the summer of 1969 when they were withdrawn in favor of the new Boeing 737 "Funbirds".

A Little Qantas Retro: HNL's first 707

At Honolulu's old John Rodgers Airport on Lagoon Drive, residents line up to tour a Qantas jetliner after the Boeing 707 set a new record on its inaugural flight to Honolulu on June 30, 1959. The flight, which opened commercial jet travel to Hawaii, triggered an explosion in tourism, which remains the islands' No. 1 industry. Photo credit HA State Archives

A little bit of rare FUNBIRD rare bird nostalgia

From the archives comes this Aloha Airlines 737 N570GB from 1968. This is how Aloha's retro bird should look with the original black titles near the tail. Groovy baby!

Welcome to HNL!

HNL over the years has grown from a small field known as John Rodgers Field to the international airport that it is today. It has seen the likes of United, Hawaiian, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Aloha, BOAC, CP Air, American and a few carriers that remain only in our memories such as Pan American, Braniff, and TWA. We have a very unique an storied aviation history at HNL and indeed in all of Hawaii itself.

As United Airlines once called Hawaii..."Our little corner of the Pacific".

E Komo Mai
Enjoy!