The Dole Air Race , also known as the Dole Derby , was an air race across the Pacific Ocean from Oakland, California , to Honolulu in the Territory of Hawaii held in August 1927 that resulted in several deaths.
105-483: There were eighteen official and unofficial entrants; of them fifteen officially drew for starting positions, and of those fifteen, two were disqualified, two withdrew, and three aircraft crashed resulting in three deaths before the race. Eight aircraft eventually started the race on August 16. Only two successfully arrived in Hawaii; Woolaroc , a Travel Air 5000 piloted by Arthur C. Goebel and William V. Davis , arrived after
210-420: A 12-year period, with $ 1.7 billion budgeted for Honolulu International Airport. The plan involves implementing short-term projects within the first five years to improve passenger service and increase security and operational efficiencies. As part of the modernization, flight display monitors throughout the airport were upgraded, new food and beverage vendors were added, and a new parking garage across from
315-427: A 26 hour, 15 minute flight, leading runner-up Aloha by two hours. Of the other six aircraft, two had crashed on takeoff, two were forced to return for repairs, and two went missing during the race ( Golden Eagle and Miss Doran ). One of the aircraft that was repaired took off again to search for the missing aircraft several days later but also vanished over the sea ( Dallas Spirit ). In all, before, during, and after
420-535: A USDA agricultural inspection station for carry-on luggage. Terminal 1 (formerly known as the "Interisland Terminal") opened in 1993 and has 25 gates. The $ 130 million 8-gate terminal was the largest construction project undertaken at that time by the State Airports Division and replaced an earlier terminal built in 1961. In 1995, a 5-gate extension to the terminal, which also featured a new post-security walkway to Terminal 2, opened. On May 30, 2018,
525-487: A broken windshield. Unlike Lindbergh's purpose-built Spirit of St. Louis , City of Oakland had been serving as a mail carrier for Pacific Air Transport . According to Smith, Carter threatened to dump the gas after the windshield was lost, forcing the plane's return shortly after takeoff. Carter quit after the record was lost, but Smith hired Emory Bronte as a navigator, and took off again on July 14. Upon running out of fuel 26 hours and 36 minutes later, they crash-landed in
630-493: A canopy above the forward fuselage, but at least one model had the canopy omitted. The Dole racers were modified with 425-gallon fuselage fuel tanks and earth inductor compasses. The prototype Travel Air 5000, s/n 160 "The Spirit of Oakland" was originally sold to Pacific Air Transport in April 1927 and then resold to Ernest Smith for a 14 July flight from Oakland, California , to Molokai, Hawaii , where it crashed on landing becoming
735-521: A check; Jensen stated that Schluter had taken the position for experience and the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Schluter had offered to pay any Dole pilot $ 500 to permit him to navigate. Wyatt singled out the crew of Aloha for praise, calling their use of dead reckoning the greatest single achievement in the history of aviation, especially in comparison to the radio-following course of Woolaroc , which he called "as easy as walking down
840-462: A consolidated shuttle bus service. In September 2024, the airport announced that travelers with a Hawaii drivers' license or identification card can now present a digital ID at TSA checkpoints at the airport, marking Hawaii as the 11th state to allow the use of digital IDs at security. The airport has four major runways , which it operates in conjunction with the adjacent Hickam Air Force Base . The principal runway designated 8R/26L, also known as
945-512: A converted Catron & Fisk CF-10 triplane airline named the Pride of Los Angeles sponsored by the film actor Hoot Gibson and five businessmen, crashed into San Francisco Bay , but the two men and their passenger, Laurence Willes, were able to escape and swim to shore. The next day, British ace Arthur V. Rogers took off for a test flight on August 12 in the twin-engine Angel of Los Angeles at Western Air Express Field at Montebello, California ,
1050-565: A crowd estimated between 25,000 and 30,000, and escorted by a Boeing PW-9 out of Wheeler Field . Goebel and Davis won the race in 26 hours, 17 minutes, earning them the US$ 25,000 first prize. After their sponsors were paid, Goebel and Davis split the remainder, earning them each US$ 7,500. Marguerite Jensen, the wife of Martin, anxiously asked the crew of Woolaroc if they had sighted Aloha , which had departed just ahead of Woolaroc ; they replied they had not, adding to her anxiety. Jensen flew much of
1155-533: A few days. Both Jensen and Goebel took to the air and searched the ocean on August 18; Goebel searched near Kauai and Jensen checked the Molokai Channel . According to Wyatt, the radial engine of Miss Doran was misfiring on four of nine cylinders when it returned to Oakland; he believed the aircraft had gone down shortly after entering the fog bank just off the Golden Gate. Miss Doran was last sighted passing
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#17328630347641260-435: A fog bank, the aircraft crashed into an ocean cliff at Point Loma , killing both men. The night before, mechanics were working on the plane's fuel system and counselled the aviators to delay their start to test the plane's systems thoroughly. Lt. Leo Pawlikowski was the navigator originally announced; Pawlikowski had developed an abscess on his back which required surgery, and the doctors would not allow him to participate, so he
1365-548: A giant triplane under construction in July 1927; at the time, he was planning to fly it from Los Angeles to Tokyo via Hawaii. The motors of the triplane, by then named Pride of Los Angeles , were installed in early August. After a short test flight on August 10, Giffin confidently predicted they would rest upon arrival in Honolulu, then continue to Australia nonstop, a distance of 4,100 miles (6,600 km). Giffin's intended final destination
1470-544: A low wing configuration, unusual for the time. Meanwhile, Mildred Doran , Auggy Pedlar, and navigator Manley Lawing were flying into Oakland on August 6 when their aircraft developed engine trouble due to fouled spark plugs. They successfully landed near Mendota in a wheat field in the San Joaquin Valley , but damaged the landing gear in the process and had trouble making repairs because they no longer had any tools. Doran went to Modesto, California to secure tools and
1575-411: A mechanic; she quipped "We threw [the tools] off at Long Beach because they were in the way and cluttering things up." Lawing, chief aerographer and meteorologist at Naval Air Station North Island , was later replaced by Vilas R. Knope when Lawing could not satisfy the race committee of his navigational skills. He reportedly got lost over Oakland. James L. Giffin announced he needed US$ 15,000 to complete
1680-507: A new four-lane security checkpoint located at the makai end of the terminal. This new security checkpoint opened on February 18, 2023 and replaced the security checkpoint that was previously located in the center of the terminal. Terminal 2 (formerly known as the "Overseas Terminal") opened in 1962 and has 29 gates. Terminal 2 is the largest terminal at HNL and is the only terminal which can take international arrivals and departures. From 1970 through 1978, architect Vladimir Ossipoff designed
1785-559: A new navigator on August 13. By the qualification deadline of August 15, nine crews had passed the tests; Dallas Spirit was the final qualifier. On August 10, Hollywood pilot and actor Frank Clarke either withdrew or was disqualified from participating in the race with his navigator, Jeff Warren, in Miss Hollydale , an International F-17 biplane . Clarke announced he would attempt the world endurance record instead and took off abruptly on August 13 with his sponsor, Charley H. Babb, leaving
1890-528: A nonstop flight across the continental United States) or changing the direction to fly from Hawaii to California, as the consequences of a navigation error would be less dire. Several contestants protested the delay, and the Honolulu chapter of the National Aeronautic Association refused to endorse the recommendation of the Oakland chapter to postpone, meaning the race would proceed. However, nine of
1995-402: A planned flight to Australia. A missing component on a spare compass for Miss Doran sparked fears of vandalism the night before the flight, and competitors vowed to protect their aircraft with shotguns overnight. Pedlar later stated the missing magnet was probably an oversight by the maintenance crew. The Air King (formerly City of Peoria ), flown by Charles Parkhurst and Ralph C. Lowes Jr.,
2100-418: A raft containing a live man and a dead woman; the radio frequency was not traditionally used by ships, however, and no ships were known to be in the vicinity of the transmission's origin. 5:10 PM — Passed S. S. Manoa , dipped in salute, answered on whistle, which we couldn't hear, only seeing steam; might pick up destroyer squadrons, although this depends on their speed. 5:45 PM — Saw
2205-472: A railroad track." Neither Golden Eagle nor Miss Doran was ever seen again. Dole put up a US$ 10,000 reward for anyone who found either plane; this was matched by each plane's sponsors, for a total of US$ 20,000 reward for each aircraft. Of the two, Golden Eagle had a radio capable of reception only and could use the shipboard radio signals for navigation; Miss Doran had no radio equipment at all. The odds of survival were grim; although each plane
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#17328630347642310-510: A reason to renumber all gates and baggage carousels. The renumbering was the first done since 1993. After years of delays, the state airports division broke ground on the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1 on May 30, 2018, and completed construction on August 26, 2021. The first concourse expansion at HNL since 1995, the new concourse includes gates that can accommodate wide-body jets, thus reducing
2415-469: A routing of Sydney – Fiji – Honolulu – San Francisco. Aeronautical engineer and airline consultant Frank Der Yuen advised in the design of the original building and founded its aerospace museum. The original terminal building on the southeast side of runways 4 was replaced by the John Rodgers Terminal, which was dedicated on August 22, 1962, and opened on October 14, 1962. From 1970 through 1978,
2520-416: A rum-runner on left; had a hell of a time keeping Ike in the plane. 5:52 PM — Passed a destroyer bound for Honolulu. 7:10 PM — Changed course; now at lat. 35:30 N., lon. 130 W. 7:18 PM — Weather partly cloudy, sea smooth, visibility 30 miles. 8:03 PM — Getting dark. 9:02 PM — SOS – Went into tail spin; came out O. K. but sure scared; sure
2625-459: A safer altitude of 500 feet (150 m). The next morning, at 9:30 AM (Hawaii time) on August 17, Jensen calculated they should be close to Hawaii, based on average speed and time elapsed. Over the next two and a half hours Schluter, the navigator, attempted to determine their position from the sun. At noon on August 17, Schluter was able to plot their location: they were approximately 200 miles (320 km) north of Oahu, and Jensen turned for
2730-616: A terminal modernization project that remodeled this terminal and created several additions, which included the Diamond Head Concourse in 1970, the Ewa Concourse in 1972, and the Central Concourse in 1980. Two 3-jetway gates to handle an Airbus A380 were added to the terminal in 2018; this was done to support All Nippon Airways 's A380 flights between Tokyo 's Narita Airport and Honolulu. Terminal 3 opened in 2018 between
2835-473: A thorn tree on Molokai . Dole disqualified the successful June and July flights from his prizes because they had not followed his rules. The Air Corps flight had been planned months prior to the prize announcement and had no intent to land other than at Wheeler airfield. By July 22, the starting and ending points had not been set. San Francisco began developing its new municipal airport, Mills Field, in anticipation that it could entice pilots into choosing it as
2940-547: Is served by the new Route 303. Routes 9, 40, 42, and 51 run on Nimitz Highway within walking distance of the airport. Skyline , the light metro system serving the City and County of Honolulu , will service the airport via the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport station once Segment 2 opens in mid-2025. The Wiki Wiki Shuttle , the airport's free shuttle bus, provides service between the ticket lobbies of all three terminals, and between
3045-733: Is the main and largest airport in Hawaii . The airport is named after Honolulu native and Medal of Honor recipient Daniel Inouye , who represented Hawaii in the United States Senate from 1963 until his death in 2012. The airport is in the Honolulu census-designated place 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Honolulu's central business district . The airport covers 4,220 acres (1,710 ha), more than 1% of Oahu 's land. Daniel K. Inouye Airport offers nonstop flights to many places in North America, Asia, and Oceania . The airport serves as
3150-535: The Farallon Islands at 2:43 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST). Golden Eagle was last reported approximately halfway to Honolulu, at the southern edge of the course with Aloha at 2 AM PST on August 17 by SS City of Los Angeles , relaying messages from the Army Signal Corps. At about the same time, SS Manulani relayed a message that Woolaroc , possibly accompanied by Miss Doran ,
3255-560: The Thirteen Flying Black Cats , nicknamed the "Suicide Squadron", a Hollywood stunt pilot association started in 1922; that group's exploits were dramatized in the 1932 film The Lost Squadron . The two stuntmen were quickly joined by other contestants as the August 2 entry deadline approached. Fourteen official and four unofficial entrants were announced on August 3; Grace was not part of the group. The draw for starting position in
Dole Air Race - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-565: The attack on Pearl Harbor , and Rodgers Field was designated Naval Air Station Honolulu . The Navy built a control tower and terminal building, and some commercial traffic was allowed during daylight hours. Rodgers Field was returned to the Territory of Hawaii in 1946. At the time, at 4,019 acres (16.26 km ), it was one of the largest airports in the United States, with four paved land runways and three seaplane runways. John Rodgers Airport
3465-475: The 2016 legislative session, the Hawaii state legislature passed a resolution requesting that the U.S. Department of Transportation rename Honolulu International Airport for the late U.S. senator and Medal of Honor recipient Daniel Inouye . The new name first appeared in Federal Aviation Administration documentation on April 27, 2017, and the airport was officially renamed in a ceremony at
3570-554: The 50 US gal (190 L) tank in use via a hand pump; the plane was later retrofitted with a 405 US gal (1,530 L) tank, obviating the need for the complicated refueling plan, which would have required the passing of written messages between the two men. Two days after they drew the thirteenth position, on August 10 United States Navy Lieutenants George W. D. Covell and R. S. Waggener took off from San Diego, California in their Tremaine Humming Bird named Spirit of John Rodgers to fly to Oakland; after flying into
3675-506: The Delta and United Cargo facilities on the Diamond Head side of the airport. The terminal was originally a single-story facility located north of Terminal 1 adjacent to Nimitz Highway, but this older facility was closed on June 1, 2018, for demolition in order to make way for the Mauka Concourse expansion of Terminal 1. Originally a larger replacement commuter terminal was planned to be built on
3780-619: The Department of Commerce, which five pilots (not named) did not have. Arose a horde of pompous men to boss the job, as you may ken; made sets of rules to puzzle, fool, as though the racers saw no school; they plotted charts, allotted starts, ruled on gas tanks, criticized parts, befuzzled everything worse 'n tarts till they wracked people's nerves, upset hearts — pray tell me why. — Frank L. Phillips , race team sponsor, "Pray Tell Me Why?", Healdsburg Tribune (August 12, 1927) The race, originally scheduled to start on August 12,
3885-502: The Diamond Head side of the airport, but those plans were ultimately canceled. This was largely due to bankruptcy of three of the four airlines occupying the terminal and the higher-than-expected cost of the project. The airport is accessible from both Interstate H-1 at exit 16 and Nimitz Highway . TheBus routes 20 and 303 stop on the departures level of the airport. Route 20 connects the airport to Pearlridge Center , Downtown Honolulu , Ala Moana Center , and Waikiki . Hickam AFB
3990-730: The Dole race was held on 8 August in the office of C. W. Saunders, California director of the National Aeronautics Association , at the Matson Building in San Francisco . Of the eighteen entries, fifteen made the official draw; contestants could choose to take off from Mills Field near San Francisco or Oakland Municipal Airport , but the contestants later decided the air currents at Mills were too dangerous and all aircraft would take off from Oakland instead. Bennett Griffin received
4095-708: The Dole race. The publicity for the first successful transpacific flights from Oakland to Hawaii was stolen by two flights in June and July 1927, ahead of the scheduled August start for the Dole Derby. On 28 June, about a month after Dole posted the prizes, US Army Air Corps Lieutenants Lester J. Maitland and Albert F. Hegenberger flew Bird of Paradise (a three-engine Atlantic-Fokker C-2 military aircraft) from Bay Farm Airport in Oakland to Wheeler Army Airfield on Oahu in 25 hours and 50 minutes. An earlier attempt in 1925 had ended in failure for two Navy PN-9 seaplanes ; one of
4200-478: The Golden Gate at 12:20 PM, followed by Aloha at 12:48. Aircraft then began to return: Miss Doran circled back and landed approximately ten minutes after departing (12:43 PM), its engine "sputtering like a Tin Lizzie." Oklahoma returned to Oakland and Dallas Spirit also turned back, both returning at approximately 1:08 PM; Oklahoma had ripped the fabric covering the fuselage, and Dallas Spirit
4305-499: The Great Circle route. Meanwhile, three ships left Hawaii for San Francisco on August 18, sweeping the ocean in the opposite direction: USS S-29 , Pelican , and Sunnadin . Some residents of Wailuku stated they had heard an airplane's engine grow louder, then abruptly cease on the afternoon of the 17th. Two boys said they had seen an aircraft run out of fuel and glide down just 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (2.4 km) off
Dole Air Race - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-481: The Overseas Terminal had become quite dated. A 2007 retrospective book on Ossipoff's architecture noted that his terminal design was "facing the challenges of new standards of accessibility, comfort, and security", and was therefore likely to be altered or obliterated in the near future. On March 24, 2006, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle unveiled a $ 2.3 billion modernization program for Hawaii airports over
4515-704: The Reef Runway, was the world's first major runway constructed entirely offshore. Completed in 1977, the Reef Runway was a designated alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle . In addition to the four paved runways, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport has two designated offshore waterways designated 8W/26W and 4W/22W for use by seaplanes . Daniel K. Inouye International Airport has 60 gates (54 jet-way gates and 6 hard stands) in three terminals. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are connected post-security, however, passengers walking from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 must pass through
4620-768: The South Pacific also served Honolulu. In 1983, Air Nauru was operating Boeing 737-200 nonstop flights from Majuro with direct service from Nauru , Air Niugini was flying Boeing 707 aircraft nonstop from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and Air Tungaru was operating Boeing 727-100 aircraft nonstop from Christmas Island . Also in 1983, Honolulu-based South Pacific Island Airways was operating nonstop Boeing 707 service from Anchorage, Guam, Pago Pago and Papeete. In April 1974, American Airlines , Braniff International , Continental Airlines , Northwest Airlines , Pan Am , TWA , United Airlines and Western Airlines were all operating nonstop services on domestic routes from
4725-463: The Travel Air 5000. National Air Transport awarded Travel Air a contract to produce the aircraft with the larger Wright J-5C engine and seating for four passengers. Eight aircraft were built for air mail contract and passenger service. The Travel Air 5000 was a high-wing monoplane with conventional landing gear . The fuselage was constructed of welded steel tubing. The cockpit was fully enclosed in
4830-631: The U.S. mainland while CP Air , a Canadian airline, was operating international nonstop service from Vancouver and on to the South Pacific during the mid-1970s. Just over 25 years later, in June 1999, U.S.-based air carriers operating domestic nonstop services from the mainland included American Airlines, American Trans Air , Continental, Delta Air Lines , Hawaiian Airlines, Northwest, TWA, and United, while Air Canada , Canadian Airlines International (the successor to CP Air), and Canada 3000 were operating nonstop services from Canada. After thirty years, Ossipoff's "forward-looking and flexible design" for
4935-429: The aircraft reached an altitude of 200 feet (61 m) and began acting "queer"; Rogers jumped out of the plane as it suddenly dived towards the ground, but died as either his foot or parachute snagged on the aircraft as it crashed. Leland A. Bryant, the designer of the aircraft, was to have served as Rogers's navigator, but was not on board during the test flight. Maj. Livingston Irving was the first pilot to qualify for
5040-461: The aircraft to Amon Carter as a gift in 1931. The aircraft was later restored by Harry Hansen of Hamilton, Texas and Cowtown Aerocrafters of Justin, Texas . Data from Travel Air Restorers Association General characteristics Performance Daniel K. Inouye International Airport Daniel K. Inouye International Airport ( IATA : HNL , ICAO : PHNL , FAA LID : HNL ), also known as Honolulu International Airport ,
5145-499: The aircraft, commanded by Commander John Rodgers , ran out of fuel several hundred miles short of Hawaii and sailed to Kauai over the next nine days. Ernie Smith and Captain C.H. Carter had arrived in Oakland earlier to attempt to parallel the Maitland/Hegenberger flight in the City of Oakland , a small Travel Air 5000 civilian monoplane, but due to mechanical difficulties, took off two hours after Maitland, and returned with
5250-525: The airport on May 30, 2017. On June 1, 2018, the Hawaii Department of Transportation started renumbering all gates and baggage claim carousels. Gates were renamed alphanumerically, baggage carousels were renumbered from alphanumerical to numerical, and the Interisland and Overseas terminals were redesignated Terminals 1 and 2 respectively. HDOT cited the expansion of existing terminals in the airport as
5355-623: The architect Vladimir Ossipoff designed a terminal modernization project that remodeled this terminal and created several additions, which included the Diamond Head Concourse in 1970, the Ewa Concourse in 1972, and the Central Concourse in 1980. Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) used Honolulu as a transpacific hub for many years, initially as a connecting point between the West Coast and Polynesia (Fiji, New Caledonia, and New Zealand) in 1946, followed by service to East Asia through Midway Island and Wake Island from 1947. By 1960, Pan American
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#17328630347645460-451: The concourses of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 post-security. A 1.8 million sq. ft., $ 377 million consolidated rental car facility (CONRAC) opened on December 1, 2021, consolidating all rental car companies into one shared facility. Alamo Rent A Car , Avis Car Rental , Budget Rent A Car , Dollar Rent A Car , Enterprise Rent-A-Car , Hertz , National Car Rental , Payless Car Rental , Sixt Rent A Car , and Thrifty Car Rental operate out of
5565-412: The contest. During the pre-race inspections, Major Clarence Young declared that up to ten of the fifteen entries may be disqualified for inadequate fuel capacity; the rule stated that a single-engine aircraft was required to carry 460 US gallons (1,700 L) of fuel, a nominal capacity of 400 US gallons (1,500 L) plus a 15% reserve. Another rule was interpreted to require pilots to hold a license from
5670-553: The contestants agreed to postpone the contest late in the evening of August 11, which would give the teams time to rest and pass the stringent qualification tests; the deadline to qualify was extended to 10 AM on August 15. The National Aeronautic Association disqualified Constance O. Erwin, wife of Captain William P. Erwin of the Dallas Spirit from participating due to her age. Erwin's disqualification left 22-year-old Mildred Doran as
5775-408: The disastrous Dole Air Race from California to Hawaii . Cessna broke away from traditional biplane development with a monoplane in 1926. The first prototype was a 5-passenger aircraft with a 110 hp (82 kW) Anzani engine. The aircraft was modified by Cessna, Lloyd Stearman, and Walter Beech that fall. A second aircraft was built that December, and featured a Wright J-4 Whirlwind as
5880-671: The early 1970s in addition to operating nonstop Boeing 707-320 flights from St. Louis. Over the years, many foreign air carriers used Honolulu as a transpacific stopover point, including Air New Zealand , BOAC (now British Airways ), British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines , Canadian Pacific Air Lines , China Airlines , Garuda Indonesia , Japan Airlines , Korean Air , Philippine Airlines , Qantas , Real Transportes Aereos (a Brazilian airline), and Singapore Airlines as well as French air carriers Union de Transports Aeriens (UTA) and its predecessor Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux (TAI). BOAC served Honolulu as part of its around
5985-503: The early 1970s, Continental was operating scheduled nonstop flights between Honolulu and Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, including Boeing 747-100 nonstops from Los Angeles and one-stop 747 flights from Chicago. Air Micronesia had service to Guam via stops at Midway Island , Kwajalein , Majuro , Ponape , (now Pohnpei ) and Truk (now Chuuk State ) flying a Boeing 727-100 . American Airlines also operated flights to Auckland, Sydney, Fiji and Pago Pago via Honolulu during
6090-438: The final qualification deadline. Pabco Flyer (Irving) broke a fuel line while conducting a test flight on August 5 from San Francisco to San Diego, and was forced down in a cow pasture near Point Sur, approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Monterey . Golden Eagle (Frost/Scott) hit a gopher hole on the runway while taking off from San Diego and wrecked the landing gear and propeller. City of Peoria (Parkhurst/Lowes)
6195-625: The finish. When they landed at approximately 2:15 PM, Aloha had only 5 US gallons (19 L) of fuel remaining; in order to ensure the engine never starved for fuel, the crew was required to pump the gravity-fed tank until it overflowed. Aloha arrived approximately two hours after Woolaroc , in 28 hours, 16 minutes, earning Jensen and Schluter the US$ 10,000 second prize. Out of his $ 10,000 winnings, pilot Jensen gave his navigator Schluter only $ 25. Details of Schluter's scanty share became public after he approached friends in Hawaii to help him cash
6300-597: The first draw. (Tremaine Humming Bird) Contestants were to present the aircraft and pilots by Monday, August 8 in San Francisco, so the Bay Area chapter of the National Aeronautic Association could check their certificates and licenses as a final qualification. Once their papers were checked, the contestants would again draw for starting positions. Before the race started, many of the aircraft had mechanical issues during test flights and while traveling to San Francisco to meet
6405-481: The first to fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo, and William Easterwood offered a similar $ 25,000 prize for the first to fly from Dallas to Hong Kong in three stops (Honolulu, Guam or Manila, and San Francisco), taking no more than "144 consecutive hours" and before 28 September. All the wealthy patrons hoped to draw Lindbergh. The Honolulu chapter of the National Aeronautic Association drew up rules for
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#17328630347646510-743: The flight over San Francisco with an overheating engine. She was followed by El Encanto at 12:02 PM, which failed to clear the runway before she swerved and crashed, smashing the port wing 4,800 feet (1,500 m) from the starting line. Pabco Flyer , starting at 12:09 PM, lifted momentarily into the air, then crashed some 7,000 feet (2,100 m) from the start. Their crews were not hurt. The last five planes successfully departed. Golden Eagle took off smoothly at 12:30 PM and flew out of sight. Miss Doran succeeded in taking off at 12:31 PM. The final three, Aloha (at 12:33 PM), Woolaroc (12:34 PM), and Dallas Spirit (12:36 PM) all left uneventfully. Oklahoma passed through
6615-540: The international arrival terminal was completed. An international arrivals corridor with moving sidewalks built atop the breezeway leading to the Ewa Concourse was completed in 2010. In 2011, Hawaiian Airlines renovated the check-in lobby of the Interisland Terminal, replacing the traditional check-in counters with six circular check-in islands in the middle of the lobbies, which can be used for inter-island, mainland, and international flights. This renovation project
6720-411: The main hub of Hawaiian Airlines and is also a base for Aloha Air Cargo . The airport is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, in which it is categorized as a large-hub primary commercial service facility. The airport opened on March 21, 1927, as John Rodgers Airport , after World War I naval officer John Rodgers . It
6825-406: The need for Hawaiian Airlines passengers to walk between Terminals 1 and 2 for overseas arrivals and departures, and freeing up gate space for other airlines. A new consolidated rental car facility (CONRAC) was built on the east side of Terminal 2 and was completed on December 1, 2021. The 1.8 million square foot five-story facility is a short walk from Terminal 2 baggage claim and is also served by
6930-586: The newly constructed East Central factory. The Travel Air 5000 "Woolaroc" which won the Dole Race is on display at the Woolaroc Museum near Bartlesville, Oklahoma . The Travel Air 5000 flying as National Air Transport's #17 aircraft on display at the former Fort Worth Star Telegram headquarters building in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. In 1927, this aircraft was the first to bring passengers and mail in to Dallas & Fort Worth. National Air Transport presented
7035-487: The night of August 17. The search fleet included three submarines, USS R-8 , S-42 , and S-46 . By August 19, Langley had started steaming towards Hawaii at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) from a spot 40 miles (64 km) west of the Farallones, sweeping a lane 200 miles (320 km) wide with its airplanes. Other surface ships that had set out from California were commanded to shift their search parallel to
7140-540: The north shore of Oahu on August 17 at 9 PM local time, with its engine glowing red. A report that Miss Doran had been found in Honolua Bay the night of August 18 proved to be false; a sampan with an identical red, white, and blue color scheme had been mistaken for the aircraft. On August 19, an amateur radio operator in Alhambra reportedly intercepted a radio message stating a derelict airplane had been found along with
7245-411: The only female participant to take part in the race. A three-part qualification test was administered to the navigators by Naval Lieutenant Ben H. Wyatt, consisting of a written, oral, and flying examination. For the flight exam, the pilot and navigator were sent over a predetermined course and upon their return, quizzed to determine which points they had passed. By August 11, none of the crews had passed
7350-458: The origin; the initial planned destination was John Rodgers Airport near Honolulu. The first official entrant, announced on June 28, was Arthur Cornelius Goebel [ Wikidata ] . Another early entrant was Dick Grace , who shipped his plane to San Francisco shortly after he crashed his Cruzair, forcing him to abandon a Kauai to San Francisco attempt in June. At the time, both Grace and Goebel were better known as founding members of
7455-462: The other contestants fuming. One day later, Clarke sent a telegram to the race sponsors from Los Angeles, apologizing for the furor and officially withdrawing from the race. On August 15, Frederick Giles was disqualified as he had not arrived in time to meet the navigation qualification test deadline. Giles would go on to attempt a solo flight from San Francisco to Honolulu in November as the first leg of
7560-455: The race, Goebel's Woolaroc encountered gear issues that required Goebel to hang outside the plane to fix. Martin Jensen and Robert Fowler competed over the purchase rights for the same Breese-Wilde Model 5 ; Jensen won that race after his wife Margaret raised US$ 15,000 from local backers in Honolulu, and Jensen took delivery of Aloha on August 8. Fowler, left without an airplane for the contest,
7665-799: The race, ten people died and six airplanes were lost or damaged beyond repair. Inspired by Charles A. Lindbergh 's successful trans-Atlantic flight, James D. Dole , the Hawaii pineapple magnate, announced on May 25, 1927, a prize of $ 25,000 (equivalent to $ 353,000 in 2023) for the first fixed-wing aircraft to fly the 3,870 kilometers (2,405 mi) from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, and $ 10,000 (equivalent to $ 141,000 in 2023) for second place. The flights would have to be completed before August 15, 1928. Dole stated he hoped that Lindbergh would compete. The prospect of breaking more long-distance flight records enticed other wealthy businessmen to offer similar Pacific-conquering prizes: Sid Grauman offered $ 30,000 (equivalent to $ 424,000 in 2023) to
7770-596: The radio beams from the picket ships stationed along the route helped guide the aircraft, Davis used it only to check the course plotted via traditional instruments. Of the four aircraft headed to Hawaii, only Woolaroc had a two-way radio capable of sending and receiving messages. In fact, Davis had packed a spare radio and repair parts based on Bronte's prior experience in July. The crew radioed Wahiawa Radio Station, next to Wheeler Field, when they were approximately 200 miles (320 km) out with an estimated remaining time of 2 1 ⁄ 2 hours. They were greeted in Hawaii by
7875-606: The route from San Francisco to Honolulu to transmit radio signals (allowing radio-equipped airplanes to take bearings), mark distances, and provide emergency aid if needed. In addition, the Navy's sole aircraft carrier, USS Langley , was put on standby in San Diego. Woolaroc flew a great-circle route , flying at an altitude of 4,000 to 6,000 feet (1,200 to 1,800 m), above the cloud cover. The navigator, Davis, used sextants and smoke bombs to calculate course and wind drift; although
7980-448: The route. A fog bank started at the Golden Gate and the entire route was overcast. At Oakland Municipal Airport, clearance to depart was not granted until just before noon; the fog that had lain over the airport did not lift until 10:40 AM. The initial takeoffs were plagued with trouble, as several of the heavily-laden aircraft struggled to take off. Oklahoma took off first, just after 12 PM. The crew would eventually abort
8085-421: The same time, United Airlines introduced daily nonstop Douglas DC-8-62 flights from New York City and was continuing to operate nonstop DC-8 service to Honolulu from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Also in 1969, Western Airlines was operating nonstop Boeing 707 and Boeing 720B service not only from several California cities but also from Anchorage, Denver, Minneapolis–St. Paul, and Phoenix. By 1981, Western
8190-463: The second aircraft to complete a trans-pacific flight, and the first civilian aircraft to do so. Orders placed in June 1927 for two custom-built Travel Air model 5000 aircraft to compete in the Oakland, California , to Honolulu, Hawaii , Dole Air Race . Two teams placed $ 5000 deposits, and were later sponsored by Frank Phillips of Phillips Petroleum to promote their "Nu-Aviation" fuel. The "Oklahoma"
8295-438: The starting line-up had dwindled to nine aircraft, with one of the nine disqualified just before the start of the race. In order of start, they were: The fifteen competitors were seen off by a crowd estimated to include 75,000 to 100,000 persons on August 16, 1927. Weather was predicted to have a high fog on takeoff (extending from approximately 50 to 100 miles (80 to 161 km) offshore) and intermittent, localized showers along
8400-433: The state airports division broke ground on the Mauka Concourse after years of delays. This new concourse adds space for 11 narrow-body aircraft or six wide-body aircraft and also features a post-security walkway to the rest of Terminal 1 and a new six-lane TSA security checkpoint. The Mauka Concourse opened for passenger use on August 27, 2021. Continuing the improvements to Terminal 1, Hawaiian Airlines spent $ 14 million on
8505-452: The test. Pedlar's Miss Doran was found to have inaccurate compasses. Later, it was noted that only two teams had qualified ( El Encanto and Golden Eagle ), with one more likely to qualify ( Oklahoma ) by the original date of Friday, August 12. On August 12, four crews had passed: Oklahoma (Griffin/Henley), El Encanto (Goddard/Hawkins), Pabco Pacific Flyer (Irving), and Golden Eagle (Frost/Scott). Miss Doran (Pedlar/Knope) passed with
8610-405: The way at a low altitude of 10 to 50 feet (3.0 to 15.2 m) above sea level, helping fuel economy but making it impossible to sight the stars for navigation. Three times during the flight, Jensen attempted to climb to 4,000 feet (1,200 m), but went into a tailspin each time; once Jensen inadvertently commanded a shallow dive and skimmed the water with the landing gear, prompting him to rise to
8715-656: The world services during the 1960s and early 1970s, first with Bristol Britannia turboprop airliners and later with Boeing 707 and Vickers VC10 jets. Pan Am and Trans World Airlines ( TWA ) also served Honolulu as a stop on their respective around the world services during the early 1970s. In 1979, Braniff International was operating all of its flights from the airport with Boeing 747 aircraft with nonstops to Dallas–Fort Worth, Guam, and Los Angeles as well as one-stop service to Hong Kong and also one-stop service to Bogota in South America. Several small airlines based in
8820-619: Was Paris, a flight of 30 days in total via Borneo, India, Constantinople, and Rome. Frank Clarke's biplane Miss Hollydale completed a roundtrip test flight from Los Angeles to San Diego without incident on August 4. Captain and Mrs. Erwin announced they would be departing Dallas in the Dallas Spirit for Oakland on August 6 or 7, planning to continue around the world via Tokyo after the race to Hawaii. Goddard had already built and tested El Encanto and anticipated it would reach speeds of 120 mph (190 km/h) at takeoff, speeding up to 140 mph (230 km/h) when nearing Honolulu as fuel
8925-406: Was a close call; Bill Erwin thought it was all off but we came out of it, the lights on the instrument board went out and it was so dark that Bill couldn't see the tail spin. 9:10 PM — SOS tail spin– Travel Air 5000 The Travel Air 5000 was an early high-wing monoplane airliner and racing monoplane designed by Clyde Cessna and is chiefly remembered for being the winner of
9030-581: Was also approximately halfway, at the northern edge of the course. Because Golden Eagle had sufficient fuel to reach and pass Hawaii altogether, some theorized the aircraft may have overshot the goal in the darkness; Wyatt rejected that theory as ludicrous, as the Golden Eagle would have passed over the islands in broad daylight. 42 Navy ships were involved in the search for the Golden Eagle and Miss Doran , joined by smaller vessels based in Hawaii; USS Langley and Aroostook departed from San Diego
9135-405: Was also forced down twice during a flight from Brea to San Diego : first near Santa Ana by fog during a test flight on August 5; then again after an oil feed line broke on August 6, forcing the plane down at Escondido . The Tremaine Humming Bird monoplane , which was designed and built by Fred Thaheld and William D. Tremaine, had a wingspan of 47 feet 6 inches (14.48 m) and
9240-449: Was consumed, lightening the aircraft. El Encanto means "The Enchanted" and was designed by Goddard after the streamlining of a salmon. Woolaroc , piloted by Goebel, was originally intended to fly solo, but later decided to have Lieutenant W. J. Slattery navigate; for the flight to Hawaii, Lt. William V. Davis navigated for Woolaroc . Goebel departed from Bartlesville on a nonstop flight to San Francisco on August 6. In test flights before
9345-506: Was delayed by sandflies, and Bluebird (Giles) was stuck at Detroit with engine issues. Oklahoma (Griffin/Henley) took off on August 4 for an intended nonstop flight from Bartlesville to San Francisco, but was forced down near Amboy by a broken exhaust pipe; after effecting repairs, Oklahoma took off again at approximately 7 am on August 5, but the aircraft came down again 7 miles (11 km) outside of Los Angeles due to heavy fog. Spirit of John Rodgers (Covell/Waggener)
9450-503: Was disqualified at 11:15 AM on the 16th, less than an hour before the first plane would start, because its 370-US-gallon (1,400 L; 310 imp gal) tanks were estimated to give the plane a range 300 miles (480 km) short by inspectors. A test was held at sundown on August 15 to quantify fuel consumption; it was determined the aircraft would consume 13 US gallons per hour (0.82 L/min) when cruising at 90 mph (140 km/h). The race began on 16 August, by which time
9555-630: Was flying Fairchild F-27 and Vickers Viscount propjets while Hawaiian was operating Convair 640 propjets in addition to their new jet aircraft in 1966. Both local air carriers would eventually operate service to the U.S. mainland as well as to the South Pacific while continuing to operate inter-island flights. In 1986, Hawaiian was operating nonstop Lockheed L-1011 Tristar service from Honolulu to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle as well as one-stop direct service to Portland, Oregon, and also nonstop Douglas DC-8 service to Pago Pago with this flight continuing on to Tonga . By 2003, Aloha
9660-525: Was flying nonstop Boeing 737-700 service to Burbank, Oakland, Orange County, and Vancouver, B.C., with one-stop service to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Reno, and Sacramento in addition to operating nonstop flights to Kwajalein and Pago Pago with one-stop service to Majuro and Rarotonga . In the spring of 1969, Braniff International introduced nonstop Boeing 707-320 service to Honolulu from Dallas Love Field , Houston Hobby Airport , and St. Louis, with one-stop service from Atlanta, Miami, and New Orleans. At
9765-509: Was flying nonstop Douglas DC-6 "Mainliner" service from San Francisco in 1947 and by 1961 was operating Douglas DC-8 jet service nonstop from Los Angeles and San Francisco with direct one-stop DC-8 flights from both Chicago and New York City. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (BCPA) began serving the airport during the mid-1940s with Douglas DC-4 aircraft flying a routing of Sydney – Auckland – Fiji – Canton Island – Honolulu – San Francisco – Vancouver, B.C. In 1950, Northwest Airlines
9870-457: Was forced to return to land, while the "Woolaroc" completed the flight and won. Woolaroc was later modified late in 1928 for an unsuccessful transcontinental speed record attempt. National Air Transport and Royal Airways used the model 5000 in revenue service. Production of the first four airliners was in the West Douglas plant. On 30 June 1927 production of two Modified model 5000's started in
9975-412: Was forced to withdraw. Because Aloha was only completed when the race was nearly about to begin, the preparations for the contest were rushed; the fuel tanks on Aloha only held 130 US gallons (490 L) and the original plan was to add sufficient spare fuel capacity via forty-nine portable 5 US gal (19 L) containers, requiring the navigator to fill the central tank, then transfer fuel to
10080-460: Was fully funded by Hawaiian Airlines and not a part of the modernization program. By 2012, Hawaiian Airlines was re-establishing Honolulu International Airport as a connecting hub between the United States mainland and the Asia-Pacific region. That year, according to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, the airport had 24% fewer domestic departure flights than it did in 2007. During
10185-503: Was funded by the territorial legislature and the Chamber of Commerce, and was the first full airport in Hawaii; aircraft had previously been limited to small landing strips, fields, and seaplane docks. From 1939 to 1943, the adjacent Keehi Lagoon was dredged for use by seaplanes, and the dredged soil was moved to HNL to provide more space for conventional planes. The U.S. military grounded all civil aircraft and took over all civil airports after
10290-450: Was having issues with its tail gear. Miss Doran and Pabco Flyer would make second starting attempts; Pabco Flyer crashed a second time at 1 PM, putting her out of the race for good, but Miss Doran succeeded and took off again at 2:03 PM. Of the fifteen teams that participated in the draw, just four were on the course: Golden Eagle , Aloha , Woolaroc , and Miss Doran . A series of ships were strung out along
10395-865: Was operating nonstop flights from Seattle with Boeing 377 Stratocruiser propliners; by 1961, Northwest was flying daily Douglas DC-8 jet service on a round trip routing of New York City – Chicago – Seattle – Portland, OR – Honolulu. Also in 1950, Canadian Pacific Air Lines (which later became CP Air ) was operating service between western Canada and Australia with a routing of Vancouver – Honolulu – Canton Island – Fiji – Sydney. Honolulu-based air carriers Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines had both introduced jet service on their respective inter-island routes in Hawaii by 1966 with Aloha operating British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven jets and Hawaiian flying Douglas DC-9-10 jets with both airlines also continuing to operate turboprops on their island services at this time. According to their respective timetables, Aloha
10500-579: Was operating one-stop McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 service from London Gatwick Airport via a polar route with a stop in Anchorage. By the mid-1970s Pan Am offered nonstop service from Honolulu to Japan, Guam, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, as well as to cities on the West Coast. Continental Airlines used Honolulu as a stopover point for charter service to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era, and to feed its Guam-based Air Micronesia operation. By
10605-554: Was postponed on August 11, in light of the numerous mechanical issues, failed qualification tests, and poor weather. The Aeronautics Division of the Commerce Department (the forerunner to today's Federal Aviation Administration ) felt the planned race was unsafe and supported a two-week delay; other changes urged by the Aeronautics Division included switching the route to fly an equivalent distance over land (for instance,
10710-591: Was renamed Honolulu Airport in 1947; "International" being added to the name in 1951. Being near the center of the Pacific Ocean it was a stop for many transpacific flights. By 1950, it was the third-busiest airport in the United States in terms of aircraft operations, and its 13,097-foot (3,992 m) runway was the world's longest in 1953. In summer 1959, Qantas began the first jet service to Honolulu on its flights between Australia and California. Qantas introduced these jet flights with Boeing 707 aircraft operating
10815-425: Was replaced with Waggener. William Davis, a Navy lieutenant who would serve as the navigator for Art Goebel on Woolaroc , was granted leave to participate in the race; he had planned to catch a ride with Covell and Waggener to San Francisco, but the leave was not granted in time, and he took a train from San Diego instead. Then, on 11 August, as J. L. Giffin and Theodore S. Lundgren approached Oakland, their aircraft,
10920-399: Was required to carry fresh water, food, and a life raft, these were limited in quantity and durability as seaborne assistance had been anticipated to respond quickly. In addition, the route was experiencing rough seas and a high sea state . Unlike the unsuccessful flight of Rodgers in 1925, the two missing aircraft were not flying boats, and they were not expected to remain afloat for more than
11025-546: Was serving the airport with Boeing 707 jets. Pan Am flight number 1, operating a 707, flew a westbound routing of San Francisco – Honolulu – Wake Island – Tokyo – Hong Kong and continuing on to New York City via stops in Asia and Europe. The airline also operated nonstop 707 service to Portland, Oregon (continuing to Seattle) and Los Angeles. Pan Am also had direct 707 flights from Honolulu to Calcutta, Guam, Jakarta, Karachi, Manila, Rangoon, Saigon, and Singapore in 1960. United Airlines
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