Check Six: Hilo Airport

Posted on Apr 19, 2016 in 1920's, 1950's, Check Six

click on photograph to enlarge

The history of aviation on the Big Island dates back to June 10, 1911 when Clarence H. Walker came to Hilo for an exhibition flight in his Curtiss Biplane. There were no airports on the island, so Hoʻolulu Park was selected for the runway.

The first successful flight from Honolulu to the Big Island was made on March 24, 1919 by Army Maj Hugh Kneer in a US Army hydroplane. He landed in Kūhio Bay; he brought a bag of mail, thus beginning air mail service between Honolulu and Hilo by Army planes.

Bonus: From the Kamaaina56 flickr site, for those who were around in 1959

click on photograph to enlarge

Check Six: Hilo Airport

Category cloud