Hawaii’S Air Services

Simultaneously with the inaugura tion of trans-Pacific airplane service putting Hawaii within 17 hours of the North American continent, the Hawaiian Islands entered the seventh year of pas senger plane service between Honolulu and the outlying islands.

Within several days of the arrival at Honolulu of the trans-Pacific Clipper, a “baby clipper” was delivered by steamer to be added to the Inter-Island Airways fleet.

This is the first of two new 16-passenger Sikorsky amphibions that will be added to the cross-channel service in 1936, making a total of six ’planes in the inter-island fleet.

During its six years of successful opera tion, Inter-Island Airways has carried 65,000 passengers between Honolulu and the “tourist islands”: Hawaii, Maui, Kauai; to the pineapple island of Lanai; and to Molokai with its vast pineapple, ranching and homestead projects. Its ’planes have flown 1,500,000 miles—equal to more than 60 times around the equator. As an indi cation of the increasing air-mindedness of both tourists and residents in Hawaii, air plane travel between the islands in 1935 showed an increase of more than 30 per cent, over 1934. Trips from Honolulu to all the islands are now daily, except Sun day. The longest hop is the flight from Honolulu to Hilo —two hours.

Mr. R. J. Vickers, headmaster of Apia Government School, departed from Samoa for holidays in New Zealand by the Maui Pomare on December 5.

Mr. C. M. Urquhart, wireless operator for Amalgamated Wireless (A/sia) Ltd., at Kieta, Bougainville, New Guinea, re turned after short leave in Australia by the Malaita on January 9. He has been in the Territory as a radio officer for three years.