Hilo International Airport
Encyclopedia
Hilo International Airport , formerly General Lyman Field, is owned and operated by the Hawaii state
Department of Transportation. Located in Hilo, Hawaii County
, the airport encompasses 1391 acres (562.9 ha) and is one of two major airports on Hawaii Island
and one of five major airports in the state. Hilo International Airport serves most of East Hawaii, including the districts of Hilo and Puna, as well as portions of the districts of Hāmākua and Kaū. Most flights to the airport are from Honolulu International Airport
by Hawaiian Airlines
and go! Mokulele
.
legislature passed Act 257, authorizing the expenditure of $25,000 for the construction of a landing strip in Hilo. The site was known as Keaukaha, on land belonging to the Hawaiian Homes Commission
. Inmates from a nearby prison camp cleared the area of brush and rocks. The new facility was dedicated on February 11, 1928, by Major Clarence M. Young, then Secretary of Aeronautics of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Sixteen months after the dedication, scheduled inter-island service began on November 11, 1929 by Inter-Island Airways, the forerunner of Hawaiian Airlines
. For $32, travelers could climb aboard an eight passenger Sikorsky S-38
on thrice weekly flights between Hilo and Honolulu. Five years later, in 1934, the company was awarded the right to carry air mail for the U.S. Postal Service.
spent $261,613 to upgrade the airport. An additional $314,000 was provided by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in 1941.
During martial law in the territory following the attack on Pearl Harbor
, all airports in the Hawaiian Islands
came under the control of the U.S. military. The Army Engineers
continued to expand the airport. In addition to military facilities to support an Air Corp fighter squadron at Hilo, the Army expanded and improved runways, taxiways and aprons. On April 19, 1943, the Territorial Legislature renamed Hilo Airport "General Lyman Field", for General Albert Kualii Brickwood Lyman (1885–1942), the first U.S. General of Hawaiian ancestry. He was one of three sons of Rufus Anderson Lyman
to attend the United States Military Academy
.
The end of the war did not immediately bring about a return to civilian control of General Lyman Field. Although ownership of the airport was returned to the territory in September 1946, the Air Force leased the facilities and retained operational control of its tower for over three years after Japan’s surrender. Meanwhile, Trans-Pacific Airlines, later renamed Aloha Airlines
, commenced inter-island flights on July 26, 1946. On April 8, 1952, the territory assumed full control, paving the way for another round of expansion.
A groundbreaking ceremony for a new terminal building was held on July 17, 1952. At the same time, new high intensity lights were installed on Runway 8-26. Plans included a new freight terminal, aprons, parking areas and roads. The airport's new passenger terminal was completed and dedicated on December 5, 1953, and its freight terminal in June 1954.
DC-8s and Pan American World Airways
707s started nonstop flights to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Work began on an interim overseas terminal at General Lyman Field in November 1968. With a price tag of $775,000, this facility was designed for the burgeoning number of overseas passengers until a new terminal complex could be built. It was dedicated on July 4, 1969. The following year, Governor John Burns
appointed the Hilo Airport Advisory Committee to make recommendations on long term development of the airport. They suggested relocating terminals from the western edge of Runway 3-21 to the south of the newly lengthened Runway 8-26. The new terminal was designed for the largest passenger airliner in service: the Boeing 747
. The airlines, however, did not wait until the new terminal was built; on February 6, 1971, the first jumbo jet landed: a Braniff International Airways
B-747.
Groundbreaking for a new terminal was held in July 1974. Construction of the terminal was done in two phases. The first was completed in 1975 and work immediately commenced on phase two. On April 30, 1976, officials dedicated the new, much more modern facility. In order to better serve the airport and its lengthened runway, the FAA opened a new, taller air traffic control tower on November 2, 1979.
At the same time, the state's other major airports added overseas service. United Airlines commenced service to Kahului Airport
on January 5, 1983, followed by service to Kona International Airport
on September 7 and finally to Līhue Airport in August 1984. Hilo struggled to attract another overseas air carrier.
In May 1989, the state Legislature renamed General Lyman Field to "Hilo International Airport". Among the reasons given were to reorient the airport’s image and to "conform to the practice of naming airports for their geographical locations".
The main terminal kept the Lyman name.
Efforts finally had some success on April 28, 2006, when ATA Airlines
re-established daily non-stop service between Hilo and Oakland International Airport
in California aboard its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. ATA Airlines' inauguration of direct overseas service to Hilo for the first time in nearly two decades was met with great fanfare and proved so successful the airline eventually substituted the larger Boeing 757-200 on its flights to Hilo during the peak travelling season around August. Just shy of two years later on April 2, 2008, ATA Airlines ceased operations, citing the cancellation of an agreement by FedEx
that provided most of the company's charter flights, and the unprecedented increase in fuel prices.
The demise of ATA Airlines left Hilo without overseas service once again.
In the wake of ATA's bankruptcy, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald
reported an undisclosed major U.S. Airline was considering service to Hilo. New mainland service was announced on December 15, 2010, when Continental Airlines
announced that it would begin to fly to Hilo from both San Francisco
and Los Angeles
in June 2011. Daily flights to and from Los Angeles commenced on June 9, 2011, and Saturday-only service to and from San Francisco on June 11, 2011.
, a military transport. Runway 3/21 is 5,600 ft × 150 ft (1,707 m × 46 m) and is used for general aviation operations including take-off and landing of smaller commuter airplanes.
Today, Hilo International Airport is the smallest of the state's five major airports in terms of passenger arrivals and departures. Kona Airport and Līhue Airport generally serve twice as many passengers as Hilo, while Maui's Kahului Airport typically sees four times as many travelers. Moreover, while other airports grew significantly over the past several decades, Hilo International Airport has seen little long-term increase in air traffic.
In 1973, for example, the total passenger count at Hilo International Airport was 1,357,818. In 2008, that number stood at 1,352,808. Total traffic at Hilo peaked in 1997 with 1,669,314 people. An almost identical number of passengers, 1,667,163, passed through the airport in 2007. As a result, Hilo International Airport operates considerably below its capacity.
The primary reason for Hilo International Airport's relatively stagnant passenger count is the lack of tourism within the airport's service area, which includes the districts of Hilo and Puna
, as well as portions of the districts of Hāmākua and Kaū, relative to the Kona district
and Kohala district
and the islands of Kauai
and Maui. In 2008, visitor hotel rooms and condominiums on Hawaii island totaled 11,240 units. Of these, 9,576 (85.2%) were in the districts of Kona and Kohala. A mere 1,635 (14.5%) were within the districts of Hāmākua, Hilo, and Puna. In 2008, the respective numbers of visitor accommodations on Maui and Kauai were 19,055 and 9,203. In fact, whereas the number of visitor accommodations elsewhere in the state climbed steadily since the 1970s, in east Hawaii island several hotels have been shuttered or converted into apartments or condominiums.
Complaints about airport noise have been received from locations including downtown Hilo, hotels and condominiums along Banyan Drive
, and Keaukaha. In response, the Hawaii State Department of Transportation implemented measures designed to mitigate airport noise.
Over 95% of aircraft operations take place on Runway 8-26 because the orientation of Runway 3-21 makes direct flights over residential and commercial areas unavoidable. Night and early morning flights are directed to arrive from and depart towards the east, where largely vacant land acts as a noise buffer. Day flights maintain a west to east pattern. Although this results in arriving aircraft coming closer to the downtown area, pilots attempt to remain over Hilo Bay for as long as possible before aligning their aircraft with the runway, crossing over near the Hilo Iron Works building. Also, aircraft landings are quieter than take-offs. All aircraft, in fact, are directed to avoid overflying residential and commercial areas to the extent possible. In addition, the U.S. military transferred some of its training activities to Kona International Airport.
Other proposed noise mitigation
measures include a barrier on the north side of the airport and the extension of Runway 8-26 by 1850 feet (563.9 m) to the east and displacing the western end of the runway by the same amount, thereby maintaining the runway's length. Community opposition to the construction of a barrier led the State to abandon the idea. It remains unclear if the Hawaii State Department of Transportation will move forward on relocating Runway 8-26 east by 1,850 feet, especially given the 2009 demise of Aloha Airlines, whose older generation Boeing 737
fleet was considerably louder than Hawaiian Airlines' relatively recent Boeing 717
s. However those Boeing 737 aircraft are still being used by Aloha Air Cargo
(although equipped with hush kit
s) which continues with night flights to Honolulu.
Boeing 737
operating Flight 243 from General Lyman Field (as Hilo International Airport was known then) to Honolulu International Airport carrying 89 passengers and 5 crew members experienced rapid decompression when an 18 feet (5.5 m) section of the fuselage roof and sides were torn from the airplane. One flight attendant was sucked out of the airplane and died. Several passengers sustained life-threatening injuries including instances of massive head wounds. The aircraft declared an emergency and landed at Kahului Airport on Maui
.
Investigations of the incident concluded that the accident was caused by metal fatigue. The incident caused almost all major United States air carriers to retire their oldest airplane models.
On October 7, 2011, a Cessna 310
controlled by a 65 year-old pilot coming from Monterey, California
declared an emergency landing at about 12:30 pm. The plane was low on fuel. It made a water landing
13 miles offshore of the Big Island.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
Department of Transportation. Located in Hilo, Hawaii County
Hawaii County, Hawaii
Hawaii County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coterminous with the Island of Hawaii, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. As of the 2010 Census the population was 185,079. The county seat is Hilo. There are no...
, the airport encompasses 1391 acres (562.9 ha) and is one of two major airports on Hawaii Island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
and one of five major airports in the state. Hilo International Airport serves most of East Hawaii, including the districts of Hilo and Puna, as well as portions of the districts of Hāmākua and Kaū. Most flights to the airport are from Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii and is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and rising.It is located in the Honolulu...
by Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a major airline of the United States. It is the largest airline based in the State of Hawai'i, and is the 11th largest commercial airline in the country. Based in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, the airline operates its main hub at Honolulu International...
and go! Mokulele
Go! (airline)
Go! , based in Honolulu is a regional brand of Phoenix, Arizona based Mesa Airlines. Go! operates inter island services within Hawaii. Its main base is Honolulu International Airport...
.
Initial development
In 1927 the Territory of HawaiiTerritory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
legislature passed Act 257, authorizing the expenditure of $25,000 for the construction of a landing strip in Hilo. The site was known as Keaukaha, on land belonging to the Hawaiian Homes Commission
Hawaiian Homelands
Hawaiian Homelands were lands dedicated to Native Hawaiians by legislation known as the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921.-History:Upon the 1893 Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the idea for "Hawaiian Homelands" was first born...
. Inmates from a nearby prison camp cleared the area of brush and rocks. The new facility was dedicated on February 11, 1928, by Major Clarence M. Young, then Secretary of Aeronautics of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Sixteen months after the dedication, scheduled inter-island service began on November 11, 1929 by Inter-Island Airways, the forerunner of Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a major airline of the United States. It is the largest airline based in the State of Hawai'i, and is the 11th largest commercial airline in the country. Based in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, the airline operates its main hub at Honolulu International...
. For $32, travelers could climb aboard an eight passenger Sikorsky S-38
Sikorsky S-38
-See also:...
on thrice weekly flights between Hilo and Honolulu. Five years later, in 1934, the company was awarded the right to carry air mail for the U.S. Postal Service.
Early expansion
Improvements to Hilo's airfield were minimal during its first decade. Between 1927 and 1937, just over $34,000 was spent in developing the site. Over the next five years, however, the Works Progress AdministrationWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
spent $261,613 to upgrade the airport. An additional $314,000 was provided by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in 1941.
During martial law in the territory following the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, all airports in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
came under the control of the U.S. military. The Army Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
continued to expand the airport. In addition to military facilities to support an Air Corp fighter squadron at Hilo, the Army expanded and improved runways, taxiways and aprons. On April 19, 1943, the Territorial Legislature renamed Hilo Airport "General Lyman Field", for General Albert Kualii Brickwood Lyman (1885–1942), the first U.S. General of Hawaiian ancestry. He was one of three sons of Rufus Anderson Lyman
Rufus Anderson Lyman
Rufus Anderson Lyman was a son of a missionary who became a lawyer and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii, founded the Paauhau Sugar Plantation Company, and had many notable descendants.-Life:...
to attend the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
.
The end of the war did not immediately bring about a return to civilian control of General Lyman Field. Although ownership of the airport was returned to the territory in September 1946, the Air Force leased the facilities and retained operational control of its tower for over three years after Japan’s surrender. Meanwhile, Trans-Pacific Airlines, later renamed Aloha Airlines
Aloha Airlines
Aloha Airlines was an American airline headquartered in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, operating from a hub at Honolulu International Airport...
, commenced inter-island flights on July 26, 1946. On April 8, 1952, the territory assumed full control, paving the way for another round of expansion.
A groundbreaking ceremony for a new terminal building was held on July 17, 1952. At the same time, new high intensity lights were installed on Runway 8-26. Plans included a new freight terminal, aprons, parking areas and roads. The airport's new passenger terminal was completed and dedicated on December 5, 1953, and its freight terminal in June 1954.
Overseas growth
During the late 1950s Territorial leaders anticipated a boom in tourism, prompting plans for a second airport capable of accommodating large jet aircraft. The Hawaii Aeronautics Commission recommended that General Lyman Field be expanded for overseas flights. In April 1958, the territory acquired 91.6 acres (37.1 ha) on the eastern edge of the airport for a longer runway to enable non-stop flights to the west coast of the United States. The first phase was completed by April 1963 and the 9800 feet (2,987 m) runway was dedicated on March 6, 1965. In April 1967 the state finished new taxiways and aprons, finally allowing the airport to receive overseas flights. On October 1, 1967 United AirlinesUnited Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
DC-8s and Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
707s started nonstop flights to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Work began on an interim overseas terminal at General Lyman Field in November 1968. With a price tag of $775,000, this facility was designed for the burgeoning number of overseas passengers until a new terminal complex could be built. It was dedicated on July 4, 1969. The following year, Governor John Burns
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....
appointed the Hilo Airport Advisory Committee to make recommendations on long term development of the airport. They suggested relocating terminals from the western edge of Runway 3-21 to the south of the newly lengthened Runway 8-26. The new terminal was designed for the largest passenger airliner in service: the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
. The airlines, however, did not wait until the new terminal was built; on February 6, 1971, the first jumbo jet landed: a Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982, primarily in the midwestern and southwestern U.S., South America, Panama, and in its later years also Asia and Europe...
B-747.
Groundbreaking for a new terminal was held in July 1974. Construction of the terminal was done in two phases. The first was completed in 1975 and work immediately commenced on phase two. On April 30, 1976, officials dedicated the new, much more modern facility. In order to better serve the airport and its lengthened runway, the FAA opened a new, taller air traffic control tower on November 2, 1979.
Overseas retrenchment
The introduction of overseas service to General Lyman Field initially met with success. Joining United Airlines and Pan American Airways in providing nonstop service to Hilo from the west coast of the U.S. were Braniff, Continental, Northwest Orient, and Western Airlines. The number of overseas passengers flying through Hilo peaked at 313,428 in 1971 and remained between 250,000 and 300,000 for most of the decade. Beginning in 1979, however, overseas passenger traffic began to fall steadily, leading one carrier after another to suspend service to Hilo. By the mid-1980s overseas traffic had fallen by such an extent that United Airlines, the sole remaining overseas carrier, terminated scheduled service on December 1, 1986. The number of overseas passengers travelling to Hilo had declined in each of the previous eight years. During the first eleven months of 1986, United Airlines had served a mere 20,914 passengers in Hilo. Hilo would be left without a direct connection to North America for nearly two decades.At the same time, the state's other major airports added overseas service. United Airlines commenced service to Kahului Airport
Kahului Airport
Kahului Airport is a regional airport in the state of Hawai'i, located east of the Kahului CDP in Maui County on the island of Maui near Haleakala. Most flights into OGG originate from Honolulu International Airport; the Honolulu–Kahului corridor is one of the busiest air routes in the US,...
on January 5, 1983, followed by service to Kona International Airport
Kona International Airport
Kona International Airport at Keāhole is an airport on the Island of Hawaii, in Kalaoa CDP, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The airport serves leeward, or Western Hawaii island, including the town of Kailua-Kona and the major resorts of the North Kona and South Kohala districts.- History...
on September 7 and finally to Līhue Airport in August 1984. Hilo struggled to attract another overseas air carrier.
In May 1989, the state Legislature renamed General Lyman Field to "Hilo International Airport". Among the reasons given were to reorient the airport’s image and to "conform to the practice of naming airports for their geographical locations".
The main terminal kept the Lyman name.
Efforts finally had some success on April 28, 2006, when ATA Airlines
ATA Airlines
ATA Airlines, Inc., formerly known as American Trans Air, was an American low-cost scheduled service and charter airline based in Indianapolis, Indiana. ATA operated scheduled passenger flights throughout the US mainland and Hawaii, as well as military and commercial charter flights around the world...
re-established daily non-stop service between Hilo and Oakland International Airport
Oakland International Airport
Oakland International Airport , also known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, is a public airport located south of the central business district of Oakland, a city in Alameda County, California, United States...
in California aboard its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. ATA Airlines' inauguration of direct overseas service to Hilo for the first time in nearly two decades was met with great fanfare and proved so successful the airline eventually substituted the larger Boeing 757-200 on its flights to Hilo during the peak travelling season around August. Just shy of two years later on April 2, 2008, ATA Airlines ceased operations, citing the cancellation of an agreement by FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
that provided most of the company's charter flights, and the unprecedented increase in fuel prices.
The demise of ATA Airlines left Hilo without overseas service once again.
In the wake of ATA's bankruptcy, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Hawaii Tribune-Herald is a newspaper that is owned and published daily in Hilo, Hawaii by Stephens Media LLC.-History:Hawaii Tribune-Herald resulted from several mergers of Hilo-area newspapers...
reported an undisclosed major U.S. Airline was considering service to Hilo. New mainland service was announced on December 15, 2010, when Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
announced that it would begin to fly to Hilo from both San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
and Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
in June 2011. Daily flights to and from Los Angeles commenced on June 9, 2011, and Saturday-only service to and from San Francisco on June 11, 2011.
Runways
Hilo International Airport has two runways. Runway 8-26 is 9,800 ft × 150 ft (2,987 m × 46 m) and is used for nearly all air carrier operations. It is capable of accommodating overseas passenger service by aircraft as large as the Boeing 747 and is used occasionally by the Lockheed C-5 GalaxyC-5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It provides the United States Air Force with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargos, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many...
, a military transport. Runway 3/21 is 5,600 ft × 150 ft (1,707 m × 46 m) and is used for general aviation operations including take-off and landing of smaller commuter airplanes.
Terminal Area
The passenger terminal complex, including commuter facilities, is at the southern edge of Hilo International Airport and is served by an access roadway from Hawaii Belt Road at Kekūanaōa Avenue. Air Cargo operations are handled at the former passenger terminal, located on the western edge of Runway 3-21. The Northwest Apron, which serves this area of the airport, provides parking for transient military aircraft and is the site of some general aviation facilities. Other general aviation facilities are located to the south, near the Civil Air Patrol area.Air Carrier Passenger Terminal
The main passenger terminal consists of three interconnected buildings totalling approximately 220000 ft2. The central building consists of just under 120000 ft2 of space while the western and eastern wings occupy slightly more than 50000 ft2 each. The apron fronting the passenger terminal has ten aircraft parking positions, each able to accommodate a Boeing 747. Only eight of the positions are usable; two are used to provide eleven helicopter parking positions and there are just seven passenger loading bridges.Commuter Terminal
The commuter terminal is located in a small, stand alone building approximately 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) to the west of the main passenger terminal. Safari Aviation, a helicopter tour company, currently leases the 4040 ft2 building. Other aerial tour companies lease space in the western wing of General Lyman Terminal.Airlines and destinations
Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Honolulu, HIHonolulu International Airport Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii and is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and rising.It is located in the Honolulu... |
564,000 | go!, Hawaiian |
| 2 | Kahului, HI Kahului Airport Kahului Airport is a regional airport in the state of Hawai'i, located east of the Kahului CDP in Maui County on the island of Maui near Haleakala. Most flights into OGG originate from Honolulu International Airport; the Honolulu–Kahului corridor is one of the busiest air routes in the US,... |
35,000 | Hawaiian |
| 3 |  Los Angeles, CALos Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually... |
3,000 | Continental |
Underutilization
Although designed as the second gateway into and out of Hawaii, for many years (until June 2011) Hilo had been Hawaii's only major airport lacking non-stop flights to North America.Today, Hilo International Airport is the smallest of the state's five major airports in terms of passenger arrivals and departures. Kona Airport and Līhue Airport generally serve twice as many passengers as Hilo, while Maui's Kahului Airport typically sees four times as many travelers. Moreover, while other airports grew significantly over the past several decades, Hilo International Airport has seen little long-term increase in air traffic.
In 1973, for example, the total passenger count at Hilo International Airport was 1,357,818. In 2008, that number stood at 1,352,808. Total traffic at Hilo peaked in 1997 with 1,669,314 people. An almost identical number of passengers, 1,667,163, passed through the airport in 2007. As a result, Hilo International Airport operates considerably below its capacity.
The primary reason for Hilo International Airport's relatively stagnant passenger count is the lack of tourism within the airport's service area, which includes the districts of Hilo and Puna
Puna, Hawaii
Puna is one of the nine districts in Hawaii County, Big Island, Hawaii. The District of Puna is located on the easternmost portion of the island and shares borders to the north with the District of South Hilo and a border to the west with the District of Kaū...
, as well as portions of the districts of Hāmākua and Kaū, relative to the Kona district
Kona District, Hawaii
Kona is the name of a moku or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the moku of Kona is divided into North Kona District and South Kona District . The term "Kona" is sometimes used to refer to its largest town,...
and Kohala district
Kohala, Hawaii
thumb|right|300px|The districts of the [[Hawaii |Big Island]]. From Northernmost, clockwise; Kohala , [[Hamakua|Hāmākua]], [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...
and the islands of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
and Maui. In 2008, visitor hotel rooms and condominiums on Hawaii island totaled 11,240 units. Of these, 9,576 (85.2%) were in the districts of Kona and Kohala. A mere 1,635 (14.5%) were within the districts of Hāmākua, Hilo, and Puna. In 2008, the respective numbers of visitor accommodations on Maui and Kauai were 19,055 and 9,203. In fact, whereas the number of visitor accommodations elsewhere in the state climbed steadily since the 1970s, in east Hawaii island several hotels have been shuttered or converted into apartments or condominiums.
Noise
Hilo International Airport's proximity to residential areas has made noise abatement a persistent concern in the airport's development and operations. Exacerbating the impact of airport activity on nearby residential neighbourhoods is the fact that Hilo's climate favours single wall, open air construction to take advantage of natural ventilation provided by trade winds. This results in minimal outdoor to indoor noise attenuation.Complaints about airport noise have been received from locations including downtown Hilo, hotels and condominiums along Banyan Drive
Banyan Drive
Banyan Drive is a tree-lined street at the shoreline of Hilo, Hawaii, coordinates . It is known as the "Hilo Walk of Fame" for the banyan trees planted by celebrities....
, and Keaukaha. In response, the Hawaii State Department of Transportation implemented measures designed to mitigate airport noise.
Over 95% of aircraft operations take place on Runway 8-26 because the orientation of Runway 3-21 makes direct flights over residential and commercial areas unavoidable. Night and early morning flights are directed to arrive from and depart towards the east, where largely vacant land acts as a noise buffer. Day flights maintain a west to east pattern. Although this results in arriving aircraft coming closer to the downtown area, pilots attempt to remain over Hilo Bay for as long as possible before aligning their aircraft with the runway, crossing over near the Hilo Iron Works building. Also, aircraft landings are quieter than take-offs. All aircraft, in fact, are directed to avoid overflying residential and commercial areas to the extent possible. In addition, the U.S. military transferred some of its training activities to Kona International Airport.
Other proposed noise mitigation
Noise mitigation
Noise mitigation is a set of strategies to reduce noise pollution. The main areas of noise mitigation or abatement are: transportation noise control, architectural design, and occupational noise control...
measures include a barrier on the north side of the airport and the extension of Runway 8-26 by 1850 feet (563.9 m) to the east and displacing the western end of the runway by the same amount, thereby maintaining the runway's length. Community opposition to the construction of a barrier led the State to abandon the idea. It remains unclear if the Hawaii State Department of Transportation will move forward on relocating Runway 8-26 east by 1,850 feet, especially given the 2009 demise of Aloha Airlines, whose older generation Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
fleet was considerably louder than Hawaiian Airlines' relatively recent Boeing 717
Boeing 717
The Boeing 717 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner, developed for the 100-seat market. The airliner was designed and marketed by McDonnell Douglas as the MD-95, a third-generation derivative of the DC-9. Capable of seating of up to 117 passengers, the 717 has maximum range of...
s. However those Boeing 737 aircraft are still being used by Aloha Air Cargo
Aloha Air Cargo
Aloha Air Cargo is an American cargo airline headquartered in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, operating from a hub at Honolulu International Airport. Formerly part of Aloha Airlines, it became an independent cargo operator following the closure of the passenger airline in 2008.-...
(although equipped with hush kit
Hush kit
A hush kit is a device for reducing noise from an engine; most commonly the term refers to devices which reduce noise emissions from low-bypass turbofan engines, as fitted to older commercial aircraft ....
s) which continues with night flights to Honolulu.
Incidents
On April 28, 1988, an Aloha AirlinesAloha Airlines
Aloha Airlines was an American airline headquartered in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, operating from a hub at Honolulu International Airport...
Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
operating Flight 243 from General Lyman Field (as Hilo International Airport was known then) to Honolulu International Airport carrying 89 passengers and 5 crew members experienced rapid decompression when an 18 feet (5.5 m) section of the fuselage roof and sides were torn from the airplane. One flight attendant was sucked out of the airplane and died. Several passengers sustained life-threatening injuries including instances of massive head wounds. The aircraft declared an emergency and landed at Kahului Airport on Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
.
Investigations of the incident concluded that the accident was caused by metal fatigue. The incident caused almost all major United States air carriers to retire their oldest airplane models.
On October 7, 2011, a Cessna 310
Cessna 310
The Cessna 310 is an American six-seat, low-wing, twin-engined monoplane that was produced by Cessna between 1954 and 1980. It was the first twin-engined aircraft that Cessna put into production after World War II.-Development:...
controlled by a 65 year-old pilot coming from Monterey, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
declared an emergency landing at about 12:30 pm. The plane was low on fuel. It made a water landing
Water landing
A water landing is, in the broadest sense, any landing on a body of water. All waterfowl, those seabirds capable of flight, and some human-built vehicles are capable of landing in water as a matter of course....
13 miles offshore of the Big Island.