Kahului Airport
Encyclopedia
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, ranking 13th in 2004 with 1,632,000 passengers. (If "route" refers to a single pair of airports, HNL-OGG has been at or near the top of the US list for decades.)
The airport code pays homage to aviation pioneer Bertram J. Hogg who worked for what is now Hawaiian Airlines
flying aircraft ranging from 8-passenger Sikorsky S-38
amphibians to Douglas DC-3
s and DC-9s into the late 1960s.
. The Governor appoints the Director of the Hawai'i State Department of Transportation, who has jurisdiction over the Hawai'i Airports Administrator.
The Hawai'i Airports Administrator oversees six governing bodies: Airports Operations Office, Airports Planning Office, Engineering Branch, Information Technology Office, Staff Services Office, Visitor Information Program Office. Collectively, the six bodies have authority over the four airport districts in Hawai'i: Hawai'i District
, Kaua'i District
, Mau'i District
and the principal O'ahu District
. Kahului Airport is a subordinate of Mau'i District officials.
18 jetways are available for enplaning or deplaning passengers (there are six gate hold areas designated A-F with 3 jetways each). Gates with odd numbers have jetway systems, while gates with even numbers are designated as emergency exits and have stairs that leads to the tarmac below.
Most of the gates were spaced to handle narrow-body aircraft like the Boeing 717
and Boeing 737
used on inter-island flights. In 1982-83 Kahului started getting nonstop flights from the mainland United States; these now use wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 767
and Boeing 777
, along with the Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 757
. The smaller aircraft used on inter-island flights fit at all gates, while the larger overseas airliners cannot.
The airport is going through several phases of expansion authorized by the Hawai'i State Legislature. A long term goal has been set to prepare Kahului Airport for eventual elevation to permanent international airport
status with regular service routes from Canada and Japan. Current flights from Canada use United States border preclearance
facilities in Vancouver
, Calgary
or Edmonton
.
Kahului Airport covers 1391 acres (562.9 ha) at an elevation of 54 feet (16 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 2/20 is 6,995 × 150 feet (2,132 × 46 m) and 5/23 is 4,990 × 150 feet (1,521 × 46 m). It also has an asphalt helipad
designated H1 measuring 125 × 125 feet (38 × 38 m). Most commercial flights use runway 2.
For the 12-month period ending March 31, 2009, the airport had 247,337 aircraft operations, an average of 677 per day: 54% air taxi
, 34% scheduled commercial
, 11% general aviation
and 3% military
. At that time there were 56 aircraft based at this airport: 29% single-engine
, 23% multi-engine, 45% helicopter
and 4% ultralight.
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines
flight 243, a Boeing 737
-200 interisland flight from Hilo Airport
to Honolulu International Airport
carrying 89 passengers and 6 crew members experienced rapid decompression when an 18 foot section of the fuselage roof and sides were torn from the aircraft. One flight attendant was sucked out of the aircraft and died. Several passengers sustained life-threatening injuries including instances of massive head wounds. The aircraft declared an emergency and landed at Kahului Airport. Noise created by the rush of air rendered vocal communication useless, and the pilots had to use hand signals during landing.
Investigations of the disaster, headquartered at Honolulu International Airport, concluded that the accident was caused by metal fatigue. The disaster caused almost all major United States air carriers to retire their oldest aircraft models.
Aloha Island Air Flight 1712
On October 28, 1989, Aloha Island Air flight 1712, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
aircraft, collided with mountainous terrain near Halawa Valley, Molokai, while en route on a scheduled passenger flight from Kahului Airport to Molokai Airport
in Hoolehua.
The NTSB determined the cause of the accident was the airplane's controlled flight into terrain as a result of the decision of the captain to continue the flight under visual flight rules at night into instrument meteorological conditions, which obscured rising mountainous terrain.
All 20 aboard the aircraft died. Thirteen of the victims were from Molokai, including eight members of the Molokai High School boys and girls volleyball teams and two faculty members. The girls team had just qualified on Maui for the state tournament.
Hawaii Air Ambulance
On March 8, 2006, a Hawaii Air Ambulance Cessna 414 was making an approach to Runway 5 when it crashed into a BMW
dealership just a mile outside of the airport. A pilot and two nurses were killed in the accident.
and other issues, as evidenced by the common Maui bumper sticker "Big city airport, big city problems."
In early 2005, Governor Linda Lingle
released $365 million for construction of an extended ticketing lobby, new baggage claim carousels, a new Alien Species building, a new cargo building, construction of a new apron, construction of an additional 10 jetways to replace the current jetways, and a new six-lane airport access road that would run from the airport, intersecting Haleakala Highway and Hana Highway
, and run parallel to Dairy Road where it would merge with a new grade-separated interchange between Puunene Avenue (highway 350), Dairy Road, and Kuihelani Highway (highway 380).
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...
, located east of the Kahului CDP in Maui County on the island of 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,...
near Haleakala
Haleakala
Haleakalā , or the East Maui Volcano, is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. The western 25% of the island is formed by the West Maui Mountains.- History :...
. Most flights into OGG originate 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...
; the Honolulu–Kahului corridor is one of the busiest air routes in the US, ranking 13th in 2004 with 1,632,000 passengers. (If "route" refers to a single pair of airports, HNL-OGG has been at or near the top of the US list for decades.)
The airport code pays homage to aviation pioneer Bertram J. Hogg who worked for what is now 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...
flying aircraft ranging from 8-passenger Sikorsky S-38
Sikorsky S-38
-See also:...
amphibians to Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
s and DC-9s into the late 1960s.
Authority
Kahului Airport is part of a centralized state structure governing all of the airports and seaports of Hawai'i. The official authority of Kahului Airport is the Governor of Hawai'iGovernor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
. The Governor appoints the Director of the Hawai'i State Department of Transportation, who has jurisdiction over the Hawai'i Airports Administrator.
The Hawai'i Airports Administrator oversees six governing bodies: Airports Operations Office, Airports Planning Office, Engineering Branch, Information Technology Office, Staff Services Office, Visitor Information Program Office. Collectively, the six bodies have authority over the four airport districts in Hawai'i: Hawai'i District
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, Kaua'i District
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",...
, Mau'i District
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,...
and the principal O'ahu District
Honolulu County, Hawaii
The City and County of Honolulu is a consolidated city–county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The municipality and county includes both the urban district of Honolulu and the rest of the island of Oahu, as well as several minor outlying islands, including all of the Northwestern Hawaiian...
. Kahului Airport is a subordinate of Mau'i District officials.
Facilities and aircraft
The Kahului Airport terminal building has ticketing, USDA agricultural inspection, and baggage claim areas on the ground level.18 jetways are available for enplaning or deplaning passengers (there are six gate hold areas designated A-F with 3 jetways each). Gates with odd numbers have jetway systems, while gates with even numbers are designated as emergency exits and have stairs that leads to the tarmac below.
Most of the gates were spaced to handle narrow-body aircraft like the 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...
and 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...
used on inter-island flights. In 1982-83 Kahului started getting nonstop flights from the mainland United States; these now use wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
and Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
, along with the Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
. The smaller aircraft used on inter-island flights fit at all gates, while the larger overseas airliners cannot.
The airport is going through several phases of expansion authorized by the Hawai'i State Legislature. A long term goal has been set to prepare Kahului Airport for eventual elevation to permanent international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
status with regular service routes from Canada and Japan. Current flights from Canada use United States border preclearance
United States border preclearance
The United States operates border preclearance facilities at a number of ports and airports in foreign countries. They are staffed and operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Travelers pass through Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Department of Agriculture inspections...
facilities in Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about from Downtown Vancouver. In 2010 it was the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers , behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to...
, Calgary
Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary...
or Edmonton
Edmonton International Airport
Edmonton International Airport is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility in the Edmonton region in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is a hub facility for Northern Alberta and Northern Canada providing regularly scheduled nonstop flights to over fifty communities in Canada, the United...
.
Kahului Airport covers 1391 acres (562.9 ha) at an elevation of 54 feet (16 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 2/20 is 6,995 × 150 feet (2,132 × 46 m) and 5/23 is 4,990 × 150 feet (1,521 × 46 m). It also has an asphalt helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
designated H1 measuring 125 × 125 feet (38 × 38 m). Most commercial flights use runway 2.
For the 12-month period ending March 31, 2009, the airport had 247,337 aircraft operations, an average of 677 per day: 54% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
, 34% scheduled commercial
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
, 11% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and 3% military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
. At that time there were 56 aircraft based at this airport: 29% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
, 23% multi-engine, 45% helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
and 4% ultralight.
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... |
987,000 | go! Mokulele, Hawaiian, Island |
| 2 |  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... |
427,000 | American, Delta, United |
| 3 |  Seattle, WA |
183,000 | Alaska, Hawaiian |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA 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... |
181,000 | United |
| 5 |  Portland, ORPortland International Airport Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah... |
131,000 | Alaska, Hawaiian |
| 6 | Kona, HI 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... |
100,000 | Hawaiian, Island, Mokulele, United |
| 7 |  Phoenix, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
91,000 | US Airways |
| 8 |  Dallas/Fort Worth, TX |
75,000 | American |
| 9 | Oakland, CA 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... |
55,000 | Alaska, Hawaiian |
| 10 | Sacramento, CA Sacramento International Airport Sacramento International Airport is a public airport located 10 miles northwest of the central business district of Sacramento, in Sacramento County, California, USA. It is run by Sacramento County... |
49,000 | Alaska |
Disasters
Aloha Airlines Flight 243On April 28, 1988, 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...
flight 243, a 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...
-200 interisland flight from Hilo Airport
Hilo International Airport
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 and is one of two major airports on Hawaii Island and one of five major airports in the state...
to 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...
carrying 89 passengers and 6 crew members experienced rapid decompression when an 18 foot section of the fuselage roof and sides were torn from the aircraft. One flight attendant was sucked out of the aircraft and died. Several passengers sustained life-threatening injuries including instances of massive head wounds. The aircraft declared an emergency and landed at Kahului Airport. Noise created by the rush of air rendered vocal communication useless, and the pilots had to use hand signals during landing.
Investigations of the disaster, headquartered at Honolulu International Airport, concluded that the accident was caused by metal fatigue. The disaster caused almost all major United States air carriers to retire their oldest aircraft models.
Aloha Island Air Flight 1712
On October 28, 1989, Aloha Island Air flight 1712, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
aircraft, collided with mountainous terrain near Halawa Valley, Molokai, while en route on a scheduled passenger flight from Kahului Airport to Molokai Airport
Molokai Airport
Molokai Airport is a public airport located northwest of Kaunakakai, on the island of Molokai in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. It is the principal airport of the island.- Facilities and aircraft :...
in Hoolehua.
The NTSB determined the cause of the accident was the airplane's controlled flight into terrain as a result of the decision of the captain to continue the flight under visual flight rules at night into instrument meteorological conditions, which obscured rising mountainous terrain.
All 20 aboard the aircraft died. Thirteen of the victims were from Molokai, including eight members of the Molokai High School boys and girls volleyball teams and two faculty members. The girls team had just qualified on Maui for the state tournament.
Hawaii Air Ambulance
On March 8, 2006, a Hawaii Air Ambulance Cessna 414 was making an approach to Runway 5 when it crashed into a BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
dealership just a mile outside of the airport. A pilot and two nurses were killed in the accident.
Expansion
As a result of the passage of several Hawai'i State Legislature bills in 1998 and 2001, Kahului is planned to undergo expansion for new, larger facilities, lengthening of runways, increasing of fuel storage capacities, and construction of new access roads. A controversial project, it has met strong opposition from local residents who do not agree with prospects of elevating Kahului Airport to a permanent international airport. Project opponents cite concerns about increased introduction of invasive speciesInvasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
and other issues, as evidenced by the common Maui bumper sticker "Big city airport, big city problems."
In early 2005, Governor Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F...
released $365 million for construction of an extended ticketing lobby, new baggage claim carousels, a new Alien Species building, a new cargo building, construction of a new apron, construction of an additional 10 jetways to replace the current jetways, and a new six-lane airport access road that would run from the airport, intersecting Haleakala Highway and Hana Highway
Hana Highway
The Hāna Highway is a long stretch of Hawaii State Routes 36 and 360 which connects Kahului with the town of Hāna in east Maui. On the east after Kalepa bridge, Hana Highway continues to Kīpahulu as Route 31 , the first section of which is unofficially considered to be part of Hāna Highway...
, and run parallel to Dairy Road where it would merge with a new grade-separated interchange between Puunene Avenue (highway 350), Dairy Road, and Kuihelani Highway (highway 380).
External links
- Hawaii DOT page for Kahului Airport
- Kahului Airport (information)