Flying the Big Island

[spiderweb]

On Tuesday, I'm going to get to do another flight I've wanted to do for a long time. I'm from MD, and I've visited the Hawaiian Islands several times (not rich--use frequent flyer miles), but never the Big Island.

It is beautiful here in so many ways, ranging from rugged beauty to lush tropical scenery. But, as I told my wife, there is no way to see the dramatic waterfalls on the NE side of Kohala without flying. So instead of taking a tour plane, we are going up Tuesday to see them! I'm excited! Anyone here done this? Suggestions? (I'm going up with a Hawaii Flight Academy pilot.)

 

[Fearless Tower]

On Tuesday, I'm going to get to do another flight I've wanted to do for a long time. I'm from MD, and I've visited the Hawaiian Islands several times (not rich--use frequent flyer miles), but never the Big Island.

It is beautiful here in so many ways, ranging from rugged beauty to lush tropical scenery. But, as I told my wife, there is no way to see the dramatic waterfalls on the NE side of Kohala without flying. So instead of taking a tour plane, we are going up Tuesday to see them! I'm excited! Anyone here done this? Suggestions? (I'm going up with a Hawaii Flight Academy pilot.)

Yup, when I was in Hawaii for RIMPAC a couple summers ago I rented a Beech Travel Air with an instructor from Moore Aviation at HNL and flew out to the big island. It was a blast. Knocked out my dual x-countries for the commercial, saw a few ship wrecks and the waterfalls. Fun time, albeit a lot more expensive than flying on the mainland.

 

[MBDiagMan]

Yup, when I was in Hawaii for RIMPAC a couple summers ago I rented a Beech Travel Air with an instructor from Moore Aviation at HNL and flew out to the big island. It was a blast. Knocked out my dual x-countries for the commercial, saw a few ship wrecks and the waterfalls. Fun time, albeit a lot more expensive than flying on the mainland.

So, since you were in Hawaii, were you able to do the shorter X Country and still have it qualify even though you don't live there? IIRC there is no stipulation in the FAR's that you must live there, but I've never studied that since I thought it wouldn't apply to me.

 

[zaitcev]

Suggestions? (I'm going up with a Hawaii Flight Academy pilot.)

Make sure you're flying with a CFI (like Mr. Jon Pickering), so you can fly left seat and log it as a dual. Some of the local guide pilots are not CFIs. Also, I took N9981B in order to log retract time, even if only a couple of hours.

 

[spiderweb]

Thanks! I can't wait! I'll see if the person is a CFI. Even if not, I am current and rated, so I can still log it as general (but extremely fun) time!

 

[Ghery]

I've flown with TropicBird out of Kona a few times. Last time in 2007. You'll have a great time. The scenery is fantastic. A great way to see the volcanic action on the south end, as well.

Take pictures. Lots of pictures.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I've flown with TropicBird out of Kona a few times. Last time in 2007. You'll have a great time. The scenery is fantastic. A great way to see the volcanic action on the south end, as well.

Take pictures. Lots of pictures.

I've done it once. What Ghery said.

 

[Dean]

My brother lives in Kona, someday I will get over there to see him and do some island flying myself.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

My brother lives in Kona, someday I will get over there to see him and do some island flying myself.

I just remembered my uncle and cousins moved there years ago and I have an open invite.

To the OP: would you mind letting me know the prices you are paying for the plane and the pilot? A vacation, for me, is down the line, but seeing my family in HI would be nice.

 

[zaitcev]

To the OP: would you mind letting me know the prices you are paying for the plane and the pilot?

Ben is going up with HFA, a part of Iolani Air. I took their 172RG for 1.5 dual with Jon Pickering, who coincidentially moonlights for Iolani/HFA now since his 206 ended with a restricted certificate (lucky me). It was $334 total, or about $222/hr. The list price per hour is $159, Jon received $75, and the rest is taxes. They also offer 172S with G-1000 for $179/hr, which IMHO makes no sense for a pilot. Surely you'd like retract time more, and it's cheaper, so use N9981B. Iolani also have a 150J, but that's fairly useless due to poor endurance.

As it happened, I also flew with Iolani's local competitor Tropicbird, because I had a random free time, and Mike Lauro, owner, invited me to walk in without an appointment. Mike seems very proud of his DA-20 ($138/hr) and tries to sell it first. The Diamond is popular with sightseers due to the bubble canopy. However, we put 1.4 into his 182 N5692J, a former CAP airplane and all around great bird (hello, Morne). The total was $386. List price for is $175/hr. Mike also has a 172L, but that airplane is in a long term maintenance right now.

 

[Fearless Tower]

I just remembered my uncle and cousins moved there years ago and I have an open invite.

To the OP: would you mind letting me know the prices you are paying for the plane and the pilot? A vacation, for me, is down the line, but seeing my family in HI would be nice.

In general, for flying in Hawaii, plan for about $50 an hour above whatever rate you pay in CONUS.

 

[Fearless Tower]

So, since you were in Hawaii, were you able to do the shorter X Country and still have it qualify even though you don't live there? IIRC there is no stipulation in the FAR's that you must live there, but I've never studied that since I thought it wouldn't apply to me.

Didn't try that since I already had completed it. All I needed was the day and night dual x-countries (2 hr, straight line distance of 100 nm). I flew to Wamea (PHMU) for the day flight and Kona Intl for the night one.

 

[Ghery]

As it happened, I also flew with Iolani's local competitor Tropicbird, because I had a random free time, and Mike Lauro, owner, invited me to walk in without an appointment. Mike seems very proud of his DA-20 ($138/hr) and tries to sell it first. The Diamond is popular with sightseers due to the bubble canopy. However, we put 1.4 into his 182 N5692J, a former CAP airplane and all around great bird (hello, Morne). The total was $386. List price for is $175/hr. Mike also has a 172L, but that airplane is in a long term maintenance right now.

Mike is a great guy and I've enjoyed flying with him. In 2007 that 172L was $200/hr dual. I was going to fly the DA-20, but it was down for maintenance.

 

[spiderweb]

I just remembered my uncle and cousins moved there years ago and I have an open invite.

To the OP: would you mind letting me know the prices you are paying for the plane and the pilot? A vacation, for me, is down the line, but seeing my family in HI would be nice.

Hello! It was 390 for 1.6 on Hobbes. Completely recommend!

 

[spiderweb]

It was a great flight, everyone! I was PIC and I flew the G1000 mentioned above. (Have plenty of retract time.) I'll post pics and maybe video when I go home.

Thanks to Rhonda for making the flight extra fun! There's a story behind her beautiful aircraft, but she's asked me not to relate it. You can probably figure it out with a bit of google and a dash of YouTube.

Only tough part was trying to negotiate the tiny runway.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

It was a great flight, everyone! I was PIC and I flew the G1000 mentioned above. (Have plenty of retract time.) I'll post pics and maybe video when I go home.

Thanks to Rhonda for making the flight extra fun! There's a story behind her beautiful aircraft, but she's asked me not to relate it. You can probably figure it out with a bit of google and a dash of YouTube.

Only tough part was trying to negotiate the tiny runway.

Looking forward to the pics / videos.

 

[spiderweb]

Looking forward to the pics / videos.

I'll have them soon! My wife took pics while I was flying, so I'll load them up tomorrow probably.

Man, what a dream to be a tour or inter-island carrier pilot.

Every morning, you wake up in sunny Hawaii and say, wow is it beautiful today! Would I like to go flying! Then you suddenly realize that not only will you be flying, but you'll be paid, too! (I know that the pay probably isn't good and that you probably have days where people get on your nerves, but still. . . .)