With the first of commercial aviation service to the Hawaiian Islands ninety-three years ago, a single-engine Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker with wooden wings and maroon cloth skin created history. Hawaiian Airlines commemorated a significant historical occasion as well as the start of its illustrious history as the hometown carrier.

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The Bellanca, which opened up the possibility of air travel to the island of Hawaii, is by far Hawaiian Airlines’ most cherished aircraft. The aircraft was hauled from storage at Castle and Cooke Aviation in Honolulu to the tarmac for viewing by the general public early on the morning of the anniversary. The Bellanca’s propellers were then decorated by the airline’s crew, who then placed them there to honour this historical occasion and express their gratitude for the Bellanca’s service.

“The first airline to bring flight to the inhabitants of these islands, who were formerly ocean-going people, was Hawaiian Airlines, formerly known as Inter-Island Airways. With the aid of this aircraft, we were able to integrate our business into both the aviation and island histories.

The Bellanca was a key component of island tycoon Stanley C. Kennedy’s plan for planes to take the place of ships as the main means of interisland travel in Hawaii. On October 6, 1929, the plane made its official debut with a series of sightseeing flights around Oahu as a test run for commercial operations. That day, it carried 76 passengers successfully and aroused enough interest among locals and tourists to persuade the board of the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company to expand into flying. When Inter-Island Airways was launched on November 11, 1929, a month later, sightseeing excursions began to take off and the Bellanca logged approximately 50 flight hours in that month.

Many of us are focused on the Dreamliner Boeing 787-9, which is the future of our firm, but when we are here, we are paused and reminded of where we started and how far we’ve gone. “Knowing your roots is important, and Hawaiian Airlines need to keep that in mind. Sometimes we get caught up in thinking about the future, but standing in front of the Bellanca reminds us that our 93-year history was actually pioneered by the individuals who came before us and that we come from humble beginnings.