Amphibious S-38s

Hawaiian Airlines, originally founded as Inter-Island Airways, played a pivotal role in introducing air travel to Hawaii. In 1929, the company acquired the Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker, a sturdy and comfortable aircraft used for sightseeing tours over Honolulu. The goal was to help residents become familiar with flying before launching scheduled interisland air service with two amphibious Sikorsky S-38 planes.

The Sikorsky S-38 was a twin-engine amphibious aircraft designed for versatility and performance. With space for a crew of two and eight to nine passengers, it was sold fully equipped for $55,000. In an early promotional brochure, Sikorsky uniquely spelled “Amphibian” with an “o” as a trademark.

This aircraft could take off from both land and water, climb at a rate of 1,000 feet per minute at full capacity, and cruise at 110 miles per hour, reaching a top speed of 130 miles per hour. Remarkably, it could also maintain flight on a single engine, outperforming other amphibious planes of its era. The first ten units were sold within eight weeks of official performance data being released, leading to increased demand from governments, airlines, and private buyers.

 

Reference

  1. Hawaiian Airlines (July 12, 2009) Hawaiian’s First Airplane Coming Home. Hawaiian Airlines. https://newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/releases/hawaiians-first-airplane-coming-home
  2. Sikorsky Archives. (n.d) Sikorsky S-38. Sikorsky Archives. https://sikorskyarchives.com/home/sikorsky-product-history/american-flying-boats-and-fixed-wing-aircraft/sikorsky-s-38/