Hawaii Aviation

We are happy to announce that we are able to share a PDF copy of the out-of-print book, Above the Pacific by Lieutenant Colonel William Joseph Horvat. Our deepest gratitude goes out to the Horvat family for allowing us to do so.

With the backing of the Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu and the Territorial Legislature, Hawaii’s first airport opened in 1927–John Rodgers Airport (now Honolulu International Airport). Over the next decade landing strips popped up across the islands. The military took over most landing fields during World War II and today’s modern airports evolved from there. […]

The Territorial Aeronautical Commission was established in 1927 by the Legislature and was the first government agency in Hawaii to have responsibility for building all airports and overseeing aeronautics in the Territory. The Commission was abolished in 1932 and its responsibilities given to the Superintendent of Public Works. The complete minutes of the TAC describing all actions taken are now available.