The Hawaii Express Set to Explore the Future of its Past

Early next year Hawaii-based, The Hawaii Express (www.thehawaiiexpress.com) will develop a mirror site meant to represent where the airline would have been in the year 2015 had it been allowed to exist that long. The current The Hawaii Express fleet and all schedules will not be affected. Pilot reports from both the 1983 and 2015 versions will be accepted.

The “new” aircraft being considered are: the CamSim A350-1000 and -900 versions in both passenger and a dedicated cargo configuration; the A350-800; and once the paint kit is released, the A360-200. The group is also considering the A380, but with the limited amount of routes available, this may over saturate the airline with aircraft that simply aren’t needed. The A350 is due for service entry in 2012 but the launch date for the A360, a direct A320 replacement, has not yet been announced.

Also under consideration were the Boeing 787-3, -4, -8 and -9 as well as the 797 but The Hawaii Express felt that the Airbus aircraft would be more suitable to their specific needs.

Upon the release of the new website and aircraft, The Hawaii Express is hoping to boost roster numbers, anticipating an increase of at least 5 pilots. As the pilot group expands, longer routes and additional aircraft would be acquired to keep pace with the demand– applicable to operations in both era’s. Tahiti and other South Pacific islands would be first, then possible more on the mainland.

All these additions are to attract new pilots. Many younger pilots don’t want to fly 30 year old aircraft like the DC-9 and DC-10, The Hawaii Express is hoping that bringing these aircraft into the airline will help bridge the generation gap. The new Airbus aircraft will also have a new The Hawaii Express livery that will be modern but will maintian some of the retro look for identification. Planned for a mid-January through March launch, if the project does not bring in the anticipated number of pilots, then the new aircraft will be withdrawn but all routes and services will be absorbed into the 1983 The Hawaii Express system.