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Transportation

Facts Lacking in West Molokai Plane Crash

Monday, March 10th, 2014

The crash of a small plane on Molokai’s west end on Thursday, Feb. 27 went unreported for days, and information on the event is still missing. Last week, authorities identified the pilot as John Weiser, Jr., owner of Panda Ranch and grass air strip in the Papohaku area.

Weiser was flying a twin-engine Partenavia P68 Observer, reportedly at night, but it is currently unknown whether the crash occurred during take-off or landing, according to Ian Gregor, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Pacific Division public affairs manager. A man who found the damaged aircraft reported it to the FAA on Saturday, March 1.…

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Island Air to End Molokai Service

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

Island Air will discontinue service to Molokai after April 1. In a five-sentence announcement last week, the airline said all Molokai-based employees will be offered transfer elsewhere within the company. Customers with confirmed reservations to or from the island after April 1 can either transfer their ticket to another airline or receive a refund.

Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines’ neighbor island service `Ohana by Hawaiian has announced its plans to begin flying to Molokai starting March 11.

“Now that we are certain the island of Molokai will have adequate air service to match its needs, we have decided to redeploy our aircraft to another route that needs more capacity,” Island Air CEO Paul Casey told the Dispatch via email.…

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Ohana By Hawaiian Starts Molokai Service March 11

Thursday, February 13th, 2014

Ohana By Hawaiian Starts Molokai Service March 11

Hawaiian Airlines News Release

Tickets for Hawaii’s newest interisland operation, ‘Ohana by Hawaiian,  are now available for its long-awaited turboprop service from Honolulu International Airport (HNL) to Molokai Airport (MKK) and Lanai Airport (LNY) by booking online at HawaiianAirlines.com. Three daily flights to MKK will launch on Tues., March 11 and twice daily service to LNY will begin Tues. March 18. In celebration of the launch, the airline is offering a special fare of $59 each way for tickets booked through Mon., Feb. 17 for travel through April 17, 2014 to both destinations.

“As Hawaii’s first airline, this new operation anchors us to our legacy and vision to connect all of our island communities through flight, making it easier for kama`aina and visitors alike to share time together,” said Hadden Watt, managing director of ‘Ohana by Hawaiian.…

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Hawaiian Airlines to Serve Molokai This Year

Sunday, January 5th, 2014

Hawaiian Airlines plans to begin service to Molokai and Lanai this year, and the certification process to launch its new subsidiary, Ohana by Hawaiian, has resumed. After 2013 budget sequestration caused delays in certification through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Hawaiian officials say things are back on track.

In the fall of 2012, Hawaiian Airlines announced its plans to add Molokai and Lanai to their itinerary, anticipated to begin in 2013. The start date was pushed back several times, and there is still no estimated timeframe.

Alison Croyle, director of external communications, confirmed that the airlines is in the third of four phases in the certification process.…

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Kalaupapa Aircraft Wreckage to be Recovered, Under Investigation

Monday, December 16th, 2013

Kalaupapa Aircraft Wreckage to be Recovered, Under Investigation

After a Makani Kai aircraft crashed into the ocean off Kalaupapa last Wednesday, Makani Kai owner Richard Schuman said the Cessna Grand Caravan will be recovered this week.

“We know what happened, but not why,” Schuman told the Dispatch Sunday. “One way or another, we’ll get that aircraft out… and get the engine to the manufacturer [for answers.]”

The Makani Kai flight departing Kalaupapa about 3:45 p.m. experienced “catastrophic engine failure” shortly after take-off, according to pilot Clyde Kawasaki. The plane went down about 1/2 mile off the peninsula. Eight on board survived, while Department of Health (DOH) Director Loretta Fuddy died in the water after exiting the sinking plane.…

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HI Boaters Must Complete Boating Education

Monday, December 16th, 2013

DNLR News Release

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is reminding Hawaii boaters they now have less a year’s time to take a boating safety course approved by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators and the State of Hawaii.  Hawaii Administrative Rule 13-244-15.5 requiring operators of motorized vessels in state waters to take a safety course became effective on Nov. 10, 2012.

Enforcement of the new rule will begin on the second anniversary of the rule’s effective date, on Nov. 10, 2014. After that date in 2014, boaters will be required to show proof of successful completion of an approved boating safety course.…

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Fuddy Given Final Salute on Molokai

Monday, December 16th, 2013

Fuddy Given Final Salute on Molokai

Department of Health Director Loretta Fuddy was given a final salute when her casket left Molokai Monday morning. Molokai Fire Rescue and Police personnel accompanied her body to the airport, where it was flown to Honolulu.

“We saved eight,” paramedic Scotty Schaefer reminded fellow emergency responders, “because of what you did… We gave her a chance…Loretta was family to us.”

Fuddy was a passenger on Makaki Kai plane leaving Kalaupapa Wednesday that experienced engine failure and landed in the water just off the peninsula. Fuddy died in the water after exiting the plane.

Photos by Catherine Cluett/All Rights Reserved.

 …

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8 Survivors, 1 Death in Makani Kai Kalaupapa Crash — UPDATED

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

8 Survivors, 1 Death in Makani Kai Kalaupapa Crash — UPDATED

Updated Thursday, 12/12 at 3 p.m.

A Makani Kai flight departing Kalaupapa this afternoon crashed into the water about 3:45 p.m. shortly after take-off about 1/2 mile off the peninsula last night. Eight on board the Cessna Grand Caravan survived, while Department of Health Director Loretta Fuddy died in the water after exiting the sinking plane.

The pilot, Clyde Kawasaki, has been flying for Makani Kai for one year. He previously worked as a pilot for Aloha Airlines and has experience working thousands of hours of flight time, according to a Makani Kai representative.

“He’s a pilot that I’ve flown with frequently — he’s one of the best,” said Department of Health Kalaupapa Administrator Mark Miller.…

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Airport Construction on Hold in Kalaupapa

Wednesday, November 27th, 2013

Airport Construction on Hold in Kalaupapa

The Kalaupapa airport will soon be receiving a long awaited fire truck garage and services. However, with design discrepancies on where to place the garage and a strict timeline, the project might be delayed further, postponing safety services Kalaupapa residents seek.

A team of designers and engineers as well as representatives from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented a design scheme to Kalaupapa residents Nov. 12, seeking public input and approval to move forward with the project.

In 2010, the Kalaupapa airport was scheduled to receive a fire truck and a team of Maui County firefighters who would rotate in 42-hour work shifts, according to Department of Health Kalaupapa Administrator Mark Miller.…

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Airlines Compete to Serve Kalaupapa

Sunday, November 17th, 2013

Kalaupapa is regarded as one of the most isolated communities in the country. With 2,000-foot cliffs separating the peninsula from topside Molokai and no outside road access, the only way to and from the settlement is by foot, mule or plane. As Makani Kai Airlines reaches the end of their two-year federal contract to provide Kalaupapa with affordable airfare, they—along with three other airlines—are bidding to offer subsidized service to the settlement’s residents and visitors beginning in January 2014.

The Essential Airline Service (EAS) is a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) program that provides small, rural communities access to major national and international airport hubs though a subsidized commuter airline system.…

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