Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.
A proposal to develop Magic Island as an air terminal to shuttle travelers between Waikiki and the airport evoked mixed reactions from Hawaii’s air taxi operators.
Coin Perin, a former manager of Honolulu and Kauai Airports, says a 1,100 ft. strip could be built across the tip of the island and provide a field for embarking and debarking tourists vacationing in Waikiki.
He thinks Magic Island is an ideal terminal for use by VTOL (vertical take-off planes) and STOL (short take-off and landing planes).
However, the State is going ahead with plans to auction the site for a recreation complex.
Only one of the air taxi operators in the State now operates aircraft that could use such a short runway. …
Hawaii Jet-Aire, Ltd., has three Jet-Aire 808’s capable of operating from an 850-ft. strip.
H.B. Rothbard, company president, said, "We made the initial recommendation to use Magic Island for an air terminal.
"It’s an ideal terminal for Waikiki."
He says the site will require minimum improvements and "there is no noise factor with our type of aircraft."
"We are flying about 12 times a day in front of the Sheraton-Maui and we have not received any complaints from the hotel guests," he said.
The Magic Island site, he said, will pose no navigation hazards.
David R. Hoffman, vice president of Sky Tours of Hawaii, said, "I think it would be a fine site for those operating STOL aircraft.
"We don’t have planes that could use such a short runway.
"We depend on visitors arriving by the air carriers, so for our purposes we would not be able to use the Magic Island site."
He added it would not be a suitable site for general aviation purposes because it’s too close to populated and resort areas.
John Peacock, president of Royal Hawaiian Air Service, said use of the small airstrip by STOL aircraft would take the traffic load off the Honolulu Airport. However, he said an air terminal at Magic Island would create a big traffic problem in the Ala Moana area.
"I don’t see it as a practical site because it’s too valuable," he said.
