Memorial Day weekend rewarded the State with gorgeous weather conditions: light winds and a stable atmosphere. It seemed like everyone with access to a boat or an airplane was out there on the water or in the air. Honolulu had to switch runways to suit the south-southwesterly sea breezes and not everyone had memorized the […]
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Traffic Jams over the H1/H2 Interchange
The return of visitors to the islands and the associated increased frequency of arrivals of carriers has seen a return of traffic congestion of VFR airplanes approaching Honolulu. At the same time, pilot training has picked up again leading to occasional traffic backup for the NORTH SIX arrival. Increased Pearl Harbor helicopter tours add to […]
Read moreNew RNAV (GPS)-B Approach Procedure to PHMK
If you happened to fly into PHMK under an instrument flight plan recently you will have noticed that your favorite RNAV (GPS) approach into the airport has morphed into a new procedure as of February 25. The ‘old’ approach would have you arrive at initial approach fix KOLTE or JEMKO, followed by a rather steep […]
Read moreSupport the Honolulu City Council Resolution to encourage the DOTA to save Dillingham Airfield
A City Council Resolution to encourage the DOTA to save Kawaihapai Airfield, otherwise known as Dillingham Airfield will be heard on Tuesday January 12, 2021 at 9:00 am. Get everyone you know and who supports the continued operation of the airfield to contact their council member and send in testimony to the council in general […]
Read moreOther Sources of Weather Information
One of the reasons I like staffing a NOAA/National Weather Service booth at aviation-related events (such as the recent Hawaii Aviation Day at the Hawaii State Capitol) is because of the questions that pilots ask. If one person asks a question, chances are there are others out there wondering the same thing. This article will […]
Read moreWinds Aloft: Sources of Information
The Summer 2016 newsletter article on trade wind inversions referenced the weather balloons we launch twice a day from Lihue and Hilo, which measure winds aloft in addition to temperature and moisture. In this article we’ll look at two additional sources of wind information: radar wind observations and the automated winds aloft forecasts.
Read moreTrade Wind Inversions
In the Winter 2014 newsletter, I talked about trade winds and briefly touched on trade wind inversions. Inversions have a big impact on the weather we see in Hawaii, and knowing more about them may be of interest to pilots. What Is An Inversion? Temperature normally decreases with height in the atmosphere. (The higher you […]
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