Flying in Hawaii

Flying in HAWAII

BY JAMES ALAGGIO

Paraglider and glider pilot James Alaggio lives in Hawaii. His day job is as a Boeing 767 pilot for Hawaiian Airlines, a position he took so that he could live his soaring dreams. Hawaii offers unexpected opportunities for some great soaring as James explains. You won’t make any great distance flights, but height gains are common and the flying in the islands is very scenic. It would make the ideal winter holiday destination for Kiwi gliding families, offering something for everyone.

I’m from New Jersey, United States. I had my first glider flight at age 13 and have been in love with soaring with the birds ever since. I started flying in a 1946 Schweizer 2-22 and did my first solo 5-hour flight in a Schweizer 1-26 just outside of New York Airspace with Boeing 747s flying under me. All I wanted to do, and all I still want to do, is soar efficiently like migrating raptors. Those birds, especially the hawks, inspired me to start cross-country soaring and seeking how to most efficiently harness the incredible energy of the sky. I worked at the gliderport every summer and weekend day and flew at every opportunity. I was lucky enough to have received considerable training from local sailplane racing mentors and from the U.S. Junior World Soaring team flying Duo Discus’.

At 17 years old, I realised I had to build my life so that one day I would be able to immerse myself in soaring. I worked every day to make my dream job a reality. Fast forward 13 years and I am honoured today to be a Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767 pilot.

In Hawaii, the endless trade winds produce predictable ridge lift almost every day of the year. I have personally flown a 56 kilometre paraglider flight in the laminar lift ahead of the 3,000 feet mountain range which conveniently sits perpendicular to the prevailing trade winds. Along with the ridge lift, we have great little thermals and occasionally phenomenal local wave, recorded as high as 38,700 feet by Dave Bigelow. Many Hawaiian wave exploration flights have taken glider pilots well over 20,000 feet on cross-country flights in excess of 100 kilometres. There have been conditions recorded that would enable a 500 kilometre crossing of the entire state – however logistical challenges have prevented such attempts. The optimal conditions for wave require

the standard upper-level West winds to align with the Northeast trade winds. This happens most frequently in October-May although wave has been observed throughout the year.

The author

Hawaii, and specifically the island of Oahu, has a rich soaring history, beginning with an International Soaring Record duration flight being made here on December 18, 1931. William Cocke Jr. flew his glider ‘Nighthawk’ for 21 hours and 34 minutes in the smooth ridge lift. To allow the record flight, the mountain was illuminated at night by the U.S. Army’s 64th Coast Artillery Battery. Gliding rides for tourists became very popular on Oahu starting in the 1970s. This continues today. The gliders operate nearly every day of the year in the consistent ‘laboratory’ ridge soaring conditions.

Over Oahu

There are three Glider Flight Schools and ride operations located at Dillingham Airfield on Oahu’s famous North Shore. We use tow planes and a winch for launches from our 9,000 feet asphalt runway. This was previously used for B-24 Liberator bombers in WWII. Our typical tow to 700 feet is usually all that is required since our local ridge, the foot of the 4,000 feet mountain is located on the airport property. The operators use 3-seat Schweizer 2-32s, ASK-21s, Grob 103s. Private ships include an MDM-1 Fox, Blanik, Libelle, older motor gliders and my Discus.

When I am not flying the 767, you will find me flying my Schempp Hirth Discus B, exploring local soaring possibilities or flying inverted in the MDM-1 Fox while training for the next World Glider Aerobatic Competition. Dillingham is one of the few places in the world where you can do unlimited aerobatics for many hours, utilising only one tow. My dream is to inspire the next generation of soaring pilots using HD imagery and the

accessibility of incredible daily soaring conditions here in Hawaii. My experience running a very successful aviation based afterschool enrichment program has inspired me to create unique and incredible soaring opportunities for kids of all ages. We currently have Aviation Explorers and EAA Young Eagles programmes running for the kids to get them up soaring among the birds!

I have so much to learn and catch up on after putting my soaring passion on hold for nearly 13 years. Recently I was lucky enough to have some great 500 km cross-country flights in an ASH-25 [not in Hawaii] and have also had one of the best soaring experiences wave soaring up to Mt. Cook with Gavin Wills of Glide Omarama. I was incredibly impressed with the competency and hospitality of the NZ pilots and I thank you for welcoming me into your community. I’ll be frequenting the South Island when wave season comes around!

Learn more about Soaring in Hawaii by following “soar_

hawaii” on Instagram.

Aloha!

Wave over the big island