After more than three years of trying, Maui-based commuter airline Pacific Wings is finally getting its hangar at Kahului Airport. Final OK near
for Pacific Wings
hangar at Kahului
By Russ Lynch
rlynch@starbulletin.comThe state Department of Transportation has agreed to lease the airline 6,600 square feet of unimproved land at the airport.
Pacific Wings President Greg Kahlstorf said that as soon as all the legalities are cleared the airline will build a three-story facility combining aircraft maintenance, the company's administrative offices and flight operations.
Kahlstorf also said he has been able to arrange counter space at Hilo Airport and is ready to expand the airline's interisland service. Pacific Wings is already experimenting with Maui-Hilo flights, he said.
"We are planning to introduce scheduled service" on the Kahului-Hilo route, he said. Pacific Wings has about 50 flights a day on routes such as Kahului-Hana, Kahului-Kamuela, Kamuela-Honolulu, Kahului-Molokai, Honolulu-Kahului, Honolulu-Hana and Hana-Molokai.
The airline uses propeller-driven Cessna aircraft with up to eight passenger seats.
Pacific Wings has been operating out of temporary quarters at Kahului for about four years, while waiting for its own space.
The state Board of Land and Natural Resources was expected to approve today a request from transportation officials to convey the land to Pacific Wings. The airports agreement calls for the airline to pay lease rent of $6,336 a year for the first five years and $7,286 a year for an additional five years.
Kahlstorf said he is pleased at what he considers a new level of cooperation from the airports system after years of "fighting and fussing."
He said the Kahului facility will be compact but will meet the airline's needs.
Department of Transportation
State Board of Land and Natural Resources
