An instantly recognizable relic of bygone times has found a new home.

The life-sized horse and buggy that graced the showroom at the old Schuman Carriage for more than five decades is on display at Makani Kai Helicopters' new facility on Iolana Place in the airport area.

The connection is Makani Kai President and owner Richard Schuman, 4th generation descendant of a family that came to Hawaii in 1884, which has always been in the transportation business - in one form or another.

The old horse and buggy provide considerable contrast to Schuman's brand new, built-from-the-ground-up helicopter tour center off Lagoon Drive.

Makani Kai was previously on a month-to-month lease on state land, but “;all the stars lined up and we were able to get a nice piece of property from the state ... and a 30-year lease,”; he said.

The building was custom-designed and has koa veneer flooring, a 300-gallon aquarium, a logo shop, large lobby and flat-screen televisions with satellite uplinks.

Schuman is very proud of the bathrooms.

“;I spent extra time on them,”; he said.

One might expect an air tour operator to have a rest room off the reception area in a hangar that would be dingy, grimy and generally yukky.

Schuman had a different idea for his.

“;I wanted them to look like the Halekulani.”;

He knows men are generally more interested in tools and stuff, but “;the women, they'll go into the bathroom and see marble tiles, flowers, big mirrors and beautiful pictures. I really wanted it to look like a five-star hotel,”; he said.

His passengers come from all over the world, he said. “;You name the country.”;

His customers, however, are also Expedia, American Express and Pleasant Holidays, who book visitors' entire trips, from flights to cars, hotels and activities.

“;I need to take care of their customers, and if I do a good job, that customer goes back ... and says, 'I had a wonderful time.'”;

However, he also hopes his customers have a great experience in Hawaii so they will return.

“;Everyone here has the responsibility to make that tourist, which is our state's customer, have a great time,”; he said.

When something goes wrong, Schuman's company is a supporter of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, which steps in when crime and visitors intersect.

But back to the stuffed horse and the buggy - which people look at with their tour helicopter parked outside.

“;To bridge that gap is kind of like Star Trek,”; Schuman said. They feel like a part of history, which gives them “;a uniquely different experience that they cannot experience anywhere else ... in my industry.”;