Sir Richard Branson

Virgin Group's founder Sir Richard Branson addresses the media and airline employees at the launch of Virgin America's service between San Francisco and Honolulu. Sir Richard was one of the passengers aboard the inaugural Airbus A320 flight from San Francisco.

Virgin America was a sister airline to the airlines in the UK and Australia. It was later acquired by Alaska Airlines a few years after.

Rugby League Ball

A Rugby League match ball lays on the Aloha Stadium Sport Turf during a press event to promote a Rugby League event that was about to be held in 2014.

Happy 110th!

This week would have been my Grandpa's 110th birthday. He lived to 106 years of age. This photo was taken at his 100th birthday party. 

Sleeping Bag?

On occasion, Yuki likes to go inside the pillowcase like a sleeping bag to sleep. She's had this habit since she was a puppy.

Flying Into Night

As our flight traverses from Los Angeles to Atlanta, the sky transitions from day to night somewhere over Arizona. The dusk colors give way to the darkness of night.

Sweetheart Rock

One of the notable landmarks on the island of Lānaʻi, is Puʻu Pehe (or Sweetheart Rock). Itʻs located on a short hike, east of the Four Seasons Manele Bay. It's now a seabird sanctuary. I was on Lānaʻi as part of a media event of ʻOhana by Hawaiian that not only featured the flight, but a day trip to Lānaʻi City and the Four Seasons Manele Bay Resort.

There is a ancient Hawaiian legend about the romance between a prince and princess that ended tragically.

Happy 19th Birthday Emi!

This week, our feisty, little miniature dachshund, Emi, turns 19! According to a pet age chart, in human years, she is going to be equivalent of a 92-year-old. This photo was taken while posing her for a Christmas photo.

NFL Kick-off Week

This is the first week of the 2022 National Football League regular season.

In December 2014, we got tickets to a Seattle Seahawks game, versus the Los Angeles Rams at Centurylink Field (now Lumen Field). The game was sold out, and in the temperature was in the mid-to-low 40s. It was a great game, and even better, with the Seahawks winning, 20-16.

HNL Sunset

Sunset at the Daniel K Inouye International Airport, as a Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717 rolls out after landing from an inter-island flight, and an American Airlines Boeing 777 at one of the Center Concourse gates.

Makai Pier Beach

The beach on the north side of the Makai Pier, at the Makai Pier Research Facility, in Waimānalo, looking toward the upper part of Waimānalo and Kailua.

Hawaiian Blessing

A maile lei draped across railings, and ti leaves atop a koa bowl filled with water, sits on the steps of Island Air's new Dash8-Q400 before it receives its Hawaiian blessing before the aircraft was put into service.

During a Hawaiian blessing, the minister will offer a prayer, usually a Christian one, for those of the airline, and of the aircraft. The minister will then walk around and inside the aircraft sprinkling water with the ti leaves. Finally, the maile lei is untied by someone from the airline, usually the CEO, and the lei is placed on top of the instrument panel in the cockpit.

ER-2S

NASA brought over its Lockheed ER-2S research aircraft to the islands for oceanic and volcanic research flights. It was photographed above as it taxied out for take-off on two-and-a-half hour flight from Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i. HNL RareBirds was on-hand to capture the pre-flight, take-off, arrival, and post-flight of the ER-2S. If this aircraft looks like a US Air Force U-2S reconnaissance aircraft, that's because it was loaned to NASA, and converted for environmental research.

High Stepping

Pearl City Chargers' wide receiver Makoa Cooper (purple jersey 3) high steps to avoid Roosevelt Roughriders defensive back Jared Elwin (white jersey 3, on ground), as fellow Roughrider defensive back Myka Kukahiwa closes in on Cooper. The Chargers blanked the Roughriders, 42-0.

This is the opening weekend for the 2022 Hawai‘i high school football season, with pre-season interleave matchups.

Sea Otter

One of the sea otters at the Seattle Aquarium, relaxes by floating on its back in the otter display.

Service Rehearsal

The hula and worship teams from New Hope Leeward rehearsing for their Good Friday service. I was on the low-front camera, which was on a tripod-dolly. We on the Tech Team, were doing our camera blocking for the service elements.

Sleeping Kid

One of the kids at Surfing Goat Dairy, takes its nap on a plastic chair. Surfing Goat Dairy, located in Kula, Maui, offers tours of their goat farm, and farm-made dairy products.

Spotting Time

One of my fellow planespotter friends, Bill, was back home from the mainland, and got in some aviation photography time at the airport. He lucked out on his first day, and got photos of this Urumqi Air Boeing 737-800 as it taxied past us. This 737 was making its delivery flight from Boeing Field, and was taxing for departure to Majuro (its next fuel stop), then onto Guam, Beijing, and finally Ürümqi.

Kaloko Beach

The rocks leading to Kaloko Beach on O‘ahu's southeast shoreline, with Koko Head in the background.

The Boss And The New Plane

At the introduction and the blessing of their first new Airbus A321neo, N202HA "Maile", Hawaiian Airlines President & CEO Mark Dunkerley poses in front of the new airliner prior to the open house, blessing, and media event.  After I took this photo, he asked if I could take one with his camera. It turns out that after the blessing was done, he announced to the media his retirement from the airline.

Puppy Love

Yuki gives Emi some love and affection.