π
2022-12-14 01:01
in Nflying
It had been a while, but since I had a good excuse to go spend a few days in Hawaii and the Big Island sounded like a good idea thanks to the recent lava flows. Unfortunately those lava flows stopped a few days before we arrived, so not very exciting pictures, but it was still a fun flight.
The only downside was the price of $500/h for C182+CFI, it's 60% more expensive than flying in CA, which is already not cheap.
I had to look up my last flight, it was in 2009: Flight Around Hawaii's Big Island
Here is the flight this time:
Anyway, I'm glad there was a single flight club left on the island with a single plane left able to take 3 people (C182):
I had to wait a bit before takeoff:
Kona is the main airport on the big island
finally taking off
Kona has boats, snorkling and diving
The full tour of the island takes time, even in a C182, it was 2.8H total. It was nice to see the stark contrast between the different sides of the island:
my trusty copilot/CFI, who thankfully did all the radio and airspace work
even the kona side had older lava flows
beautiful waters too
more lava flow
stark altitude contrast
south tip of the island
After a while, we finally arrived to volcano national park:
crater road used to go around, but the volcano grew and took the road away
Jagger Museum is now closed because it's now on the edge of the crater and was damaged by earthquake
After a few loops, down chasins of crater road:
cool road to nowhere (after lava flow)
After that, got to Hilo and did the rest of the island loop:
lots of bridges
many waterfalls
Waipo valley
And finally back to Kona airport after 2.8h, also clearly built on top of a lava flow:
Not cheap, but it was fun to do this flight again after 13 years ;) |
