Hawaiian Airlines enshrines time capsule to be opened in 2079

Hawaiian Airlines archivist Capt. Rick Rogers. (Image: Hawaiian Airlines)

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - To celebrate 88 years of flying in Hawaii skies, Hawaiian Airlines held a dedication ceremony for its new hangar Saturday.

The hangar was named to honor Charles I. Elliott, the pilot of the maiden Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to Hilo on Nov. 11, 1929.

Part of the dedication ceremony included the sealing of a special Hawaiian Airlines time capsule.

The time capsule, named "HAL", is a miniature reproduction of an LD3 cargo container. Employees filled the capsule with historical documents, publications, awards and an entire digital copy of the airline's archives.

HAL was enshrined beneath a stairwell in the facility. The capsule will sit there, sealed for the next 62 years, when it will be opened on Nov. 11, 2079, the company's 150th anniversary.

As the company preserves the past, they look to the future, and evolving Hawaii air travel.

"Over nearly nine decades, we have evolved from a two-airplane operator flying between the islands into a world-class carrier with more than 50 aircraft and 30 local, mainland and international destinations served," Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian Airlines president and CEO said.

"This hangar opening marks a new chapter for Hawaiian Airlines of growth, local employment and further economic contributions to our community," Dunkerly added.

The Charles I. Elliott hangar sits can house up to five Boeing 717 aircraft at once in the 95,000 square-foot facility.