The Hawaiian proverb “I ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope,” or “The future lies in the past,” carries a sentiment that is deeply woven into the fabric of Hawaiian Airlines. The endeavor to preserve our 90-year history hasn’t been an easy feat; however, sharing these moments, milestones and memories has played a pivotal role in telling our story to the world.

We owe our gratitude to Capt. Richard “Rick” W. Rogers, a longtime company pilot who, upon his retirement, worked enthusiastically to keep our mana‘o (thoughts, knowledge) alive as our airline’s archivist. Though it is with great sadness that we share Rogers, 70, passed away last month doing what he loved most: flying recreationally on O‘ahu’s North Shore.

Rogers in 2005 when he was an active Hawaiian Airlines pilot.

 

As we reflect on the life and achievements of our beloved colleague and friend, this post will serve as Rogers’ final feature in the “Flyback Friday” series.

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Rogers’ life was nothing short of extraordinary, and he kept his cup overflowing with a love for history. A jack of all trades, he was a father, grandfather, husband, pilot, Army veteran, historian, shipwreck diver, hunter, flight instructor, beachcomber, entrepreneur, artist, farmer, fisherman, and author.

When not carefully curating our rich history, Rogers loved to fly his glider plane out of the Dillingham Airfield and worked passionately to preserve the history of Hale‘īwa, his hometown on the North Shore. One of his efforts led to the installation of plaques identifying sites of historical significance throughout Hale‘īwa.

One of the historical plaques Rogers helped create alongside local historical groups.

 

Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Rogers launched his adventurous career on the shores off Vietnam as a salvage diver during the war. He became hooked on flying after taking a lesson while in dive school and later used his army earnings to pay for his pilot’s license.

Rogers sharing photos of women throughout our history during a 2018 Girls in Aviation Day event at our headquarters.

In January 1987, after several years of flight instructing and operating scenic air tours around Hawai‘i, Rogers joined Hawaiian Airlines as a Dash 7 pilot. Over the course of two decades, he experienced our airline’s fleet and network evolution from the flight deck, operating our DC-8s, DC-9s, Boeing 717s and 767s.

When Rogers wasn’t transporting our guests, he was raising four kids with his wife Lois and pursuing a career in marine archaeology. He recounted years’ worth of diving adventures in a book he published in 1999, called “Shipwrecks of Hawai‘i: A Maritime History of the Big Island.”

Rogers retired in 2010 and naturally segued into an archivist role after we reacquired our first plane, the Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker, in 2009, ahead of our then-80th anniversary. For the next decade, he dedicated himself to cataloging the volumes of historical artifacts in our company collection, including images, posters, correspondence, manuals, uniforms, models, trinkets and more.

Rogers, pictured left, during the reveal of the Capt. Jimmy Hogg wall, which can still be viewed today at OGG.

He was known for his quirky personality and creative archives projects, including (but not limited to):

• In 2014, he helped create a wall display at Gate 19 at Maui’s Kahului Airport that introduces travelers to Jimmy Hogg, a Hawaiian Airlines pilot and aviation pioneer who lent the last three letters of his last name to the airport’s designator code: OGG. A similar wall at Kapalua-West Maui honors former Hawaiian Airlines CEO John H. Magoon, whose initials, JHM, form that airport’s designator code.
• In 2017, in celebration of our 88th anniversary, he installed a time capsule at our Charles I. Elliott Maintenance and Cargo Facility. The capsule will be enshrined until 2079 – the year of our 150^th anniversary.
• In 2019, as we geared up for our 90th anniversary, he led several historical showcases, including a “mini-museum” at our Honolulu-based headquarters and a Hawaiian Airlines window display at Saks Fifth Avenue in Waikīkī.

Rogers in 2017 showing the camera a time capsule that is still concealed beneath a stairwell in the Charles I. Elliott Maintenance and Cargo Facility.

 

Rogers has contributed to our Mana‘o blog since it was launched in June 2018 and served as the proud owner of the “Flyback Friday,” a monthly series revisiting noteworthy company accomplishments. He was also a regular contributor to our in-flight magazine, HanaHou!, where he penned a “From the Archives” column featured in the ‘Ohana Pages.

A memorial service was held in Hale‘īwa last Sunday, March 8, where family and friends gathered to share their memories of Rogers. His ashes were spread across the coastline and a cohort of small planes flown by his close friends performed a special fly-by salute. One of the aircraft was the Bellanca CH 300 Pacemaker, which dropped 30,000 flowers from the sky in honor of the long-lasting impact Rogers left on our airline. 

A collage the family put together for Rogers’ service on O‘ahu’s North Shore.

 

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Please join us in remembering the remarkable life of our archivist, colleague and friend Capt. Rick Rogers:

“Rick was a true aviation buff who loved and admired our industry. He will be deeply missed,” said Peter Ingram, our president and CEO, in a company memo to employees. “I send my aloha and heartfelt condolences to his wife, Lois, and his many friends here at Hawaiian Airlines.”

“Rick was a unique and wonderful person and pleasure to know,” said Ann Botticelli, our senior vice president of corporate communications and public affairs, the department where Rogers’ archival initiatives took shape. “He was a passionate protector of history, an aviation enthusiast, an author, and a marine archeologist. In short, he was a renaissance man and all of us were very lucky to have spent time with him.”

A fellow employee’s picture of Rogers in his glider over the North Shore in 2019.

“I always looked forward to days when I was scheduled to fly with Rick. [He was] always technically proficient, but still had an upbeat attitude that made him a pleasure to spend the day with,” said Ken Rewick, our vice president of flight operations who once piloted our planes alongside Rogers. “We would fill the time between flights sharing stories about our early days flying in Hawai‘i and Rick’s research chronicling shipwrecks throughout the Islands. I’ll always remember him as an energetic, passionate and eternally youthful person. He will be missed, but not forgotten.”

“Rick was an original who added texture to life and whose enthusiasm always lifted spirits,” said Mark Dunkerley, our former president and CEO who spearheaded the re-acquisition and restoration of our Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker – the project that started Rogers’ archivist career.

Rogers, pictured far right, during the unveiling of our Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker after the completion of its first restoration in 2009.

“I was first acquainted with Rogers in 1978 when he was my flight instructor, and in 1987, we became classmates at Hawaiian Airlines,” said Kirk McBride, one of our Airbus A330 captains. “One of my favorite experiences with him was just last year when we flew an American Champion Citabria together. Godspeed, Rick Rogers. He will always hold a special place with me.”

“Capt. Rick was always generous with his time, knowledge, and enthusiasm,” said Julie Ng, a lead business functional analyst in our technical operations team who often donated her time to help Rogers in the archives. “During my time volunteering in the archives, we cataloged around 1,000 artifacts – and he had a background story for almost every item. Capt. Rick loved getting visitors to the archives and sharing the history of Hawaiian Airlines with others.”

Rogers, pictured far right, when he was a pilot for a company called Scenic Air Tours.

“Rick and I flew air tours together in Twin Beech (Beechcraft Model 18) aircraft in the old days. His unique perspective to flying and all things historical made him one of the most exceptional pilots with whom I have shared the sky,” said Bruce Mayes, a longtime friend of Rogers who piloted one of the aircraft that flew over his service last weekend. “In my flying tribute over his celebration of life on Sunday, I honor a talented friend and outstanding pilot.”

Those wishing to offer support to the Rogers family are encouraged to direct their donations to The Ninety-Nines, an international organization of women aviators that is dedicated to the advancement of aviation through education, scholarships, and mutual support. To make a contribution in honor of Capt. Rick Rogers, please click here.

Alisa Onishi’s love for storytelling is a big part of the reason Hawaiian Airlines is one of the most recognized brands in the airline industry.

It was under her detail-oriented eyes that many of our latest and most visual initiatives – such as a comprehensive brand refresh, Disney’s Moana livery, new uniforms designed by Sig Zane, and in-flight amenity kits and soft goods by Kealopiko – came to fruition so seemingly, well, seamless.

Onishi and Avi Mannis, senior vice president of marketing, pictured in front of an aircraft being prepare for its first service with the new livery.

 

Onishi, director of brand management, was born and raised on O‘ahu and graduated from Kamehameha Schools before enrolling at Chapman University and finishing her degree at Hawaii Pacific University. After graduating with a visual communications degree, she set her sights on a career in broadcast journalism and landed a job at a local television station.

Despite the thrill of being on camera, she found herself more interested in the behind-the-scenes production process. “I thought I wanted to be on camera, but I fell in love with the people behind the camera,” Onishi recalled. “I learned that I enjoyed writing and producing really good stories and did that for a couple of years.”

Five years (and a few film jobs) later, Onishi broke into the marketing world, and in 2011 found her niche at Hawaiian Airlines’ marketing promotions team.

“I got to launch a bunch of promotional events like route launches for Brisbane, Taiwan, Auckland, Beijing, Chitose, among others, and host a lot of fun experiences,” she said. “For example, we created a stage of snow at the Sapporo Snow Festival with a 70-foot ice sculpture of Diamond Head and had hula dancers dancing on the ice.”

A photo of the massive display that Onishi's team created for the 2013 Sapporo Snow Fesitval.

 

Onishi’s experience in sharing our company’s Hawaiian hospitality and dedication to Hawai‘i's culture made her a natural fit for a role in brand management. When the job opened and she was encouraged to apply, she welcomed the opportunity despite her fears. “I was a little nervous because I knew it was a big role to fill and I wasn’t quite sure I was ready for it…but I believe that if you’re scared to do something, then you’re probably taking the right leap.”

In her role for over six years, she’s come to appreciate that a normal workday is far from normal.

“A typical day for me could range from starting the day with cleaning out my inbox or being on set at our maintenance hangar for an [Airbus] A330 aircraft photoshoot,” she said.

The Onishi ʻohana

 

When she’s not at work, she and her husband, Brandon, are at home busy taking care of their two keiki, Callie, 10, and Colten, 6, and pomski Mochi.

Her team oversees Hawaiian’s global brand strategy and visual identity. But Onishi says her job extends beyond our airline’s external expression and she remains equally dedicated to providing our employees with the resources they need to succeed.

“We curate, design and understand how we want to be seen externally as a brand. The way we do that is by making sure our people have the tools and guidance they need to do their job well – without forcing it,” she said “It comes down to how we behave, what our character is, how we make decisions and how we express ourselves at Hawaiian — not just in our ads but also in our emails to each other.”

Her current focus is ensuring employees feel equipped and empowered to represent Hawaiian Airlines and do their jobs in a way that is in line with our company values and representative of Hawai‘i’s warm host culture.

“One of the biggest challenges is that the brand is owned by everyone. We have 7,500-plus employees who reflect the brand every day, and it can be difficult to remind everyone of us how important they are, whether they interact with our guests daily or not.”

Onishi, who oversaw the redesign of our uniforms, at our Honolulu-base uniform center. Her team manages the center, which houses branded apparel for all pilots, flight attendants, guest services, maintenance and cargo employee.

 

She added, “It’s not only about flying our guests safely from point A to B and letting them experience Hawai‘i on their own. It’s about taking them on that journey and offering up the knowledge that we have (as hosts of this place) that no other airline has or needs to have.”

As our airline continues to thrive, Onishi believes that it’ll become more important for Hawaiian Airlines to stay true to its roots while also pushing our employees to think bigger in the role we play in representing Hawai‘i.

“Unlike other industries, our brand in the travel world is so much more important to our success as a company. My goal is to constantly push us to be better, from bolder designs to crafting stories with more intent. Traditionally, Hawaiians shared their knowledge and stories, and that was their culture—it’s how hula started and how the Hawaiian language was revitalized,” she said.

Onishi and her family with Hawai‘i actress Auliʻi Cravalho during an employee event for the launch of our Moana livery.

 

“One project that’s an example of this is our boarding video. We had a number of our Hawaiian musicians start to pass away, so we embarked on a project to capture the music of some of our greatest talents. We had an employee who was passionate about music and it was his idea to do a bunch of music videos, so he helped us create a lineup of artists who meant something to the community. Something as simple as a boarding video was a way for us to reinforce our responsibility and share artists who really mean something to Hawai‘i.”

 

One of the boarding videos Onishi's team created featuring legendary Hawai‘i musician Henry Kapono.

When asked what her guidance would be to others interested in her field, she shared, “My advice for anyone who wants to be in the creative world is to be brave. There were so many times in my life that I’d taken risks (without even knowing what the risk was) and put myself out there. Being brave enough to see opportunities and seize them and take advantage of them when you can. “

When flight HA576 from Honolulu to Maui landed at Kahului Airport in October 2018, its pilots weren’t expecting to be greeted by a new fan. But one guest, Victoria Thom, an 11-year-old aspiring pilot, was thrilled to see her flight was operated by two women and jumped at the opportunity to introduce herself. Our Boeing 717 Capt. Carrie Hironaka and First Officer Kanani Aio welcomed Thom with open arms, taking photos with her and inviting her into the cockpit before their next flight back to Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).

When Thom returned to her home in Arizona, she sent us a letter thanking the pilots for their experience:

“This flight crew was very inspirational to me because I want to be a pilot as well. It was very exciting to discover that both the Captain and First Officer were women. My dad is a pilot at JetBlue Airways, and I have wanted to fly just like him since I was two years old. After my experience flying on Hawaiian, I have decided to become a pilot at Hawaiian Airlines when I grow up,” Thom said.

“After I graduate, I will be applying to Hawaiian Airlines. I plan to interview with you in about fifteen years, so I hope you will be watching for my application. I hope to do as well as the pilots that were on our flight to Maui! Please let them know that they have truly inspired me!”

Our pilots responded to Thom with their encouragement – reflecting our airline’s dedication to molding the next generation of aviation professionals:

Hironaka and Thom in October 2018

“I love seeing youth who are passionate about aviation – and love it, even more, when it is a young female. You seem very dedicated to your goals and with the support of your family, I have no doubt you will one day be my First Officer at Hawaiian Airlines, maybe in even less than the fifteen years that you’re giving yourself,” Hironaka said in her letter. “There is nothing like the feeling of rolling down that runway and taking off up into the sky, so study hard but remember to enjoy the ride!”

Aio and Thom in October 2018

“I’m so happy to hear that you’ve decided to become a pilot and that you’ve set your heart on Hawaiian Airlines! It’s an incredible place to fly and flying between the islands is pretty special. There’s no place like it in the world,” Aio said in her response. “You’re at the beginning of an amazing journey and I’m so excited for you! It’s not always easy but it so much fun and completely worth it. Don’t ever give up and you’ll get those wings!”

So, when we discovered the Thom family would be taking another trip on Hawaiian Airlines, we knew we had to make it special.

Just in time for International Women’s Day, our ‘ohana came together to give Thom the ultimate surprise: a chance to get a head start on her career as a Hawaiian Airlines pilot.

Clark (far left) pictured with the Thom family at HNL

When the family arrived at HNL, they were greeted by Hawaiian Airlines System Chief Pilot Peter Clark. In his hands were two special gifts: a pair of Thom’s very own Hawaiian Airlines wings and a captain’s logbook to document her pilot meet-and-greets in the years to come.

Thom in the cockpit of the Airbus A330

“I’m excited about today because I started when I was 15 years old. Tori is 11, so she’s even younger than I was,” Clark said before the surprise. “For some people flying is a passion that is going to carry them all the way into retirement and I suspect Tori will be one of those, so I’m happy to light that fire.”

The captain of the Airbus A330 filling out Thom’s first logbook

Thom broke in her logbook with her first pilot signatures from the captain of her flight to HNL and given her first pair of Hawaiian Airlines wings to pin on her shirt. Clark then took Thom on a walk in a pilot’s shoes, giving her a behind-the-scenes look at pre-flight preparations at our HNL crew center.

Thom at the briefing table with the captain and flight crew of a flight heading toward Seattle

There, she was able to sit in on a flight crew briefing, meet pilots preparing for their flights and see what it takes to finalize a flight plan with our Systems Operations Control Center.

Afterward, we headed to our nearby headquarters, gave her a tour of our pilot training facility, and buckled her into the co-pilot’s seat of an Airbus A321neo simulator, giving her the wheel to fly the aircraft around Diamond Head and over urban Honolulu.

Thom in the captain’s chair of our Airbus A321neo simulator

Before the Thom family left us to embark on their vacation, we ended their pilot adventure with a personal look at our very first airplane – the 1929 Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker

The cherry on the cake, Thom took the captain’s seat in our first plane ever put into service.

“Since the first time I ever came to Hawai‘i, I was like this is where I want to fly,” said Thom. “[Hawaiian Airlines] is the best airline I’ve ever flown on.”

Our airline is proud to have one of the highest percentages of female pilots in the industry, making up nearly 10 percent of our entire pilot workforce. We strive to continue that momentum, fostering workplace diversity and creating skills-based learning opportunities tailored to educating and growing the next generation of aviation professionals.

Join us in celebrating our future pilot Victoria Thom and the next generation of aviation leaders.

For images from Thom’s surprise, check out the slideshow below. To enlarge the photos, click the images.