Navigating flights between US mainland & Hawaii: Procedures & challenges

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Navigating flights between US mainland & Hawaii: Procedures & challenges

Policy

Joanna Bailey Managing Editor | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Jul 8, 2024

ETOPS rules permit two-engine planes to safely fly overwater distances, and the Pacific route between the US mainland and Hawaii is notable for its distance from alternate airports. Flight plans for this crossing rely on the Central East Pacific Route System (CEP), which uses pre-coded routes and fixed waypoints for navigation. Pilots communicate with Oakland Oceanic Control Center through CPDLC and monitor guard frequencies for weather and turbulence reports during the four-hour radio silence.

The airspace between the US mainland and the Hawaiian Islands is increasingly busy. Six passenger airlines and multiple cargo carriers operate flights between US mainland cities and various destinations across Hawaii. While most Hawaii-bound flights originate from the West Coast of the US, it is now possible to fly to Honolulu from places as far off as Boston, Washington, DC, and Detroit.

With many flights traversing oceanic airspace, there is a need for procedures and routing to streamline this operational corridor. ETOPS rules allow two-engine planes to fly large distances overwater while complying with high levels of safety in case of an engine failure. The distance between the mainland US and Hawaii is significant because it represents one of the furthest straight-line distances from a suitable alternate airport.

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The distance between San Francisco and Honolulu is about 2,100 nautical miles, nearly equal to that between San Francisco and Washington, DC. Flying between the mainland and Hawaii equates to flying from the East Coast to the West Coast without any airports in between. San Francisco is typically designated as the mainland ETOPS alternate in case of a diversion.

Calculating the equal time point (ETP) is essential for dispatchers and pilots. From a dispatching perspective, they must plan for worst-case scenarios such as cabin pressurization loss near the ETP. There must be enough fuel onboard to descend to 10,000 feet and either continue to Hawaii or return to San Francisco.

Flight plans for crossing from the mainland to Hawaii are constructed using CEP tracks, which are more like airways defined by waypoints that do not change. For example, airway R464 consists of waypoints named BAART, BARAZ, BILLO, BEKME, BOARD, and BITTA.

Pilots transition from CEP system routes to arrivals at their respective airports approximately 230 nautical miles from landing when contact with Honolulu Control is established.

Oakland's oceanic control center manages a vast amount of airspace in the Pacific. Pilots primarily use CPDLC (Controller Pilot Data Link Comms) similar to text messaging for communication with Oakland Oceanic Control Center. Voice communications are minimal; pilots test their HF radios upon entering oceanic airspace but otherwise use SELCAL pings if controllers need voice communication.

During approximately four hours out of radio contact with ATC, pilots monitor guard frequency (121.5) and frequency 123.45 for peer-to-peer communication about turbulence or weather conditions.

Overall, flying between the US mainland and Hawaii involves extensive planning but relatively straightforward execution compared to other oceanic routes due to its purely domestic nature requiring only a single clearance.