Hawaiian Airlines Turboprop Subsidiary Had Certification Delayed By Sequestration, Partial Government Shutdown

A planned inter-island turboprop subsidiary of Hawaiian Airlines has resumed the FAA certification process after being delayed by sequestration and what was described as a "lack of FAA resources."

Ohana by Hawaiian has resumed non-revenue demonstration flights, according to the carrier's managing director Hadden Watt. Pacific Business News reports that the airline had hoped to be flying between Honolulu International Airport and Molokai and Lanai in the summer of 2013, but the certification process ground to a halt first due to sequestration and then the selective shutdown of some parts of the federal government.

Watt said that the carrier is near the end of its preliminary work and flights operating without passengers under FAA observation have already begun. “Proving flights will involve our crews operating flights between Honolulu and Lanai and Molokai without passengers, just with FAA observers, making sure we do everything to their satisfaction," Watt said.

The airline will fly 42-seat ATR42 aircraft which are currently still on the mainland being painted in the airline's livery, including designs by a local Hilo artist. The airline will have two ATRs in service and keep a third in reserve.

Watt said it was not possible to give a date for FAA certification, but did say that scheduled service would begin within a month of the agency's approval.

(Image from Ohana by Hawaiian YouTube video)

FMI: www.hawaiianairlines.com/ohana, www.faa.gov