Charlie Fern’s historic flight to Kauai

On Saturday morning, May 8, 1920, Charles “Charlie” Fern — pioneer aviator and future longtime editor and publisher of Kauai’s The Garden Island newspaper — completed the longest non-stop over water flight ever made in the Hawaiian Islands up to that time. His flight covered a distance of 100 miles from Luke Field on Ford Island, Oahu, to the Waipouli Race Track, once situated makai of today’s Plantation Hale Resort.

With Mr. Curtis on board as mechanic, Fern piloted the flight in his JN4D Jenny, “Aloha Hawaii,” with its 90 horsepower OX5 engine and enough fuel to cruise for 2 ½ hours.

Fern later stated that he and Curtis expected to remain on Kauai for three or four weeks and that everybody desiring to fly would be given the opportunity (for the price of $10 a hop).

And, he had nothing but praise for the Waipouli Race Track as an aviation field, describing it as the best field for that purpose in the Territory.

Coequally sharing in Fern’s memorable accomplishment were Army Major John Curry and Lieut. Lester Maitland, as alternate pilot, with Corporal Black, mechanic, in seaplane 215, while in seaplane 212 were Lieuten- ants Ralph Wooten and John Landfall, alternate pilot, with Lieutenant Gowan, radio officer.

The Army aviators had accompanied Fern across the Kauai Channel and had landed nicely on Hanamaulu Bay shortly before Fern’s touchdown at Waipouli.

At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Lieut. Maitland took plane 212 up for two flights, much to the delight of the large number of spectators in attendance — most of whom had never seen an airplane before.

Before departing for Luke Field on Tuesday, May 11, at 7:12 a.m., Major Curry said that he planned to make trips to Kauai in the future, and since Waipouli was such an excellent airfield, the flights would be made in Haviland land planes.

A radio message announcing the Army seaplanes’ safe arrival at Pearl Harbor was received that day at 9 a.m.