Race to Hawaii

By: Jason Ryan

Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright

Today, a trip to Hawaii is a simple six-hour flight from the West Coast. But almost a century ago, the first flights to Hawaii required a nerve-racking and uncertain 26-hour journey to isolated and elusive islands located in the middle of the world's largest ocean. Pilots prayed they would encounter land after flying a full day and night across 2,400 miles of the open Pacific.

Race to Hawaii chronicles the thrilling first flights to Hawaii in the 1920s, during the Golden Age of Aviation. These journeys were fraught with danger. To reach the tiny islands, fearless pilots flew unreliable and fragile aircraft outfitted with primitive air-navigation equipment. The first attempts were made by the US Navy in the flying boat PN-9 No. One, whose crew endured a harrowing crossing. Next were Army Air Corps aviators and a civilian pilot, who informally raced each other to Hawaii in the weeks after Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis in Paris.

Finally came the Dole Derby, an unprecedented 1927 air race in which eight planes set off at once across the Pacific, all eager to reach the islands first and claim a cash prize offered by "Pineapple King" James Dole. Military men, barnstormers, a schoolteacher, a Wall Street bond salesman, a Hollywood stunt flyer, and veteran World War aces all encountered every type of hazard during their perilous flights, from fuel shortages to failed engines, forced sea landings and severe fatigue, to navigational errors. With so many pilots taking aim at the far-flung islands in so many different types of planes, everyone wondered who would reach Hawaii first, or at all.

©2018 Jason Ryan (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Great

I went into this book without knowing or caring much about the subject. Fortunately the story is good. The author develops the characters and setting at the time. He does this without getting bogged down in trivial details. I highly recommend the book. Narrator is excellent!

a surprise story about early aviation

a most interesting story, quite unknown to me, about the pioneers first flights from San Francisco to Hawaii. a great listen.

Incredible Look at History!

this was a very detail oriented look backward at what great minds Achieved , Awasome!

Calm winds and Clear Skies

This was a true gem that showcases an exciting but forgotten chapter in golden age aviation. Recommend it to anyone who loves aviation, and sincerely hope that this will become a movie someday.

Surprisingly interesting topic

If you have interest in any portion of aviation or it’s history I think this book is a very good listen. I personally did not know about this topic or event and found myself diving into a wormhole of research based on the topics in it. It is very well put together and well read. Even for those looking for an exciting story this book is a good read.