Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (2024)

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The first advances in transpacific flying came from Pan American World Airways, one of the earliest leaders in aviation. Here's Pan Am scouting the first transpacific route, flying from San Francisco to Honolulu in 1935. The flight was operated on a four-engine flying boat that could land on water if need be, a luxury that most modern airliners do not have. Island hopping was a common practice in the early days of transpacific flying, with the propeller aircraft of the time not having the range of today's airliners. A flight between California and China, for example, would need to stop in Hawaii, Midway Island, Wake Island, Guam and Manila along the way, a week's journey. As aircraft technology advanced following the war, routes grew longer and a flight from Sydney to San Francisco, for example, could be flown with only two stops in Fiji and Hawaii on aircraft such as the Lockheed Constellation... And later, the Boeing 707. Quad-engine narrow-body aircraft such as the Douglas DC-8 could also make the journey between the US and Asia with a single stop, greatly bringing travel times down. The strides made by the jet age of the mid-1900s soon allowed for nonstop flights over the Pacific Ocean between continents, with the four-engine Boeing 747 being able to fly from cities throughout the mainland US to Asia, Australia, and Oceania with ease. The 747 later became a staple on transpacific flights thanks to its capacity and range. Three and four-engine aircraft dominated the skies over the Pacific as the prevailing theory for flying over the ocean was that there was safety in the number of engines a plane had. The revolution in transpacific flying then came in the mid-1980s when the Federal Aviation Administration granted twin-engine aircraft the ability to fly overwater routes through a program called Extended Twin-engine Overwater Performance Standards or ETOPS. Under ETOPS, twin-engine aircraft were given ratings in minutes that determined how far they can stray from a diversion airport in the event of an engine failure where an emergency landing would be required. The first twin-engine aircraft to perform an ETOPS flight was a Trans World Airlines Boeing 767 that flew transatlantic between New York and Paris, kicking off a twin-engine revolution in aviation that would see the demise of three and four-engine aircraft. With relaxed rules for twin-engine aircraft flying over water, Boeing and Airbus both developed widebody, twin-engine aircraft including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 designed to operate overwater routes more efficiently than larger aircraft. The practice soon expanded to the Pacific, with flights to Asia increasing being operated by twin-engine flights on North Pacific routes. Soon enough, twin-engine planes were taking over routes over both oceans and serving destinations once only served by planes with more than two engines. Qantas became one of the more recent airlines to retire its Boeing 747s from transpacific routes in 2019, largely replacing them with twin-engine aircraft,... Such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Flying over the Pacific is such a common practice that even narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 can fly safely between the mainland US and Hawaii and even between Alaska and Hawaii. Routes to destinations such as Australia, Tahiti, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Fiji all see twin-engine aircraft thanks to the ETOPS program. LATAM Airlines is one of the most notable airlines flying transpacific routes as it connects South America and Australia through a notoriously desolate corridor of the Pacific. The aircraft used by LATAM, however, is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which can fly for over five hours on a single-engine. FAQs

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Thomas Pallini

2020-03-15T12:51:00Z

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (1)

Transpacific flying began in 1935 with Pan American World Airways launching flying boats from San Francisco to destinations across Asia, Australia, and Oceania.
The practice quickly evolved as aircraft technology increasing, reducing the number of stops in order to traverse the ocean.
The Boeing 747 allowed for nonstop flights between continents as it traversed the Pacific with ease.
Then relaxed regulations for twin-engine aircraft later saw smaller aircraft begin flying transpacific routes.
The skies above the Pacific are now diverse with a wide variety of aircraft flying countless flights on a daily basis.
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Flying over oceans has been a common practice in aviation since before World War II.

With the aerial mode of transportation offering quicker journey times than ocean liners, airlines quickly began to standardize the practice and offer reliable, scheduled services that would be a large step in making the world a smaller place.

Transatlantic flying was the primary focus as Western Europe and the eastern United States were closer in terms of both distance and historical ties but flying over the Pacific Ocean soon became an area of interest for airlines.

Though the stakes were higher, with a notable shortage of land existing between the Hawaiian Islands and the mainland US, establishing air routes across the Pacific was of strategic importance not only for airlines seeking to grow their route networks, but also the military as World War II loomed.

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Thanks to innovations in aircraft technology, flying across the Pacific is a daily occurrence for countless airlines seeking to connect cites on both sides of the international dateline, as well as the numerous islands throughout Oceania.

The first advances in transpacific flying came from Pan American World Airways, one of the earliest leaders in aviation.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (5)

Source: Pan Am Historical Foundation

Here's Pan Am scouting the first transpacific route, flying from San Francisco to Honolulu in 1935.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (6)

Source: Pan Am Historical Foundation

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The flight was operated on a four-engine flying boat that could land on water if need be, a luxury that most modern airliners do not have.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (7)

Source: Pan Am Historical Foundation

Island hopping was a common practice in the early days of transpacific flying, with the propeller aircraft of the time not having the range of today's airliners.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (8)

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A flight between California and China, for example, would need to stop in Hawaii, Midway Island, Wake Island, Guam and Manila along the way, a week's journey.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (9)

Source: Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

As aircraft technology advanced following the war, routes grew longer and a flight from Sydney to San Francisco, for example, could be flown with only two stops in Fiji and Hawaii on aircraft such as the Lockheed Constellation...

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (10)

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And later, the Boeing 707.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (11)

Quad-engine narrow-body aircraft such as the Douglas DC-8 could also make the journey between the US and Asia with a single stop, greatly bringing travel times down.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (12)

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The strides made by the jet age of the mid-1900s soon allowed for nonstop flights over the Pacific Ocean between continents, with the four-engine Boeing 747 being able to fly from cities throughout the mainland US to Asia, Australia, and Oceania with ease.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (13)

The 747 later became a staple on transpacific flights thanks to its capacity and range.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (14)

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Three and four-engine aircraft dominated the skies over the Pacific as the prevailing theory for flying over the ocean was that there was safety in the number of engines a plane had.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (15)

The revolution in transpacific flying then came in the mid-1980s when the Federal Aviation Administration granted twin-engine aircraft the ability to fly overwater routes through a program called Extended Twin-engine Overwater Performance Standards or ETOPS.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (16)

Source: Boeing

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Under ETOPS, twin-engine aircraft were given ratings in minutes that determined how far they can stray from a diversion airport in the event of an engine failure where an emergency landing would be required.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (17)

Source: Boeing

The first twin-engine aircraft to perform an ETOPS flight was a Trans World Airlines Boeing 767 that flew transatlantic between New York and Paris, kicking off a twin-engine revolution in aviation that would see the demise of three and four-engine aircraft.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (18)

Source: Boeing

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With relaxed rules for twin-engine aircraft flying over water, Boeing and Airbus both developed widebody, twin-engine aircraft including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 designed to operate overwater routes more efficiently than larger aircraft.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (19)

The practice soon expanded to the Pacific, with flights to Asia increasing being operated by twin-engine flights on North Pacific routes.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (20)

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Soon enough, twin-engine planes were taking over routes over both oceans and serving destinations once only served by planes with more than two engines.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (21)

Qantas became one of the more recent airlines to retire its Boeing 747s from transpacific routes in 2019, largely replacing them with twin-engine aircraft,...

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (22)

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Such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (23)

Flying over the Pacific is such a common practice that even narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 can fly safely between the mainland US and Hawaii and even between Alaska and Hawaii.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (24)

Advertisem*nt

Routes to destinations such as Australia, Tahiti, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Fiji all see twin-engine aircraft thanks to the ETOPS program.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (25)

LATAM Airlines is one of the most notable airlines flying transpacific routes as it connects South America and Australia through a notoriously desolate corridor of the Pacific.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (26)

Advertisem*nt

The aircraft used by LATAM, however, is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which can fly for over five hours on a single-engine.

Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years (27)

Source: Boeing

FAQs

How did aviation change in the 1930s? ›

By the mid-1930s, the first modern, high-performance airliners were taking to the air. The government provided bonuses to airlines if their aircraft could fly at night or had multiple engines, two-way radios, and other equipment that promoted safety and speed.

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How have airplanes changed over the years? ›

Today's airplanes have engines that weigh one pound or less per horsepower. They also use shorter wings because they depend less on the lift that is produced by those wings. Our dependence on air travel over the years has forced airplane design to catch up with the times.

Discover More Details ›

How has the flight changed over time? ›

As technology got better, planes were built with single sets of wings using stronger materials such as metal. They could fly much further and faster, even all the way across the oceans. Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly on her own all the way from America to the UK, across the Atlantic Ocean.

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How has the aviation industry changed over time? ›

The introduction of turbo-propeller aircraft in the early 1950s, transatlantic jets in 1958, wide-bodied aircraft and high by-pass engines in 1970 and later, advanced avionics were the main innovations. They brought higher speeds, greater size, better unit cost control and, as a result, lower real fares and rates.

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How did aviation change between 1920 and 1930? ›

Despite the Great Depression, air transportation experienced phenomenal growth and change from the late 1920s through the 1930s, before U.S. entry into World War II intervened. As technology improved, aircraft evolved from World War I-style biplanes into sleek, high-performance modern airliners.

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How did the airline industry change in the 1920s? ›

The 1920s is known as The Golden Age of Aviation. This is because of rapid advancements in airplane technology and in the industry. Some of these developments include instrumental flying, the construction of airports, and commercial airplanes that could carry goods like mail from one place to another.

What is the difference between old airplanes and modern airplanes? ›

Newer aircraft perform more efficiently than older ones. But performance is not all about safety, but more about range, speed and fuel-efficiency. So a newer version of most aircraft, will be able to fly a bit further and faster than the original.

What usually happens to old airplanes? ›

Most contemporary aircraft have a lifespan of at least 30 years, but when their time is up, where do they go? Retired planes are sent to aircraft boneyards, also called aircraft graveyards. Consider them giant, open-air parking garages for airplanes as they await their future.

When did flights become normal? ›

Sweeping cultural changes in the 1960s and 1970s reshaped the airline industry. More people began to fly, and air travel became less exclusive. Between 1955 and 1972, passenger numbers more than quadrupled. By 1972 almost half of all Americans had flown, although most passengers were still business travelers.

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Will a plane fly with one person? ›

Would a plane take off with only one passenger? - Quora. Yep, it happened to me. As others have mentioned, the airplane is needed for a flight from the destination airport to somewhere else, so it's going there even if there are NO passengers.

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Why are flights changed? ›

They need to take into account things like fuel costs, passenger demand, and airport availability. This means that they may adjust their flight schedules periodically to make sure they're operating in the most cost-effective way possible.

Find Out More ›

How many time did flight evolve? ›

The ability to fly appears to have evolved separately at least four times: in birds, bats, insects and pterosaurs. Although pterosaurs are extinct, the other three provide unique opportunities to study the aerodynamic and molecular features of animal flight.

Explore More ›

How has technology changed aviation? ›

Here are some of the ways in which technology is impacting the aviation industry: Improved safety: Technology has greatly improved the safety of aviation. For example, advanced sensors and computer systems can monitor an aircraft's systems in real-time and alert pilots of any potential problems.

Keep Reading ›

How has technology changed the airline industry? ›

Clipboards and paper are being replaced by cloud-based computer systems and tablets for a paperless future where important information can be transferred instantly and securely, minimising unnecessary journeys and saving time for airport staff – and for passengers.

What is the growth and development of the aviation industry? ›

The Indian aviation industry has been growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% over the last five years, according to a report by KPMG. The Indian government's UDAN scheme has helped to increase passenger demand by connecting underserved and unserved airports in smaller cities and towns.

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What was aviation like in the 1930s? ›

While it was cold, loud and still very dangerous, flying in the 1930s was incredibly stylish for those who could afford it. Travellers would be treated to three-course meals at tablecloths covered with linen and they would even be allowed to sleep on a flight – some sleeper planes had up to 20 beds.

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What happened in 1929 in aviation? ›

Citation. On 24 September 1929, the first blind takeoff, flight and landing occurred at Mitchel Field, Garden City, NY in a Consolidated NY-2 biplane piloted by Lt. James Doolittle.

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How did pilots navigate in the 1930s? ›

“Flying the beam” in the 1930s and 1940s meant using radio range stations to navigate. Pilots hoped to hear a steady tone on the radio that meant they were on course. If they drifted off course to either side, they would hear different sounds—a Morse code “A” or “N”.

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