Chris Hazen and I worked together at South Pacific Island Airways. When I left to go to Hemmeter Aviation, Chris stayed on until he went to Hawaiian Airlines before starting his own business, Aviation Certification Services, Ltd. Chris is a FAA Designated Airworthiness Inspector (DAR-T) working with the International Flight Standards Office - LAX. Chris brought me in to assist with Air Marshall Islands (AMI) certification of their DC-8 under FAA Part 129. We worked with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Flight Standard District Office (HNL) and the ISO-LAX. Once the certification was completed AMI asked me to stay on as Director of Quality Assurance to assist with oversight of DC-8 contract maintenance in Honolulu. I held this position while I continued with other full time employment. Not always easy when there was only ONE aircraft.
Chris Hazen
Honolulu
Kwajalein Atoll
Airport at Majuro
Majuro
other AMI aircraft serving the Marshall Islands
Honolulu
Bombardier Dash 8-100
Bombardier Dash 8-100
Dornier 228-212
Bombardier Dash 8-100
Bombardier Dash 8-100
Saab 2000
Saab 2000 (after AMI > Regional in Spain)
Majuro Airport
BAe 748
GAF Nomad N22B
3.jpg)
In 1982, after I finished my employment with Air Hawaii, (Nomad N24A) I was approached by AMI to be their Director of Maintenance in Majuro. I was not familiar with the Marshall Islands at the time. As they reviewed the pay and benefits, they offered housing as well. They even offered that the house was beach front. Little did I know at the time that all houses are beach front. I declined the offer at the time because I had only arrived in Honolulu three months before and wanted to explore local opportunities.. Then a couple of years later I made regular fuel stops in Majuro as a flight engineer on B707's for SPIA. I am glad that I had the opportunity to spend some time with the people of the Marshall Islands.
