Most of us have flown in and out of Honolulu Airport many times. But we probably didn’t see Frank Sinatra, Harrison Ford, Greg Norman, the Rolling Stones, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter or Prince Philip passing through because they came in the back door. They came in through the private aviation terminal on Lagoon Drive or on neighbor islands.
Tom Anusewicz spoke to my Downtown Exchange Club recently. He’s worked in aviation for more than 45 years with half of that being in private business aircraft operations, and he had some interesting stories to tell.
Private jets can cost $20 million to $80 million to buy, he told us, or they can be rented for $4,000 to $7,000 per hour. More than 4,000 arrivals and departures come into Hawaii annually. They pay a landing fee based on weight of $200 to $400, parking fees of about $40 a day, servicing fees to the private terminals of more than $1,000, plus fuel and catering.
There are three private jet companies operating in Hawaii today: Castle & Cooke Aviation, Bradley Pacific Aviation and Air Service Hawaii.
A private jet terminal is more than a gas station, Anusewicz says. "It is a team of professionals that understands the many local, federal and international regulations as well as aviation industry standards required for movement of aircraft in and out of Hawaii.
"We have always taken pride of the high level of service provided to our customers. The customers operate some of the most sophisticated aircraft with professional flight crews that ensure high standards for their passengers. Well, at least 99 percent do.
"We roll out a red carpet for every plane. They can depart the plane directly to a waiting limo, if they’re staying on the island. We have customer service reps with leis for everyone, including the pilots.
"One particular day started with the 4 a.m. arrival of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf and Dan Rather. They were returning from making a documentary on Iwo Jima. Customs, Immigration and Agriculture were standing by our facility to expedite their entry to U.S.
"We refueled the aircraft, approved their flight documents and put new catering onboard, all within 30 minutes. I advised the passengers that we were ready when they were. They decided that another cup of coffee would be great and asked why don’t I join them … which I did. They were very friendly, down-to-earth guys.
"Later that day the Rolling Stones were transiting back from Japan on a chartered DC-10. While the aircraft was being attended to, Mick Jagger and Ron Wood hung out in our third-floor lounge. They were admiring the great view of the ocean and Diamond Head."
A local radio station was playing in the background, and a Rolling Stones song came on. "The boys started singing along and dancing to it. Often passengers are tired and grumpy, but the Stones were rested and coherent that day.
"We sat in my office, talking story for about 20 minutes. I caught Jagger on a day that he was talkative, but Keith Richards was another story. Keith had an ‘elevated personality,’ and we all thought it would be better if he stayed on the plane. He came to the door of the plane and was ranting but fortunately did not get off.
"You never know what to expect, but you couldn’t ask for a more interesting and diverse encounter on the same day.
"Over the years I have had the opportunity to meet many celebrities. Most move on quickly, from aircraft to transportation, but there have been times where I have had the opportunity to spend a little more time with them.
"I really enjoyed working with Frank Sinatra and his family. His wife, Barbara, and her friends arrived a few days earlier and stayed in Willie Nelson’s Spreckelsville, Maui, home.
"Barbara called me and asked if we could do something special for Frank when he arrived. She was thinking she and three girlfriends could all do the hula. I said we could do that. I arranged for a group with ukuleles and got them all fixed up in grass skirts.
"We had a hibiscus bush outside our office, so they all had one behind an ear.
"Frank was going to come in early, around 7:30 a.m., and the girls felt they needed to get there early to practice. They asked for screwdrivers upon arrival that morning to ‘loosen up for their performance.’ They were doing more drinking than practicing, but it seemed to work out fine when he landed.
"The plane’s door opened, and Frank saw all the girls dancing the hula, giggling. They were just a hoot. Those are some of the special moments. I’ve been able to spend some time with some very unique legends."
When the two-week trip was over, Sinatra came over to Anusewicz and told him what an incredible job he had done. He offered to take a photo with him. Anusewicz had a policy against it.
"I always wished I had a photo with Frank, but I instilled in our staff that we do not request autographs or photos. My declining the photo was witnessed by a few of the staff, and they all knew within a short period of time. Leading by example is not always easy."
On one occasion former President Jimmy Carter came to Honolulu and boarded a Hemmeter Aviation plane to Lihue to speak to a group at the Westin Kauai Lagoons.
"The aircraft was on final approach to land at Lihue when, just before landing, the plane applied power and went around. Everyone on the ground was nervous and looking to me for reassurance."
On a second attempt, just before landing, the aircraft applied power and went around again. "I immediately called the tower to find out what was going on. It was a quiet day in the tower, so the air traffic controllers thought they would train a new guy on his first day."
The shift change hadn’t read the memo and didn’t know who was aboard. "Please, just let the president’s aircraft land.’" Anusewicz pleaded.
Next week I’ll share Anusewicz’s story of an attempt to launch a revolution in the Philippines that failed to get off the ground at Lagoon Drive.
Bob Sigall, author of the “Companies We Keep” books, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@yahoo.com.
