Halfway to Hawaii

Our favorite airline carrier to Honolulu is United. There are several reasons, but one you might not guess is the Halfway to Hawaii game. This was the information the pilot announced on Hubby's way home, Tuesday:

1. The time the plane took off in Hawaii Standard Time (We have our own time zone. We don't follow Daylight Savings time, so we are sometimes two hours behind Pacific Standard Time, and sometimes we are three hours behind.)
2. The air speed was 462 miles
3. The reported head wind was 26 miles
4. The total miles from San Diego to Honolulu, 2,326 miles
5. Total flight time was 5 hours 34 minutes

Hubby had to figure out what time the plane reached the exact geographic midpoint between San Diego and Hawaii, in Hawaii Standard Time, calculated in hours, minutes, and seconds.

Well, if you don't love math, just play along for a few sentences, because there is more than math to this post!

Using the formula rate X time= distance...he divided the distance in half to get 1163. The rate is then impacted by a tail or head wind, in this case a head wind. The head wind given was reported by the weather service, so it is not exact, nor a constant. Anyway, Hubby calculated the rate, and then divided the rate into 1163. He converted that number into hours, minutes, and seconds. When calculating the head wind or tail wind to the half way point for those playing, there is some luck involved, since it is a variable wind. Hubby calculated the rate with the head wind and then deducted two minutes from the mathematical calculation to account for the variability. Well he was off by 19 seconds, with a time of 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 20 seconds.

But you see that little number one circled next to his last name? The flight attendant scribed that. HE WON THE HALFWAY TO HAWAII GAME! He has never won before. He has come oh so very, very, close, but never actually WON. Here are his calculations on the back of his in flight menu, you know, from way up there in the big box seats.
So what did he win? First of all, he won the very coveted applause that anyone that flies this route knows is a huge deal. Second, he won three cans of premium dry roasted macadamia nuts from Hamakua Plantations. I have a good mind to make that into some macadamia nut butter.

But for you non-Mathies, here are some aerial shots of Hawaii, courtesy of Hubby. The land mass to the right is the island of Lana'i. It is the most expensive Hawaiian island to visit. Only 3,000 people live on Lana'i, and there are only two resorts, both owned by the Four Seasons. Bill Gates rented an entire one for his honeymoon. Yes, we have been there. We went for our seventh wedding anniversary.
The land mass to the left is the coast of Maui, where we spent my birthday. In the largest little clump of clouds in between is Molikini Crater, where Hubby scuba dove over Memorial Day.
Another shot of Maui. Can you see the red? I am pretty sure it is Haleakala Crater.

Sun reflection on the clouds.