Mahalos Ed and Benny, for your question and replies.

In short (I will edit post later) the "Hurricane Hunters" (The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserves 403rd Wing, based in Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi, the same Team that fly into Atlantic storms) were in the Hawaiian Islands as recently as 2007, at the request of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and Joint Typhoon Warning Center (previously from Guam, but now relocated to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii) for Investigation of Hurricane Felecia, another "F" named storm.

Here are some posts that were made on CFHC at that time ...

--> Hurricane Hunters Hawaii Bound - High Flying Orion P3 Already At Work
http://flhurricane.com/cyclone/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=85829&an=0&page=3#85829

... and the Initial (previous) post regarding Hurricane Felecia (for context and overview) is here ...

--> Hurricane FELICIA Powers Up, Eyes Hawaiian Islands
http://flhurricane.com/cyclone/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=85816&an=0&page=3#85816

(Barry, I'll be back to address a few of your comments after making my next post about TS Flossie.)