"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" Features A Hawaiian Air 767

The production company of the upcoming feature film "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", leased a Hawaiian Air 767-300ER for the day while they were filming a scene at the Circle Rainbow Air Building. HA ground crews were moving around the 763 as if they were servicing the aircraft including moving the aircraft forward and back. The inside of the building was made to look like an airport terminal, and Hawaiian Air ticket counter. HA supplied N586HA "‘Ou", a 767-3G5ER (c/n 24259) for what is supposed to appear in the background of this airport scene. Here's the KGMB 9 article link. The producers must have paid a pretty penny to use a 767, and its support crew for this scene.

The flims stars Jason Segel ("How I Met Your Mother") and Kristen Bell ("Veronica Mars"). HA employees also filled in as extras as ... HA employees. The feature film is scheduled for a 2008 release.

According to HNL insiders, it was a task to move the 763 to that location, as the alleyway leading to Circle Rainbow was not designed for a large airliner to be moved to, or parked in that area. In the 90s, some airlines would park their delivery flights in this area, or fronting the Circle Rainbow hangar. Hainan Airlines and Japan TransOcean Airlines 737-400s were seen and photographed there.

HeavyLift's RP-C8019

A HeavyLift Cargo Airlines (NP/HLA) 727-227F/Adv, RP-C8019 (c/n 21249), has stopped off at HNL on its way to Australia, though it carries a Republic of the Philippines registration.

This 727 was previously registered as N76753 while it was with Express.Net Airlines (XNA). The -227 Boeing code says this 727 began its service life with Braniff International Airways (BN/BNF) as N448BN, then onto Continental Airlines as N76753. It was converted to a freighter for Express.net Airlines, but owned by MidAmerican Aerospace.

ex-Thai Airways' HS-TMF

UPS has acquired HS-TMF (c/n 48418) from Thai Airways International. It is now registered as N260UP. It arrived at HNL yesterday as UPS9500 from ROW (Roswell, NM), and is on it's way to Singapore for freighter conversion.

Virgin Atlantic To HNL?

This morning's Star*Bulletin Business section headlined an article in which Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS/VIR) founder and CEO Sir Richard Branson expressed interest in beginning non-stop service between LHR (Heathrow International Airport, London, UK) and HNL. No exact timetable was announced, but Sir Richard did announce that his airline is looking to expand within the next year, to new cities with HNL, PER (Perth, Australia), ORD (O'Hare Int'l, Chicago, IL), NBO (Nairobi, Kenya), and MRU (Maruitius) being on the top of his list.

Branson also announced the order (15 confirmed) of the new Boeing 787-9 "Dreamliner", plus options for more.

Here's the BBC News link.

If this VS flight comes to fruition, it will be the first scheduled airline service from the UK, since BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation - BA) served HNL with their 707-436s and VC-10s back in the 60s and early 70s. I know Pan Am Hawaii will back me up on that one. VS did not say which aircraft would be used. Their 747-400s and A340-600s should be able to make the flight. Pix were taken by Michael Carter in the Airliners.net photo links, and here's a link to the forum discussion.

Toll Holdings 737-300F

ZK-TLA (cn23383) seen here on the south ramp. This 737 is now currently leased to Toll Holdings to fly cargo in contract with Virgin Air. ZK-TLA's previous owner was USAir. Opperating under N377AU and N508AU. It was then transfered in to the hands of Wells Fargo Bank Northwest. According to Australian Aviation Magazine, this is the first of two 737's for Toll. Expect to see ZK-TLB, another 737-300 in the near future.

More info here.

MyTravel A330-300

MyTravel's OY-VKG (cn356) seen at the hard stands as of yesterday afternoon after arriving from San Francisco. This round-the-world tour is being operated for the Danish tour operator, Spies. It originated from CPH and so far has stopped at YYZ, SFO, and here at HNL. The tour will then go on to NAN, SYD, CNS, SGN, CNX, and MCT before returning to CPH.

Hong Kong Express Airways' B-KXF

B-KXF (c/n 34967) is seen here in the top photo, wearing the new Hong Kong Express colors. This 737-808(W) arrived today from BFI, and will continue onto MAJ tomorrow. In the above photo, the Blended Winglets still wear the old Hong Kong Express colors with the new tail logo in the background.

Lucky Air's B-5248

Leading off today's HNL RareBirds 737 trifecta is Lucky Air's 737-790, B-5248 (c/n 30626). According to Je89_w's post on the HNL RareBirds Vol11 thread in the Airliners.net Civil Aviation forum, this 73G was parked on the south ramp. Lucky Air is part of the Hainan Air Group, but is changing to it's own livery (see link below).

B-5248 was previously with Alaska Airlines as N629AS, and is leased from CIT Aerospace.

Sorry, no HNL photo available ...

Royal Thai Air Force's 55-555

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is taking delivery of their first Boeing 737-8Z6(W) BBJ2, 55-555 (c/n 35478). It arrived from BFI via OGG yesterday, and was assigned to park on the north ramp to overnight. The flight was labeled THA737, and is flying under the Thai Air International airline code, and will continue onto SPN today.

Sorry, no HNL photo available ...

China Southern's B-5191

Capping off the 737 HNL RareBird trifecta ... China Southern is taking delivery of B-5191 (c/n 35367), a 737-81B. It arrived yedterday, and left this morning for MAJ. It overnighted on the north ramp.

Sorry, no HNL photo available ...

ex-VARIG N493AN

An ex-VARIG 737-33A, N493AN (c/n 24093), is scheduled to stop through HNL on its way to somewhere in Asia. While at VARIG is was registered as PP-VOR. It also flew with both Paramount Air and Ansett Airways as G-PATE.

It's been reported that this 733 is headed for Batavia Air (7P/BTV) of indonesia.

Sorry, no HNL photo available ...

Air Nelson's ZK-NER

An Air Nelson (Air New Zealand Link) Dash8-311Q is en route to HNL as C-FJKO, from CCR (Buchanan Field, CA) on its delivery flight from the Bombarider factory in YYZ (Lester B Pearson International Airport, Toronto, ON), via GRR (Gerald R Ford Airport, Grand Rapids, MI).

According to PlaneSpotters, it will be registered as ZK-NER (msn 639).

Sorry, no HNL photo available ...

Japan Airlines' JA303J

JA303J (c/n 35332) is the third of 30 Japan Airlines' 737-846(W)s is on its way to the Land of the Rising Sun from BFI via HNL, MAJ, and SPN. This 73H arrived last night as JAL7901, and departed for MAJ this afternoon.

Mahalo Ha763 for providing the great photo!

Shanghai Airlines' B-5185

B-5185 (c/n 30715) is the first 737-8Q8(W) to sport the new Shanghai Airlines livery. Unfortunately, I could not get a shot of it, since it made an earlier than usual departure (0830HST), instead of the normal 0900HST.

Sorry, no HNL photo available. I got a glimpse of it as it was rotating off of Rwy 8R, but was too late to get my camera out.

RAAF 707-338C

This Royal Australian Air Force 707, A20-623, arrived from Fiji today. It was also seen here last month on March 3rd. In the background is the AQ 737-200 with no titles and in the ex-Hooters livery climbing out after taking off.

Island Air's N809WP

Island Air's Dash8-103, N809WP (msn 032), has recently returned from its C-Check wearing the "Island Rhythm" tail design and the 2006 livery.

Xiamen Airlines' B-5308

Xiamen Airlines' newest 737-85C(W), B-5308 (c/n 32687), is making its way to China on its delivery flight. It's seen here being prepped for the HNL-MAJ leg.

French Air Force Transall C-160

A surprising find on the North Ramp today. This Transall C-160 was just sitting there. You can tell it is a French military aircraft by the roundel. The French use a roundel with a blue dot and red outer ring. The tail number, 61-MX, also matches the pattern used by the French for some of their other C-160s. I don't know when it arrived, but I'm assuming it either came from or was headed to French Polynesia.

Hoʻomaikaʻiʻana Hawaiian Air!

Congratulations to Hawaiian Air! They received the number one ranking in the Airline Quality Report 2007 for on-time performance.

N588HA (c/n 33466), "‘Iwa", is seen here on its take-off roll down HNL's Runway 22L to one of Hawaiian's several west coast destinations.