31 March 2023

Lion Air's PK-LRI

Lion Air is taking delivery of PK-LRI (c/n 42987, l/n 6250) today. This 737-9 is making its delivery flight from BFI as LNI1, and will make a brief fuel stop at HNL. This is one of the first 737-9s off of the Boeing production line, and had been used as a test aircraft for the past five years.

28 March 2023

Mokulele To Increase MKK and LNY Service

Mokulele Airlines announced that they will increase service to MKK and LNY. They will add a third Saab SF340B to the two they have in service. They will also add three Tecnam P2012 Traveller nine-seat twin-turboprops (see following paragraph), as some of their Cessna C208B Grand Caravans go in for maintenance and repaint. The registration of the third SF340B has not been disclosed.

Further information in this KHON2 News report.

On a related note, Marianas Southern Airways is terminating its service in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) due to the government's cancellation of its contract with the airline. The three P2012s, N401CJ (049/US), N503SA (041/US), and N504SA (048/US), will be transferred to Mokulele, and used as reserve aircraft, as well as for private charters.

Further information in this Pacific Daily News article.

27 March 2023

Titan Airways’ G-XATW

Titan Airways’ Four Seasons logojet, G-XATW (msn 10150), is making a stop at KOA from STN, via BFI. This A321-253NX is flying as AWC343Y.

G-XATW’s History:
Oct 2020: Delivered to Titan Airways, under lease from ALC.
Apr 2021: Subleased to the UK Government as a VIP transport.
May 2022: Returned to Titan Airways, and painted as TCS World Travel logojet.
Mar 2023: Painted as the Four Seasons logojet.

26 March 2023

Coulson Aviation’s N137CG

One of Coulson Aviation’s 737 firebombers is making an overnight stop at JRF from PPG tonight. N137CG “Gaia” (c/n 27700, l/n 2759), a 737-3H4, flying as CUL137, is returning to its base at TRM [Thermal, CA] from its Australian summer firefighting season, based at XRH [Richmond, Australia].

27700’s History:
Oct 1995: Delivered to Southwest Airlines as N617SW (f/n 617).
Dec 2004: Painted in the Canyon Blue livery.
Feb 2017: Withdrawn from service.
Mar 2017: Acquired by Coulson Aviation.
Sep 2017: Converted to waterbomber, and re-registered as N137CG “Gaia” (f/n 137).

24 March 2023

GOL’s PR-GGD

GOL Linhas Aéreos is ferrying PR-GGD (c/n 34275, l/n 2588) from PVG to CNF, via GUM, HNL, VCV, and SJO, where it will be painted in the Mercado Livre livery. This 737-8EHF, which recently underwent freighter conversion and still wearing the GOL livery, is flying as GLO9676, and will make a brief fuel stop at HNL. It will join the other GOL freighters flying in the Mercado Livre livery, and be re-registered as PS-GFD.

34275’s History:
Apr 2008: Delivered to GOL as PR-GGD, under lease from GECAS.
May 2012: Subleased to Webjet Linhas Aéreos for six months.
Jun 2018: Painted in the current livery.
Nov 2021: Sold to AerCap, and the lease transferred.
Oct 2022: Withdrawn from service, and ferried to PVG for freighter conversion a month later.

23 March 2023

Japan Airlines Orders 737-8s

Boeing announced today that Japan Airlines has ordered 21 737-8s to replace their current 737-846s. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026. As with most of the previous JAL 737 deliveries, they should be making a stop at HNL on delivery.

Further information in this Boeing Media press release.

22 March 2023

Icelandair’s TF-LLL

Icelandair’s TF-LLL “Þríhnúkagígur” (c/n 29307, l/n 924) is making an overnight stop at HNL on its around-the-world charter. This 757-256, wearing the National Geographic special livery, is flying as ICE1245. It will continue onto APW tomorrow.

29307’s History:
May 2000: Delivered to Iberia as EC-HIQ “Honduras”, leased from Babcock & Brown.
Aug 2005: Leased to Atlasjet as TC-OGS.
Jun 2006: Subleased to Ethiopian Airlines for ten months.
Mar 2008: Subleased to Saudi Arabian Airlines for 33 months.
Jun 2011: Subleased to Saudi Arabian Airlines for six months.
Apr 2012: Leased to Titan Airways, and subleased to Icelandair as TF-IST “Grimsvötn”.
Dec 2013: Returned to Titan Airways.
Jun 2014: Sold to AirCo, and leased to La Compagnie as F-HTAG.
Dec 2019: Leased to TACV Cabo Verde Airlines as D4-CCH.
Jan 2021: Acquired by Icelandair as TF-LLL “Þríhnúkagígur”.
Sep 2022: Painted in the National Geographic Society special livery, and flies charters for NGS.

21 March 2023

Pelitta Air Service’s PK-PWE

Pelitta Air Service is taking delivery of PK-PWE (msn 3398), an A320-214, leased from Avolon. It’s making its delivery flight from DHN to CGK, via GYR, HNL, MAJ, and BIK.

3398’s History:
Feb 2008: Delivered to Virgin American as N635VA “My Other Ride’s A Spaceship” (f/n 635), leased from GECAS.
Aug 2016: Sold to Avolon, and the lease transferred.
Jan 2018: Transferred to the Alaska Airlines fleet (along with the lease) following the merger.
Dec 2020: Stored at OAK.
Oct 2021: Ferried to PAE for storage:
Jan 2022: Re-entered service.
Sep 2022: Withdrawn from service, returned to Avolon, and ferried to GSO for storage.
Feb 2023: Ferried to DHN for prep to lease to Pelitta Air.

Smartwings’ OK-TVW

Smartwings’ OK-TVW (c/n 30295, l/n 1600), is making a stop at LIH from LAS, as TVS4343. This 737-86Q left PRG on 15 March, and appears to making an around-the-world charter.

Track OK-TVW on FlightRadar24.

30295’s History:
Nov 2004: Delivered to Privatair as HB-IIR, under lease from Boullion Air Services.
Jan 2005: Sold to Aircastle, the lease transferred, and operated for Swiss.
Jun 2012: Leased to Smartwings as OK-TVW.
___2016: Sold to Apollo Aviation, and the lease transferred.
Dec 2018: Sold to Carlyle Aviation Partners, and the lease transferred.
Feb 2020: Subleased to Air Transat for one month.


25 Mar 2023 UPDATE
OK-TVW stopped at HNL for a brief fuel stop before continuing onto NAN as TVS4344.

Kamaka Air's N408KA

Kamaka Air is taking delivery of their first Cessna C408 SkyCourier, N408KA (msn 408-0009). The local-based cargo airline will have the C408 flown from ICT to VGT for its ferry tank system installation, then a fuel stop at MRY, before making its TransPacific flight home. This SkyCourier is also the first to be delivered to an airline outside of Fedex’s order for 50.

20 March 2023

RP-C3264

RP-C3264 (msn 4852), an A320-214, owned by JP Lease is ferrying from GUA to CGK, via PSP, HNL, PNI, and CEB. It’s making an overnight stop at HNL.

It was supposed to be leased to Avianca as N947AV, but was not taken up.

4852’s History:
Sep 2011: Delivered to Cebu Pacific as RP-C3264.
Jan 2016: Painted in the current livery.
Jly 2018: Sold to JP Lease, then leased back.
Jly 2021: Withdrawn from service.
Jan 2022: Ferried to GUA for storage, and lease to Avianca.

15 March 2023

Royal New Zealand Air Force’s NZ4802

The Royal New Zealand Air Force is taking delivery of their second P-8A, NZ4802 (c/n 67018, l/n 9488) today. It’s making its delivery flight from BFI to OHA, via HNL and NAN, as POSIDN1. It will be assigned to No. 5 Squadron.

10 March 2023

N194AA

Nomadic Aviation is ferrying N194AA (c/n 32388, l/n 983) from ROW to XMN, via JRF and GUM, as OMD132. This 757-223 is headed for freighter conversion, and will make a late-night brief fuel stop at JRF.

N194AA's History:
Nov 2001: Delivered to American Airlines (f/n 5FD).
Dec 2016: Repainted to the current livery.
Mar 2020: Withdrawn from service, and stored at ROW.
Dec 2021: Sold to AerSale, and remained in storage.

09 March 2023

Alaska Airlines To Paint A Second Hawai‘i-Themed 737

Alaska Airlines announced today that they will paint a 737 as their second Hawai‘i-themed airliner, and will be unveiled later this year. Punky Aloha Studios will partner with Alaska Airlines to come up with the design.

Further information in this Alaska Airlines press release.

08 March 2023

N237CM

Cargo Aircraft Management is ferrying N237CM (c/n 25584, l/n 596) from QPG to ROW, via GUM and HNL. This 767-333ERF is fresh from freighter conversion, and will head to ROW for repainting. It stopped through HNL in September 2022, en route to conversion.

Qantas Link's N945UW

Alliance Airlines is taking delivery of their next ERJ-190AR, N945UW (msn 19000062), today. It's making its delivery flight from SJO to BNE (via SDM, OAK, HNL, and MAJ) as UTY9815.

19000062's History:
Dec 2006: Delivered to US Airways as N945UW (f/n 945).
Dec 2013: Transferred to the American Airlines following the merger with US Airways.
Mar 2020: Withdrawn from service, and stored at ROW.
Jan 2021: Acquired by Jetran.
Sep 2021: Acquired by TVPX Trust Services for preparation for Alliance Airlines.
Nov 2022: Ferried to SJO for repaint and caring configuration.


On a related note, Simple Flying reports that Alliance Airlines will purchase 30 ERJ-190s from AerCap, which are currently with jetBlue. This comes on the heels of an expanded wet-lease agreement between Alliance and Qantas.

07 March 2023

Royal Brunei's V8-MHB

The Sultanate of Brunei Government's 767-27GER, V8-MHB (c/n 25537, l/n 517), made a fuel stop at HNL today. The flight information is unknown, but was tracked departing westward out of HNL.

04 March 2023

FJI810 Diversions

For two consecutive days, Fiji Airways A350-900s have made diversions to HNL on their FJI810 route, NAN-LAX. 

Yesterday's diversion, flown on DQ-FAI "Island of Viti Levu" (msn 299), made a medical diversion for an ill passenger.

Today's diversion, flown on DQ-FAJ "Island of Vanua Levu" (msn 320), pictured above, made an unspecified technical diversion.

Both diversions lasted about two hours.

02 March 2023

LATAM Cargo's CC-BDB

Nomadic Aviation is delivering LATAM Cargo's CC-BDB (c/n 40590, l/n 1014) from QPG to MIA via JRF. This 767-316ERF is flying as OMD128, fresh from freighter conversion, will overnight at JRF, and a pre-dawn departure to MIA.

CC-BDB's History:
Oct 2011: Delivered to LAN Chile.
May 2016: Following the merger with TAM, the airline is rebranded as LATAM Airlines Chile.
Jun 2022: Withdrawn from service.
Sep 2022: Ferried to QPG (via AKL) by Nomadic Aviation as OMD290.

01 March 2023

TNI Angkatan Udara's A-1339

Lockheed-Martin is delivering A-1339 (msn 5951) to Tentara National Indonesia (TNI) Angkatan Udara (Indonesian Air Force, IDAF). This C-130J-30 Super Hercules is flying from MGE to HLP (via MRY, HNL, MAJ, and GUM) as LAC5951, and is making an overnight stop at HNL. It's also wearing a temporary US registration, N51008. This is the TNI-AU's first of five C-130Js to be delivered of the five that was ordered, and will be assigned to 31 Skuadron.

Further information in this Lockheed-Martin press release.