Stanford Cardinal Team Charter

The Stanford Cardinal football team is chartering a United Airlines 757-300 for their "Week Zero" road game against the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors on Saturday. N57863 (c/n 32587, l/n 980, f/n 0863), a 757-33N, is flying from SFO as UAL3797. The Cardinal will return to SFO on the 24th, as UAL3797. N57863 will re-enter service tomorrow morning.

32587's History:

Sep 2001: Delivered to American Trans Air as N553TZ (f/n 553), under lease from Boeing Capital.

Mar 2003: Airline rebrands as ATA Airlines.

Dec 2005: Leased to Continental Airlines as N57863 (f/n 863).

Oct 2010: Transferred to the United Airlines fleet after merging with Continental.

Jly 2022: Painted in the current livery.

24 August 2025 UPDATE

Following the walk-off field goal loss to the Rainbow Warriors, the Cardinal returned SFO as UAL3797. Another 757-33N, N77871 (c/n 33526, l/n 1032, f/n 0871), flew the team back this morning.

33526's History:

Jly 2003: Delivered to American Trans Air as N561TZ (f/n 561), under lease from Boeing Capital.

Apr 2008: Ferried to VCV following ATA's shut down.

Feb 2010: Leased to Continental Airlines as N77871 (f/n 871).

Oct 2010: Transferred to the United Airlines fleet after merging with Continental.

Feb 2025: Painted in the current livery.

Stanford Cardinal Team Charter

The Stanford University Cardinal football team is using a United Airlines 757-324 for its team charter to Honolulu, to play the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors on Friday evening. N75854 (c/n 32813, l/n 999, f/n 0854) is making the charter flight from SJC as UAL2519. The Cardinal will return to SJC on Saturday, 02 September.

02 September 2023 UPDATE

The team returns to SJC this afternoon aboard N57855 (c/n 32814, l/n 1038, f/n 0855) as UAL2519 following their 37-22 win over Hawai‘i.

40 Years Of The 757

On this day, 40 years ago, Boeing's first 757-200 made its maiden flight out of RNT.  Since then 1,050 757s (both -200s and -300s) have been built. Currently, Asia Pacific Airlines, Air Transport International, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines operate 757 to/from Hawai‘i.

Here are some of the 757s that operated to/from HNL ...

757 Celebrates 30th Anniversary

30 years ago, today, the first Boeing 757-200 entered service with Eastern Airlines. N501EA (c/n 22191, l/n 2) took to the skies from ATL to TPA. Of the 1,050 757s built, more than 1,030 currently remain in service.

Here in Hawai‘i, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, US Airways, and Allegiant Airlines are the main 757 operators. WestJet Airlines has a seasonal wet-lease with Thomas Cook Airlines for its Alberta flights. In the 30 years of service, other airlines such as Canada 3000, Royal Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Omni Air International, Continental Airlines, America West Airlines, ATA Airlines, and Harmony Airways were among the regulars at HNL.

After Eastern's shutdown in January 1991, 22191 was delivered to NASA in December 1994, and served as a test aircraft. In January 2009, it was acquired by Starflite International Corporation, and registered as N144DC.

ATA's N561TZ

Our January 2013 edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" takes us to November 2004, and this ATA Airlines [TZ/ATA] 757-33N, N561TZ (c/n 33526, l/n 1032, f/n 561), that was photographed on HNL's South Ramp, as it was on a  team charter assignment.

N561TZ was originally delivered to ATA in July 2003, under buy back and lease program with Boeing Capital Corporation (BCC). It flew with ATA, in a one-class Y247 interior seating layout until the the airline's demise in April 2008. Continental Airlines leased this 757 from BCC in December 2009, and registered as N77871 (f/n 871). Later, it had Blended Winglets installed, and the interior re-configured to an F24Y192 layout. N77871 was absorbed into the United Airlines fleet (f/n 0871) when the two carriers merged in 2010.

We were fortunate to get a photo of N77871 while here at HNL, this past December 7th, and is seen above departing Runway 22L, destined for LAX as UAL1636, when the "Kona Winds" were blowing. It's one of the few opportunites that we're able to get "then & now" photos of "HNLRareBirds Classic" subjects.

Boise State Charters Delta 757-300

The Boise State University Broncos has chartered a Delta Air Lines 757-300 to transport their football team to HNL for its Saturday afternoon game against the University of Hawai‘i Warriors. The flight, from BOI [Gowen Field Airport, Boise, ID], is scheduled to arrive this afternoon as DAL8922.

The Broncos returned to BOI a few hours after putting a 49-14 beat down on the Warriors on DAL8922.

Continental 757-33N

Ex-ATA N550TZ, Continental's N73860 (c/n 32584/972) made a tech stop this morning on its way to Cleveland as CO1941 after receiving new paint, interior and winglets in Hong Kong. I believe that this is the fourth (or possibly third) ex-ATA metal that Continental acquired.

COA3171

Another ex-ATA 757-33N is on its way to HKG for maintenance, winglet installation, and re-painting for Continental Airlines. The 753 will make a stop at GUM before reaching HKG.

ATA 757-300?!?!?

Yesterday around 1030am, a once regular visitor returned after spending some time in storage at Victorville. Still in its colors, ship n560TZ is probably on its way to somewhere in asia for maintenance. It flew in as a CO3171 from Victorville to Honolulu and now is currently in Guam.

Other things seen around HNL tonight

While driving around the ramp tonight, there were a couple of interesting aircraft here.

Top picture: Parked on the hardstands was an Omega Tanker 707-368C, N707MQ.

Middle picture: A Northwest 757-351 (N590NW) at Gate 16 painted in Delta colors just before departing as NW622 to LAX. Sorry for the horrible shot with the jet bridge in the way, but Northwest was setup and waiting for another Northwest flight that was taxiing in at the time.

Bottom picture: A Continental 737-824 (N73278) at Gate 12 getting ready to depart as CO12 to LAX. This flight is supposed to be a 737-900ER, but issues with using pre-recorded video on the LiveTV system has made Continental down gauge the flight to a -800 until the issues are sorted out. There is no LiveTV satellite coverage in the Pacific between Hawaii and the West Coast, so pre-recorded videos need to be used to provide the IFE on these flights.

Not really a rarebird, but there doesn't seem to be to many HNL pictures of a NW 757-300s. It seems like this NW 757-300 was supposed to operate NW218 to PDX last night, Feb. 20, but it was parked on the hardstands this morning. Looking at some flight information for last night, it looks like NW218 returned to the gate for maintenance. I did see maintenance personnel working on the aircraft.

However, the main reason for posting this picture is the double rainbow in the background. When I took this picture, I only saw the darker rainbow and didn't even know there was a second lighter rainbow.