2025 Blues On The Bay

Another successful Blues on the Bay Airshow hosted by Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi at Kāneʻohe Bay, wrapped up this past weekend. For three days, the United States Navy/Marine display team Blue Angels were the headliners of the festivities. Other notable performers were the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor Demo Team, KC-135 Demo Team, a B-52 Demo, U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Scenario, a Combat Search and Rescue demo by resident Squadrons, and many more! 

US Navy's 169561 Runway Excursion At NGF

A US Navy P-8A Poseidon overran the runway at Marine Corps Air Field Kāneʻohe Bay. 169561 (c/n 66094, l/n 8026), assigned to VP-4 "Skinny Dragons", was attempting to land on NGF's Runway 22 in rain and winds, when the runway excursion occurred. The P-8A ended up in Kāneʻohe Bay, just off the departure end of Runway 22, and all nine crew members aboard were able to egress safely.

The VP-4, based at NAS Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WA, has a rotating detachment of P-8As assigned to NGF.

The US Navy, and other government agencies are investigating the accident.

Continuing Hawaii News Now coverage.

The above photo was taken in June 2022.

03 Dec 2023 UPDATE

The US Navy floated 169561 out of Kāneʻohe Bay, and is now on land at Marine Corps Air Field Kāneʻohe Bay, awaiting evaluation and repairs to fly it back to the mainland for major repairs.

Hawaii News Now coverage.

Aloha ‘Oe KBay P-3C Orions

The last three Lockheed P-3C Orions of VP-9 departed Marine Corps Air Station Kāne‘ohe Bay for the last time, as the unit will upgrade to the P-8A Poseidon, and relocated to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA.

Further details in this Stripes.com article.

HNL RareBirds Visits N806NA

We got the opportunity to visit NASA's ER-2S, N806NA (msn 80-1063), as it prepared to make a research flight this morning from Marine Corps Air Station Kāneʻohe Bay [NGF]. At 0900HST, it departed NGF's Runway 4 in less than 1,000 feet from Taxiway F, for its 2.5 hour flight.

The ER-2S made a research flight over Maui County to map the four island's coral reefs at an altitude of 65,000 feet. It also made reef mapping runs above the northeast coast of O‘ahu. The aircraft is equpped with an Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVRIS) system to perform the experiments. The aircraft returned to NGF with a flawless landing, after the Oʻahu overflights.

The other mission for N806NA here in Hawaiʻi are overflights over the volcanoes on Hawaiʻi Island to map the progress of volcanic emissions and its effects on the environment. The flights can be followed at NASA's Airborne Science Program web page.

Hawaiian Airlines at PHNG

I expected to see all sorts of military and acrobatic aircraft, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that Hawaiian Airlines brought a B717 for everyone to board. 

This shot was (again sorry only had iPhone) as the 717 was departing at the end of the day Sunday.