Project Orbis' N330AU

N330AU (c/n 46800, l/n 96), the Project Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, is making a stop at HNL from HKG (via GUM) as ORBIS1. This MD-10-30F was at XSP from 30 November 2023 to 01 February 2024, then to CRK until 19 February, when it flew to HKG.

46800's History:

Apr 1973: Delivered to Trans International Airlines as N101TV (f/n 101).

Oct 1979: Airline rebrands as Transamerica Airlines, and leased to Nigeria Airways for one month.

Mar 1981: Leased to Air Florida for two years.

Apr 1984: Sold to Federal Express as N301FE "Tara Lynn" (f/n 301), and converted to a freighter.

Jun 1994: Airline rebrands as FedEx Express.

___ 2006: Renamed "Brann", and re-designated as an MD-10-30F.

Apr 2011: Sold to Project Orbis as N330AU.

May 2012: Ferried to VCV for storage, then interior converted for a flying eye hospital.

Project Orbis' N220AU

The Project Orbis Flying Eye Hospital DC-10-10, N220AU (c/n 46501, l/n 2) has made a stop at HNL while making its way from Texas, for a medical mission in Vietnam. Pictured above is N220AU in Orbis' 2014 livery.

This DC-10-10 was the second off of the McDonnell-Douglas assembly line, and was built in December 1970 as N101AA. It was re-registered as N10DC, and became the sales demonstrator in December 1972. In June 1977, it was delivered to Laker Airways [GK/LKR] (United Kingdom) as G-BELO "Southern Belle". In February 1983, it was acquired by American Trans Air [TZ/ATA] as N183AT "City of Indianapolis". Three years later, it went to the UK to fly for Cal Air International [EN/CAI] as G-GCAL. In December 1988, it went to Novair [EN/NGK], Cal Air's successor. In November 1991, it went to Project Orbis to become their newer, larger flying eye surgery center.