Hurricane Hunters Base At LIH

With Tropical Depression 2-C approaching the islands, three WC-130Js from the 53rd WRS "Hurricane Hunters" arrived at LIH today. 96-5302 (msn 382-5453) arrived as TEAL81, 97-5305 (msn 382-5475) arrived as TEAL82, and 98-5308 (msn 382-5487) arrived as TEAL83.

21 August 2026 UPDATE

Tropical Depression 2-C has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Moke today.

Tropical Invest 93C

To get a handle of the storm systems southeast of Hawai‘i, NOAA has dispatched its G-IV, N49RF "Gonzo" (msn 1246), and one of its WP-3Ds, N42RF "Kermit" (msn 285A-5266) to the islands to monitor the storm. N49RF arrived yesterday as NOAA49, and N42RF will arrive later today as NOAA42. Both aircraft will be based out of JRF for this deployment.

The US Air Force is sending 97-5305 (msn 382-5475) from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. This WC-130J Weatherbird is flying from MHR to KOA as TEAL83. 

The National Hurricane Center is tracking Tropical Invest 93C, a system southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. Invest is the NHC term for Investigating for potential tropical development, 93C is the location designator, and would be named Lala in the event of it developing into a tropical depression.

National coverage with this Fox Weather report; and local coverage with this KHON2 report.

12 August 2026 UPDATE

Tropical Invest 93C has been upgraded to Tropical Cyclone 1C. Two more WC-130Js arrived, 96-5302 (msn 382-5453) and 97-5303 (msn 382-5473) to fly into the storm.

13 August 2026 UPDATE
Tropical Cyclone 1C has now been upgraded to Tropical Storm Lala.

Follow updates on the National Hurricane Center advisory.

15 August 2026 UPDATE

Tropical Storm Lala has been upgraded to a Category 1 Hurricane.

Both N42RF and N49RF departed JRF this morning for SDM [Brown Field, San Diego, CA]. 

Hurricane Fausto

With Hurricane Fausto approaching the Hawaiian Islands, four US Air Force WC-130Js from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, and NOAA's G-IV, N49RF "Gonzo", have made their trips to Hawai‘i to gather storm information. KOA's Big Island Jet Center posted on their Instagram page that they are handling the "Hurricane Hunters". Usually the WC-130Js will position at JRF when deployed to Hawai‘i.

N49RF has been positioned at OGG for this storm gathering flights. Normally, "Gonzo" is handled by Castle & Cooke Aviation at HNL.

US Air Force's 80-0138

80-0138 (c/n 22830, l/n 948), an E-3G Sentry from the 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron / 513th Air Control Group, is making a stop at HIK from TIK, as NOVA02. It will participate in Sentry Aloha 26-1.

US Air Force's 64-14847

64-14847 (c/n 18787, l/n c2308), an RC-135U Combat Sent, from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron / 55th Wing, is making a stop at HIK from OFF tonight, as COBRA47.

US Air Force's 62-4130

62-4130 (c/n 18470, l/n c3036), an RC-135W Rivet Joint, from the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron / 55th Wing, is making a stop at HIK today from OFF as SNOOP30.

New York Air National Guard's 92-1095

92-1095 (msn 382G5405), an ski-equipped LC-130H Hercules from the New York Air National Guard's 139th Airlift Squadron / 109th Operations Group, is making a stop at JRF, following its Antarctic deployment. This "Ski-130" arrived from CHC this evening. 92-1095 still has its green protective coating on it, as it awaits new paint.

03 December 2025 UPDATE

92-1095 re-positioned to HIK as SKIER95.

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 Air Force's 00-9001

00-9001 (c/n 25494, l/n 611), a C-23B Gatekeeper, of the 150th Special Operations Squadron / 180th Wing, of the New Jersey Air National Guard, is making a stop at JRF from SUU.

We got a photo of 00-9001 way back in September 2006.

07 August 2025 UPDATE

MARIO64 departed JRF this morning headed northeast-bound.

N101XW

N101XW (msn 208B0382), Joby Aero's autonomous flying Cessna C208B Grand Caravan, operated by Xwing, is making a stop at HNL from SUU today. It flies on behalf of the US Air Force's Air Force Research Laboratory and the AFWERX programs.

25 July 2025 UPDATE

N101XW is flying inter-island to OGG and KOA.

31 July 2025 UPDATE

N101XW departed for CCR this morning.

US Air Force's 74-0787

74-0787 (c/n 20684, l/n 232), an E-4B Advanced Airborne Command Post (AACP), flying as TITAN29, is making a stop at HIK from ADW. This E-4B is transporting US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for visits to bases in the US Indo-Pacific Command theater. 74-0787 is assigned to the 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron / 595th Command and Control Group, based out of Offutt AFB, OK.

These 50-year-old E-4Bs, built from the 747-200B airframe, will be replaced in several years by the 747-8s acquired from Korean Air, and is being converted by the Sierra Nevada Corp.

US Air Force's 59-1471

On of the 116th Air Refueling Squadron / 141st Air Refueling Wing's KC-135Ts, 59-1471 (c/n 17959, l/n 374), is participating in Sentry Aloha 25-1. This Stratotanker is painted in a commemorative livery celebrating "100 Years of Flight", is part of the Washington Air National Guard unit based at Fairchild AFB.

US Air Force's 78-0577

A US Air Force E-3G from the 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron / 552nd Operations Group is making a stop at HIK as LIEGE30. 78-0577 (c/n 21753, l/n 939) arrived from its base at TIK [Tinker AFB, Tinker, OK] today.

07 February 2025 UPDATE

LIEGE30 departed for UAM this morning.

US Air Force's 21-9045

The US Air Force's newest E-11B, 21-9045 (msn 60045), is making a stop at HIK from WRB, flying as BACN05. This military version of a Bombardier Global 6500, was modified by Northrop Grumman to become a Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft. This E-11B assigned to the 430th Expeditionary Electronics Communications Squadron, based at Warner-Robbins AFB, GA.

29 January 2025 UPDATE

21-9045 departed west-bound today.

Sentry Aloha 25-1

The Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron / 154th Wing is hosting its annual Sentry Aloha exercise that begins today, and runs through 12 February 2025. Six F-35Cs from the US Navy's VX-9, and KC-135Rs from the Washington ANG (116th ARS / 141st ARW) and Mississippi ANG (153rd ARS / 186th ARW) will be joining them in the exercise.

Further information in this Hawai‘i DoD press release. The official start date says 29 January, but the fighter aircraft have already been flying.

In a related note, the F-35C detachment to VX-9 based at Edwards AFB, CA, will be relocated to NAS Point Mugu, CA, and re-designated as VX-4.

US Air Force's 82-0007

82-0007 (c/n 22835, l/n 960), an E-3G Sentry from the US Air Force's 552nd Air Control Wing is making a stop at HIK from TIK this morning, flying as RONIN15.

22 December 2024 UPDATE

RONIN15 departed HIK for an undisclosed westbound destination.

US Air Force's 64-14831

64-14831 (c/n 18771, l/n T0723), a WC-135R Constant Phoenix from 45th Reconnaissance Squadron / 55th Operations Group, is making a stop at HIK as ATOM31.

17 December 2024 UPDATE

64-14831 returned to its base at OFF [Offut Air Force Base, Omaha, NE].

20 December 2024 UPDATE

According to a post on the Aviationist.com website, 64-14831 was on a deployment in the Middle East, with the US Air Force releasing photos.

US Air Force's 76-1605

An E-3G Sentry from the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron / 18th Wing, based at DNA, made a stop at HIK this morning. 76-1605 (c/n 21435, l/n 924) made the flight as RONIN15.

Air Force 2 To KOA

99-0004 (c/n 29028, l/n 829), flying as Air Force 2, is taking VP Kamala Harris and husband from ADW to KOA, via LAX today. This C-32A (757-2G4) is assigned to the 1st Airlift Squadron, 89th Airlift Wing.

With the VP's vacation on Hawai‘i Island, the FAA has put a TFR in place during the visit until Monday, 25 November.

Above is a photo of 99-0004 on final for Runway 4R, taken in November 2022.

25 November 2024 UPDATE

Air Force 2 departed KOA for SFO, then ADW.

US Air Force's 06-0500

A US Air Force C-37B assigned to the 99th Airlift Squadron / 89th Airlift Wing, 06-0500 (msn 5152), is making a stop at HNL as SAM314 from OSN. Instead of parking at HIK, this C-37B is parking at Castle & Cooke Aviation. It's one of the rare times that USAF VIP transports will park outside HIK. On 17 November, this military version of the G550, stopped through HIK from CONUS, its way to OSN.

19 November 2024 UPDATE

SAM314 departed for CONUS this morning.