Iron Maiden 757

Astraeus Air's 757-23A that's painted in the special Iron Maiden livery is in town as AEU666. The flight arrived around midnight from Nadi.

The jet named "Ed Force One", G-OJIB (c/n 24292), is taking the band on its "Somewhere Back in Time World Tour 09". Lead singer Bruce Dickinson is also a 757 captain, and is reportedly piloting some of the flights.


Amusingly, this is the 666th post for the HNL RareBirds blog ... kinda appropriate huh?


A big mahalo to team member Aeros for taking the photos above.

Mokulele Jets To Kahului

Mokulele Airlines began flying their E170 between HNL and OGG on February 1st. N870RW (msn 1700138) is shown arriving today as Flight 214.

SunState Airlines' C-FUOI

QantasLink's SunState Airlines is taking delivery of C-FUOI, a DHC-8-402Q (msn 4238). It's arriving here from YYZ via YYB, GRR, and CCR, later today.

Lion Air's PK-LFT

Lion Air International is taking delivery of PK-LFT, their next 737-9GER(W), and will be making its stop at HNL today as LNI001.

ANA's Panda 767-381ER

All Nippon Airways has one of their 767-381ERs painted in the "Fly Panda" color scheme. It arrived today as ANA1052 from NRT.

Air China's B-5197

Air China is taking delivery of B-5197 (c/n 36811), a 737-86N, which is being leased from GECAS. It's flying as CCA058, the Air China delivery flight code. B-5197 is parked on the north ramp hardstands.

Drewski2112 got a shot of B-5197 at BFI on a test flight.

Along with the two Hainan deliveries, we have 2009's first 737 delivery flight trifecta! Normally, the delivery flights from BFI arrive around midday, but this time they arrived about an hour apart in the evening. All will leave the next day for MAJ.

Hainan's B-5427 & B-5408

Hainan Airlines has a daily double with two 737-800(W) deliveries overnighting at HNL, B-5408 & B-5427.

In the top photo, B-5427 (c/n 35285), a 737-8Q8(W), was the first of the two to arrive from BFI. B-5427 was to have been assigned to Hong Kong Airlines (an HNA Group subsidiary) as B-KBS, but was not taken up, and is being leased from ILFC.

In the above photo, B-5408 (c/n 35764), a 737-84P(W), was the second of the two to arrive from BFI, about an hour after.

The pair are seen above being readied to depart for MAJ and GUM then HAK. 5427 would leave first, with 5408 behind it.

QFA6020

Another Qantas 747-338 is making its way to MZJ from SYD via HNL for retirement. Flying as QFA6020, this 743 is taking a break at HNL before continuing onto the Arizona desert boneyards.

Xiamen's B-5389

Xiamen Airlines' latest 737-86N(W), B-5389 (c/n 35636), made it's HNL stop on its delivery flight from BFI.

Sorry, no HNL photo, though Wings777 got this cool landing shot at BFI.

China Eastern's B-5199

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-5199 (c/n 36272), their latest 737-89P(W). It arrived HNL from BFI a liitle after noon as CES5199, which leaves tomorrow for MAJ and SPN then PVG. B-5199 is seen above, shortly after its arrival at HNL.

Hainan's B-5418

Hainan Airlines' B-5418 (c/n 36541), a 737-86N(W), is on its delivery flight, and it arrived at HNL in the midst of the latest storm hitting the islands.

Due to the bad weather, sorry, no HNL photo, though Drewski2112 got it at BFI.

UAL98xx

There are to UA flights from ONT as UAL9844 and UAL9856 that are scheduled to stop through HNL today. They are scheduled to go onto DNA (Kadena AB, Okinawa). UAL9844 passed through a couple of days ago. These flights are using 747-400s.

UAL9845 stopped through HNL from Kadena AFB to ONT on the return leg.

Zest Air's RP-C8898

Zest Air, a new entry in the Philippine airline market, took delivery of RP-C8898 (msn 2147), an Airbus A320-232, that stopped over at ITO, during its delivery flight from MZJ via LGB on 08 Jan 09.

According to Aero Pacific Images, RP-C8898 was previously N582JB, with jetBlue Airways.

Mahalo to Sam Dunn for providing the above photos!

QFA6020

Qantas Airways is sending one of their 747-338s to a desert storage facility, possibly MZJ. It's using their ferry/delivery flight number, QFA6020. It arrived early this morning, and will head out in a day or two.

Xiamen's B-5385

Xiamen Airlines' B-5385 (c/n 35633), a 737-86N(W), is the first in-bound delivery flight for 2009, and the third CXA delivery in almost a week.

B-5385 was built in November, which "Drewski2112" got a photo of at BFI, before the fuselage got painted.

Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!

From the HNL RareBirds Team ...

Happy New Year!

May you all ahave a blessed and prosperous 2009!

OGG East Ramp today

We did some passes in a 172 this afternoon. Counted 40 of these privates; some not in the photo.

Shenzhen's B-5410

Closing out the 2008 delivery flights are ...

Shenzhen Airlines' B-5410 (c/n 35088), a 737-8AL(W), which is flying as CSZ5410. Due to the lack of space on the south side of HNL, B-5410 parked on the north ramp at Hard Stand 3.

Sorry, no HNL photo ... though "Drewski2112" got this one at BFI.

Xiamen's B-5388

Xiamen Airlines' B-5388 (c/n 35635), a 737-86N(W), is making its delivery flight during the New Year's holiday as well, and is flying as CXA5388. It also parked on the north ramp at Hardstand 1B.

Sorry, no HNL photo ...

Malaysian Air Force A319CJ

A Malaysian Air Force A319-115X CJ, 9M-NAA (cn2949), was parked on the North Ramp today at HNL. This aircraft is apparently used by the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Why is it at HNL? I don't know. But the engines are covered, so it may spend a couple of days here.