Japan Airlines' JA302J

Japan Airlines' second 737-846(W), JA302J (c/n 35331), prepares to depart for MAJ as JAL7901. The heat haze blurred the photo a bit.

China United Airlines' B-5183

The China United Airlines (KN/CUA) name has been brought back by Shanghai Airlines as their subsidiary. B-5183 (c/n 30711) is the first 737-8Q8(W) to wear the new China United colors, based on the Shanghai Airlines livery. B-5183 seen here minutes before pushing back for it's next segment to MAJ as CUA183.

The Eskimo At HNL?

According to this morning's Honolulu Advertiser, it's now a matter of time before we'll see Alaska Airlines (AS) 737-700W and -800W flights to HNL.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the HA/AS code-share, since both airlines will be flying out of SEA.

In this photo from Nov 2004, an Alaska Airlines 737-490, N703AS (c/n 28893), is on finals to LAX's Runway 24R. This photo was taken from the In-N-Out Burger on Sepulveda & Lincoln Blvds.

Another AQ 732QC With Cargo Titles

Aloha now has a second 732QC painted in the cargo livery. This aircraft N747AS was previously with Alaska. N747AS started out flying for Markair as N673MA. It then went to Malaysia flying for Transmile Air as 9M-PMU. In 2001, this aircraft actually passed through HNL on its way to PHX to before being put into service for Alaska. This picture was taken by Je89 W on its layover at HNL: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0156358/L/.

Air Med Hawaii

AirMed Hawaii began service in April 2006 to provide emergency medical air service between the neighbor islands and O‘ahu. They have a local fleet of three Beech 90 King Air. AirMed Hawaii is a local arm of Air Med, which also serves Hawai‘i with a Raytheon Hawker 800 jet (N9UP) from the mainland.

N946AM is one of the three B90s, seen here on Taxiway C in November.

Pacific Wings Heats Up The Inter-Island Market

Pacific Wings (LW/NMI) has created Pacific Wings Express as a low-cost subsidiary. The Honolulu Advertiser has an article regarding this latest move in the hot inter-island fare wars. It appears to be a response to the Mokulele Air & go! partnership (go! Express), and possibly Island Air(?).

As the prop blades spin ...

Hong Kong Express Airways' B-KXE

Hong Kong Express Airways' 737-808(W), B-KXE (c/n 34710) gets fueled up for its next segment to MAJ as "Hong Kong Express 8002". B-KXE is being leased from Icelandic Air, and appears that the rest of this 73H will be painted in Hong Kong.

Air China's B-5179

Further down the south ramp, Air China's next 737-86N, B-5179 (c/n 35211), leased from ILFC, awaits its departure for MAJ later in the morning.

Hawaiian's 2nd ex-Delta 767-300

Here's Hawaiian's 2nd ex-Delta 767-300, N596HA. This aircraft is named Koa`e Kea (white-tailed tropicbird). This aircraft is also the first to have the NuLook interiors from Heath Techna.

We're Back!

On behalf of the HNL RareBirds team, I would like thank you all for patiently waiting for new posts. It seems there was a challenge in the Blogger system, which prevented us from adding new posts from 12-31-06 to today. Mahalo & Aloha!

RAAF's N363BJ

Another unpainted Royal Australian Air Force 737-7ES, N363BJ (c/n 33986), stopped over at HNL on its way to Australia for test flights. 363 will return to the Boeing factory to complete assembly of the “Wedgetail” AWACS antenna & equipment, and to get painted.

It's seen here getting ready to taxi to Runway 8R as BOE204 to depart for its next stop, PPG (Pago Pago, American Samoa).

Sister-ship N361BJ was in town this past April.

Aloha ‘Oe Northwest DC-10-30s!

Northwest Airlines operated its final DC-10-30 flight, as N237NW flew the MSP-HNL-MSP run (NWA099/098). N237NW was the DC-10 used for the ASU charter earlier in the month.

Airbus A330-200s and -300s will take over the long-haul wide-body routes.

Some of the remaining DC-10-30s will move on to American Trans Air - ATA (TZ).

In the top photo, N239NW (c/n 48290) in the current NW colors, taxies down Taxiway RT to Runway 26L. 239 is about to become N612AX for Omni Aviation Leasing (Tulsa, OK). In the above photo, N225NW (c/n 46582), in the old 1991 NW colors is on a very short final for Runway 4R. 225 is still with NW, though not for long.

Kenn Borek Air's C-FBCN

This Beech Super King Air 200, C-FBCN (msn BB-7) owned by Kenn Borek Air (Calgary, AB, Canada) has been in town for the past several days. Word is, that C-FBCN has been operating out of the Circle Rainbow Air hangar. It’s seen here taxiing out for its next flight.

Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!

The HNL RareBirds team would like to wish our blog visitors a Happy And Proseprous New Year!

Ex-Air Efata N12FQ

An MD-88 leased to Air Efata (Indonesia) is headed back to the mainland. While with Air Efata, this MD-88 (c/n 49766) was registered as PK-FEA.

As N12FQ, this bird was with Southeast Airlines (Miami, FL - no longer in service), and Air Aruba.

Above photo courtesy of Ha763.

Runway 4L Closure

Was informed that Runway 4L was closed yesterday afternoon for a short period, due to a nose gear collapse on N72HB, a Piper PA-23-250 (msn 27-7754149), owned by Washin Air. Thankfully, it did not appear anyone was injured. There was damage seen to the propellers. An extra large tow truck was brought in to clear N72HB from Rwy 4L, and towed back to the Washin Air hangar. Not sure whether the accident happened on take-off or landing.

White Jetstar A330

This is the third different Jetstar aircraft to fly to HNL. VH-EBC is also the only Jetstar A330 in white, as the others are silver.

Delayed Air Canada AC33

Normally, the Air Canada flights AC33 and AC34 depart around midnight. This morning, AC33 was delayed for over 7 hours. What a surprise to find an Air Canada A340 (C-GDVW) parked at Gate 25 at 6:00am. Air Canada only uses the A340 for their YVR-HNL-SYD flight seasonally. This flight finally departed at 7:10am. It was a little too dark, but here's a shot of C-GDVW at Gate 25 this morning:

China Southern's B-5235

China Southern Airlines took delivery of another 737-71B, B-5235 (c/n 29370). It arrived here at HNL yesterday, and departs today for MAJ as CSN235.

Sorry no photo available.

Runways 22 & 26 Traffic

For the majority of Wednesday afternoon, HNL's traffic pattern reversed as the winds blew from the southwest. In-bound flights made their approach abeam Waikiki Beach on their way to Runway 26L (or 26R), and departed toward Ewa, or toward the ocean on Runway22L.

In the top photo, a United Airlines 777-222, N214UA (c/n 30220), is on its take-off roll down Rwy 22L. In the photo above, a Hawaiian Air 717-22A, N487HA " ‘Io" (c/n 55132), is a few seconds (and few feet) from touching down on Rwy 26R.


Managed to sneak a few minutes of spotting time in during a break on a media assignment, and the only RareBird was an Embraer EMB-135BJ "Legacy", N702DR (msn14500925), which was previously registered as N702CM. It's registered to Diamond Resort International.