Shenzhen's B-5608

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of their third 737-87L within the past four weeks, with B-5608 (c/n 39145, l/n 3656). It's flying out of BFI as CSZ908. It's seen above departing Runway 8L for MAJ, the next morning.

Xiamen's B-5605

Xiamen Airlines is taking delivery of B-5605 (c/n 38022, l/n 3672), a 737-86N leased from GECAS. It is making its delivery flight today as CXA5605.

Sorry, no HNL photo.

Hickam And Barbers Point 05 June 11

A few pics taken while on finals for Runway 8L at HNL. The top three photos are of the HIK ramp which shows C-130s, KC-135Rs, F-15s, and USMC AV-8Bs. The above photo is of the USCG HC-130H ramp at JRF.

Gate 26 Renovation

After being closed off for several months, Gate 26 has been reopened after undergoing a slight renovation to allow the full use of the new corridor to Customs and Immigrations on the third level. Gone are the railings that once surrounded the seating area. The seating area is now surrounded by glass walls. Below are pictures of the changes.

The area by the boarding bridge doors are now separated from the seating area. The chandelier, seats, carpeting, and podium (not pictured) remain the same. As part of the renovation, the stucco ceiling was replaced with typical ceiling tiles.

Another big change, is that the escalator and stairs to the third level are completely enclosed.

Here you can see how tall the glass walls are.

Gates 27-30 will all need similar renovations to make those gates comply with CBP (US Customs and Border Patrol) rules, and allow the full use of the third level corridor.

United Returns To ITO

United Airlines launches daily service between ITO and LAX today with a Continental Airlines 737-824! UAL1564 is due to arrive at ITO this evening at 1940HST. Celebratory events for tonight's arrival, include a water cannon salute by the Hilo ARFF, and a pule (prayer) by singer and kumu hula Robert Cazimero. COA280 returns to LAX at 2055HST and arrives at 0440PDT.

Continental/United will also have a weekly Saturday flight between SFO and ITO.

Pictured above, is United's N87513 (c/n 31621, l/n 2655) taxiing to the gate, following the water cannon salute. A big mahalo goes out to our ITO team member Sylvas808 for the above photo!

Coverage by Hawaii News Now, with a video clip of N87513's arrival festivities.

General Electric's N747GE

The General Electric Aircraft Engines 747-121 test bed, N747GE (c/n 19651, l/n 25), made an overnight stop at HNL yesterday after arriving from HKG, via GUM. The 41-year-old Jumbo Jet is seen above headed back to its VCV base. It's been reported that N747GE is bound for retirement, and will be replaced with a former Japan Airlines 747-446 (JA8910, now N356AS).

19651 was first flown in March 1970, originally delivered to Pan American World Airways in June 1972 as N744PA, and named "Clipper Ocean Spray". When Pan Am switched to the "billboard titles", N744PA was one of the first batch of PAA's 747s to receive the new livery. It would serve PAA until the airline's demise in December 1991. In March 1992, General Electric acquired this 747-121. It was registered it as N747GE, and it was configured as an engine testbed platform. All new jet engine types produced by GE were tested in the "number two" position. In one instance, N747GE was testing a GE90-115B in January 2003, which the new engine suffered a fuel leak and fire, and was stuck at HNL for a few weeks.

Hau‘oli Lā Hānau go!

Five years ago today, go! launched its inter-island service as the third player along with Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. The Mesa Air Group subsidiary continues to operate with a fleet of five CRJs (four 200ERs, and a 100ER). Since then, their livery has been modified to what is seen in the top photo, and the airline merged with former rival Mokulele Airlines, and renamed itself go!Mokulele. go! serves the major Hawai‘i airports, while Mokulele serves the smaller markets.

Virgin Australia's VH-YFF

Virgin Australia's first factory-fresh, new branded and liveried 737-8FE, VH-YFF (c/n 40994, l/n 3664), is making its delivery flight out of BFI as VBH9080. HNL and NAN are the intermediate stops on its way to SYD.

In the top photo, VH-YFF is seen on Taxiway C, taxiing to the AirService Hawaii ramp, after landing on Runway 8L; and in the above photo, taxiing out to Runway 8R on Taxiway RT, bound for NAN, the next morning.

Continental's USMC Charters

Continental Airlines has been performing charters for the US Marine Corps from NGF to KOA. They have been using their 737-824s out of HNL for the past couple of days.

Sun Country's N804SY

Sun Country Airlines' N804SY (c/n 30689, l/n 908), a 737-8Q8, arrived at HNL today as a US Department of Justice inmate transfer charter. The flight, SCX8700, originated from MSP, and stopped off at LAS. The inmates, escorted by US Marshalls (along with Hawai‘i State Sheriff's deputies), were moved to the Federal Detention Center.

Lion Air's PK-LHS

Lion Air is taking delivery of PK-LHS (c/n 37282, l/n 3663), their newest 737-9GPER. It's flew out of BFI this morning as LNI1, and made its usual brief fuel stop on the Castle & Cooke Aviation ramp. PK-LHS is seen above taxiing to its rest spot after landing on Runway 8L.

Aloha Air Cargo's N843KH

Aloha Air Cargo's first Saab SF340AF is due to arrive today from ROW (via HII). It is the first of two SF340BFs that will fly cargo to smaller Hawai‘i airports, and supplement their three 737-200Cs. N843KH (msn 340A-046), is the first SF340AF to arrive from ROW. A second SF340AF is expected in late summer.

340A-046 was originally delivered to Express Airlines I as N323PX in March 1986. It then went to Mesaba Airlines in August 1997. It was converted to a freighter and re-registered as N46XJ while with Mesaba, then acquired by Saint-Ex Cargo (Mexico) in January 2007. It received a Mexican registry of XA-STX. In March 2010, it was stored at ROW.

Mahalo to team member Aeros for the top photo. Note the addition of the bright blue variation in place of the lime green on the Saab's livery.

Skippers Aviation's C-GKUX

Skippers Aviation (JW) [Perth, Western Australia] is taking delivery of a Dash8-315Q, C-GKUX (msn 587). It's making its delivery flight from YYZ to PER, via GRR, CCR, and HNL. After HNL, the next stop is MAJ. It will receive an Australian registration once it arrives at the airline's home base.

C-GKUX was originally delivered to Spain's Air Nostrum (YW/ANE) [Iberia Regional] as EC-IIA in September 2002. The Q300 was returned to Bombardier this past April with this Canadian registration. It's seen above on the Bradley Pacific ramp, shortly after arriving from CCR.

Rich International's N304EA

Our June edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" features Rich International Airlines' L-1011-385-1 "TriStar1", N304EA (msn 193A-1005). It's seen above at HNL's Gate 14 in August 1994. This was our TriStar that took us to LAS for a company incentive trip, and taken before we boarded N304EA. It had a 2-5-2 seating arrangement in coach, and I sat a couple of rows in front of the third doors.

In the mid-90s, Rich International (JM/RIA) flew tour package charters between HNL and LAS for Creative Holidays, a local travel agency.

N304EA was originally delivered in July 1972 to Eastern Airlines (EA/EAL). It was acquired by IAL, then leased to  Air America, in July 1987, and during it's stint there, it was used in the film "Last Flight Out", painted in Pan Am colors. In May 1991, Air Atlanta Icelandic (CC/ABD) leased it from IAL, and registered it as TF-ABG. Kabo Air (QNK) [Nigeria] subleased for four months (June-October 1992). In May 1993, it regained the N304EA registration, and five months later, it joined the Rich International fleet. The airline folded in 1996 after it filed for bankruptcy protection, and N304EA went into storage in various locations. The last known sighting was two years ago at ROW, but is presumed that this TriStar has since been scrapped.

China Southern's B-5587

China Southern Airlines has its second 737-800 delivery within two weeks of each other with B-5587 (c/n 38966, l/n 3650). The 737-81B is leaving BFI as CSN587, with its first stop at HNL today.

Sorry, no HNL photo though team member Drewski2112 got a photo of B-5587 at BFI during its test phase.

N38535

Southern Cross Aviation is ferrying a DHC-6-310 Twin Otter from PLS (Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands) to NAN (via FXE, BGE, LCH, BWD, DMN, HII, CMR, HNL, CXI, and APW) as SXA834. N38535 (msn 414), currently registered to Deborah Aharon Trustee of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands. The Twin Otter arrived here in the evening of the 24th from CMR, and left this morning for CXI. According to team member Bargeld01, it's being delivered to Pacific Sun (an AIr Pacific subsidiary), and will receive a Fijian registration of DQ-PSD.

China Southern's B-2252

Another former China Southern Airlines MD-90-30, B-2252 (c/n 53525, l/n 2150), is making its way to the US mainland to join the Delta Air Lines fleet. It's crossing the Pacific as CSN6999, and it arrived at HNL last night from MFM (via SPN and MAJ). B-2252 will continue onto MZJ (via OAK). It will be registered as N955DN when its accepted into the DAL fleet.

B-2252 is seen above on HNL's South Ramp, basking in the morning sunlight.

This MD-90 was originally delivered to China Northern Airlines (CJ/CBF) in September 1996. When CBF was merged into CSN in November 2004, so was this MD-90.

China Eastern To HNL

China Eastern Airlines (MU/CES) is seeking government approval to provide Tuesday and Friday service between PVG (Pudong-Shanghai International Airport, Shanghai, China) and HNL using an Airbus A340 with 300 seats. The variant was not defined, though their A340-300s are listed as having 287 seats, and their A340-600s have 320 seats. Service is scheduled to begin on August 9th.

Article link from China Economic. Hawaii News Now's Howard Dicus also reported this announcement on this morning's "Sunrise" morning news.

In the above photo taken in 2004, it shows this China Eastern A340-642, B-6051 (msn 488), on final approach to LAX's Runway 24R.

When China Eastern flew their PVG-HNL charter flights earlier this year, they used their A340-313Xs.

Shenzhen's B-5607

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of their second 737-87L in the past five days. B-5607 (c/n 39144, l/n 3643) is flying as CSZ907 from BFI today. It's seen in the top photo, on the AirService Hawaii ramp, after arriving from BFI. In the above photo, B-5607 is seen on Taxiway C, taxiing to Runway 8R for its departure to MAJ, the next morning.

It appears that Shenzhen Airlines has modified their livery again, reverting it to the original version of their 2007 livery. In 2009, the red portion was moved further forward to where the titles were partially obstructed within the stripes and red area.

Hainan's B-5580

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-5580 (c/n 39224, l/n 3647), their second 737-84P within the past four weeks. It's flying from BFI to HAK, via HNL, and GUM as B5580. It's seen above, climbing out from Runway 8R, destined for GUM.