China Airlines To End First Class for CAL18/17

China Airlines has announced that they will discontinue first class service on their NRT-HNL flight, effective 14 August 2011. CAL18/17, operated with a 747-409, will be re-configured into a two-class configuration (C70Y319). The flight will also go daily from the same day.

News from Airliner Route.

China Airlines' B-18202 (c/n 28710, l/n 1132), 747-409, is seen above rolling out on HNL's Runway 4R. It was delivered to CAL in October 1997.

Xiamen's B-5601

B-5601 (c/n 36823, l/n 3712), is Xiamen Airlines' second 737 delivery in as many days. The GECAS-leased 737-86N is making its delivery flight from BFI to XMN (via HNL, MAJ, and SPN) as CXA5601. Also, this 737-800 is the 400th Boeing commercial airliner delivered to GECAS, which has another 85 on Boeing's order books.

Sorry, no HNL photo, though Boeing released this photo and info on their Flickr page.

American Makes Largest Order Ever!

American Airlines made the largest aircraft order in all of commercial aviation history! The $13billion, 460-plane order consists of 200 Boeing 737s and 260 Airbus A320s. Both types will feature re-engined models, including the new CFM Leap-X engine. It was not reported if any of the 737s will be ETOPS certified, considering that some of the aircraft to be replaced will be their early-model 757-223s.

American Airlines' report from their newsroom.

American's 737-823, N857NN (c/n 30907, l/n 3434), is seen above at LAX, clearing Runway 25L on Taxiway H9. It was delivered to American in October of last year, and photographed a month later.

Xiamen's B-5277

Xiamen Airlines is taking delivery of the first of four 737-75Cs they have on order. B-5277 (c/n 38381, l/n 3697) is making its delivery flight out of BFI today, as CXA5277, with its first leg to HNL. These four -75Cs are the newest batch for Xiamen since 2005. All of the deliveries from 2007, have been for the -800 series.

B-5277 is seen above as it taxies out to Runway8R, on Taxiway RT. It's on its second leg, bound for MAJ.

Royal Jet's A6-RJX

Yesterday afternoon, this 737-7AK BBJ (c/n 29865, l/n 241) arrived in Honolulu. A6-RJX was previously operated by PrivatAir as HB-IIO before being acquired by Royal Jet of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2007. This BBJ is parked on the North side of the airport, away from the Fixed Base Operators on the South ramp.

Boeing's N836BA

Boeing Company's N836BA (c/n 30756, l/n 569), a 737-7BC BBJ, arrived at HNL today. The BBJ parked at Castle & Cooke Aviation after its Runway 4R landing (above).

This BBJ originally went to NetJets in October 2001 as N156QS. Boeing purchased the VIP-configured BBJ in August 2006.

N836BA was also photographed here in November 2006.

Alaska To Start SAN-HNL

Alaska Airlines announced today that they will begin service between SAN and HNL on November 17, 2011. The ASA891 will depart SAN at 0915PST and arrive at HNL at 1315HST. ASA892 will leave HNL at 1540HST, and arrive at SAN at 2315PST.

Alaska Airlines' press release.

Alaska Airlines' 737-890, N532AS (c/n 36346, l/n 3317), is seen above being pushed out of Gate 23, bound for SEA as ASA852.

N296AG

A 737-3Q8, registered as N296AG (c/n 26296, l/n 2581), owned by ACG Acquisitions (Aviation Capital Group, Newport Beach, CA), arrived from CGK (via MNL, GUM, and MAJ) early this morning. N296AG left for VCV (via OAK) later in the day.

26296 was originally purchased by ILFC, and leased to Hainan Airlines in February 1994. It was registered as B-2938, and was painted in the "Yellow Flowers" special livery. In 2007, it was transferred to Hainan's China West Air subsidiary (PN/CHB), and maintained the special livery. In September 2009, ACG acquired 26296 from ILFC, and leased it to Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MZ/MNA) two months later, registered as PK-MDG. With its lease expired, 26296 is headed back to the mainland.

Pictured above is N296AG parked on the AirService Hawaii ramp, still wearing its Merpati colors.

Lion Air Adjusts 737-9GPER Order

Frequent delivery visitor Lion Air will be converting 12 of their 100+ 737-9GPERs to 737-8GPs, that are scheduled for delivery next year. The dozen -8GPs will be part of a sale-leaseback program that Lion Air will be participating in. Lion Air also has one of the largest fleets of 737-900ERs

Aviation Week's article.

French Air Force C-160

Every now and then Transall C-160s of the French Air Force can be seen at HNL. Today, 61-ZM (c/n 95) is the latest to transit through to the French territories in the South Pacific. With all that miss-matched paint, could it be considered a new type of camouflage?

Air China's B-5582

Air China has taken delivery of their newest 737-89L, B-5582 (c/n 40028, l/n 3707). It's making its delivery flight today from BFI as CCA51. B-5582 is seen above on HNL's South Ramp, after it arrived from BFI.

Xiamen's B-5602

Xiamen Airlines has taken delivery of B-5602 (c/n 36824, l/n 3703), a GECAS-leased 737-86N. It's making its delivery flight out of BFI today, as CXA5602. It's seen above on the AirService Hawai‘i ramp after arriving a couple of hours before.

Kekipi Island Tours' N6077H

Kekipi Island Tours is the fictional helicopter company in the CBS-TV series"Hawai‘i Five-0". N6077H (msn 2693) is actually one of the two Eurocopter AS-350BA Ecureuils in the Makani Kai Helicopters fleet. The AS-350BA had the Kekipi decals applied to both sides of the fuselage, as the hit TV series began filming episodes for its second season this week. The Kekipi N6077H made a few appearance last season. The yellow and black rails on the skids are for camera mounts.

Mahalo to the folks at Makani Kai Helicopters for allowing me to photograph N6077H.

China Southern's B-5596

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of their newest 737-81B today. B-5596 (c/n 38964, l/n 3700) is making its delivery flight from BFI to CAN (via HNL, MAJ, and SPN) as CSN218. From the HNL-MAJ leg on, the Puget Sound blog reports that the flight number changed to CSN596.

As noted, this is the 3,700th 737NG to roll off of the Boeing assembly lines. It's pictured above, on HNL's South Ramp, after it arrived from BFI, with a US Coast Guard HH-65B doing touch-and-go landings on Runway 4R.

Shenzhen's B-5613

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of B-5613 (c/n 39147, l/n 3705), their second 737-87L in the past four days. It's flying from BFI to SZX (via HNL, MAJ, and SPN) as CSZ913. It's seen above, on the AirService Hawaii ramp, after it arrived from BFI.

ANA's N1006F At GUM

Team member funbird2006, who is on a work assignment out of GUM, reports that ANA's 787-881, N1006F, is at GUM. Like its visit to KOA last week, it's performing seven-hour plus test flights in the area around GUM.

Mahalo to funbird2006 for the photo.

Lion Air's PK-LHT

Lion Air made an overnight delivery flight early this morning for its new 737-9GPER, PK-LHT (c/n 38300, l/n 3699). LNI1 left BFI at 2306PDT, and arrived at HNL at 0148HST. After a brief tech-stop, it left for MAJ at 0345HST.

Sorry, no HNL photo.

Hawaiian Launches KIX Service

Omedetoo Gozaimasu! (Congratulations!)

Hawaiian Airlines launched service to KIX, its second Japanese destination today as HAL449. N590HA "Koa‘e ‘ula" (c/n 33476, l/n 894) was the 767-3CBER selected for the inaugural flight, seen above being pushed out of Gate 34. To celebrate the new service, the airline held pre-boarding festivities at HNL's Gate 34, that included remarks by Hawaiian Air CFO Peter Ingram and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority CEO Mike McCartney; and each passenger received a lei prior to boarding.

Hawaiian music and hula performances by the Hawaiian Air Serenaders.

Two members from the Hanayagi Dancing School performed a Japanese dance called "Yappari Osaka".

Kahu Richard Kamanu offered a Hawaiian blessing before any passenger or crew boarded "Koa‘e ‘ula"

The flight and cabin crew of HAL449 pose with CFO Peter Ingram under the commemorative banner.

"Doko Ga TV" host and executive producer Pali Ka‘aihue receives a lei before boarding the flight.

Hawaiian Air's press release.

Sunrider Corporation's N168CF

This MD-87 owned by the Sunrider Corporation, returns once again to Honolulu. N168CF (c/n 49670) was last seen here in December of 2010. The Sunrider Corporation is a direct-marketing company.

R3D&H LLC's L-100-30

This L-100-30 (382G-35C) belonging to R3D&H LLC was spotted this morning at the hardstands. N3867X (c/n 4864) is rumored to be operated by Tepper Aviation, a company that has been associated with the CIA since the late 80's. It departed this morning and headed westward.