American Unveils New Look

With the arrival of its first few new-build 777-323ERs, American Airlines has unveiled a new logo, livery and branding. Above, is an artist rendition of American's new look.

Further information on this American Airlines webpage.

One of American's 737-823s, N908NN (c/n 31157, l/n 4247, f/n 3JT), has been painted in the new livery as well. The new-build 737s and 777 will receive the new livery, and the existing fleet will transition to the new look over the next few years.

Hainan's B-5711

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-5711 (c/n 39195, l/n 4304) today. The 737-84P is making its delivery flight as B5711. Some websites had the first leg listed as BFI-HNL, but B-5711 was not to be found at HNL, nor at KOA, nor OGG. We are not sure where B-5711 made its first stop after leaving BFI. It would have to have been either LIH or ITO, but we have yet to receive any confirmation on that information.

Kamaka's N248KA

Earlier this week, HNL's newest resident arrived on its delivery flight from SMX. Kamaka Air took delivery of their second Cessna C208BF Grand Cargomaster, N248KA (msn 208B2408). The C208BF was painted into the Kamaka livery at SMX, after flying from the Cessna factory.

China Southern's B-5716

China Southern Airlines' B-5716 (c/n 38937, l/n 4307) wraps up today's 737NG delivery flight triple play. The 737-81B is flying as CSN805, and will overnight at HNL. B-5716, seen above after arriving from BFI, will continue onto PNI tomorrow.

Apparently, there are low fuel supply issues at MAJ, that limits fuel to scheduled service only, hence the second leg going to PNI.

Air China's B-5296

Air China is taking delivery of their newest 737-79L today. B-5296 (c/n 41091, l/n 4301) is flying as CCA51, and will overnight at HNL. B-5296 was parked on the ‘Ewa Hardstands, and will continue onto PNI tomorrow.

Xiamen's B-5706

Xiamen Airlines' B-5706 (c/n 38399, l/n 4306) leads off today's 737NG delivery flight triple play. The 737-85C is flying as CXA5706, and will overnight at HNL. B-5706 was parked on the ‘Ewa Hardstands, and will continue onto PNI tomorrow.

Ryan International Shuts Down

Ryan International Airlines, a frequent visitor to HNL that does college sports charters and state prison inmate transfers, will now undergo liquidation, instead of trying to re-organize.

A report by Rockford, IL's NBC affiliate, WREX.

China Southern's B-5715

China Southern Airlines' B-5715 (c/n 38936, l/n 4300) is the first trans-Pacific 737NG delivery flight for 2013. The 737-81B is making its delivery flight as CSN715. B-5715 is seen above as it taxies out for departure to PNI, instead of MAJ.

Island Air To Get New Owner

This afternoon, Island Air announced that the company is being sold by Gavarnie Holding LLC to an undisclosed buyer. The agreement to sell the carrier is expected to close in six to eight weeks. There currently is no press release from Island Air, but below are links to the various local news outlets:

Star Advertiser - Island Air to be sold to undisclosed buyer

KHON - Island Air to be sold to undisclosed buyer

KITV - Island Air announces preliminary sale agreement

Winner Selected For Alaska's Hawai‘i Logojet

Aaron Nee, a 16-year-old Kaiser High School junior, won the Alaska Airlines "Spirit Of The Islands" paint-the-plane contest. The winning design will be applied to one of Alaska's 737-890s.

HNL RareBirds congratulates Aaron Nee for his winning design! We look forward to seeing this 737-890 at HNL.

Further information in this Alaska Airlines press release.

A report by Fox-affiliate KHON.

Hawaiian Orders 16 A321NEOs

Hawaiian Airlines announced early this morning, that they have placed an order for 16 Airbus A321NEOs, along with options for nine more. This order, with the first models expected to be delivered in 2017, will give the airline a medium-range single-aisle option for West Coast routes, to compliment their wide-body fleet. The delivery of the first A321NEO will the same year Hawaiian expects to take delivery of their first (of six) A350-800XWB.

The NEO, or New Engine Option version, gives the A321 a range of over 3,600 miles, and Hawaiian the opportunity to explore new routes on the US mainland. When compared to a current A321-200, the range of an A321NEO is 1,000 nautical miles more than the current model; and this is with a similar two-class cabin layout that Hawaiian is opting for. The airline has yet to select which engine, the CFM International Leap-X or the Pratt & Whitney PW1400G/PW1500G, it will go with on their A321NEOs. The NEOs also feature the new "sharklet" blended winglet (as seen above).

By the time 2020 rolls around, the Hawaiian Airlines fleet will 22 A330-243s, six A350-800s, 16+ A321NEOs, 18 717-200s, and two ATR42s. As more A330s come online, the 767-300s will be phased out, beginning with the leased ones.

Further details in this Hawaiian Airlines press release.

Mahalo to Hawaiian Airlines for the artist rendition of what their A321NEO will look like.

Airliners Photographer of the Day

OK, so we are a little bit proud to be the featured photographer of the day at Airliners . I guess we'll be there (along the left side and half-way down) until this evening. Kinda funny they'd do that, since I haven't posted a picture with them for almost 10 years. All of my pictures on there were taken with film. Here's a link to the pictures of you happen to read this later : OGGTurbojets

757 Celebrates 30th Anniversary

30 years ago, today, the first Boeing 757-200 entered service with Eastern Airlines. N501EA (c/n 22191, l/n 2) took to the skies from ATL to TPA. Of the 1,050 757s built, more than 1,030 currently remain in service.

Here in Hawai‘i, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, US Airways, and Allegiant Airlines are the main 757 operators. WestJet Airlines has a seasonal wet-lease with Thomas Cook Airlines for its Alberta flights. In the 30 years of service, other airlines such as Canada 3000, Royal Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Omni Air International, Continental Airlines, America West Airlines, ATA Airlines, and Harmony Airways were among the regulars at HNL.

After Eastern's shutdown in January 1991, 22191 was delivered to NASA in December 1994, and served as a test aircraft. In January 2009, it was acquired by Starflite International Corporation, and registered as N144DC.

ATA's N561TZ

Our January 2013 edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" takes us to November 2004, and this ATA Airlines [TZ/ATA] 757-33N, N561TZ (c/n 33526, l/n 1032, f/n 561), that was photographed on HNL's South Ramp, as it was on a  team charter assignment.

N561TZ was originally delivered to ATA in July 2003, under buy back and lease program with Boeing Capital Corporation (BCC). It flew with ATA, in a one-class Y247 interior seating layout until the the airline's demise in April 2008. Continental Airlines leased this 757 from BCC in December 2009, and registered as N77871 (f/n 871). Later, it had Blended Winglets installed, and the interior re-configured to an F24Y192 layout. N77871 was absorbed into the United Airlines fleet (f/n 0871) when the two carriers merged in 2010.

We were fortunate to get a photo of N77871 while here at HNL, this past December 7th, and is seen above departing Runway 22L, destined for LAX as UAL1636, when the "Kona Winds" were blowing. It's one of the few opportunites that we're able to get "then & now" photos of "HNLRareBirds Classic" subjects.

December Deliveries

These were the 737NG deliveries that stopped through Hawai‘i in December:
4266 | PK-LKO | 38684 | Lion Airlines | -9GPER [12.05.12 LNI1]
4271 | B-5652 | 39126 | Shandong Airlines | -85N [12.05.12 CDG5652]
4274 | B-5699 | 38935 | China Southern Airlines | -81B [12.07.12 CSN121]
4276 | 9M-MXM | 40140 | Malaysia Airlines | -8H6 [12.10.12 MAS5473]
4275 | B-5696 | 40019 | Air China | -89L [12.12.12 CCA51]
4284 | PK-LKM | 38726 | Lion Airlines | -9GPER [12.15.12 LNI1]
4287 | 9M-MXN | 40141 | Malaysia Airlines | -8H6 [12.18.12 MAS5473]
4265 | B-5702 | 39131 | Kunming Airlines (KY/KNA) | -87L [12.21.12 ___]

-800:  6
-900ER: 2

China: 4
Indonesia: 2
Malaysia: 2

Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!

Happy New Year!

The HNL RareBirds team wishes you all a blessed and prosperous 2013!

Time For An "HNL RareBirds Blast From The Past"

Honolulu International Airport has seen some significant growth over the past 50 years. With the imminent construction for the new Mauka Concourse Terminal on the site of the current Inter-Island Commuter Terminal it's time to take a brief look back 50 years.

This is what Honolulu Airport looked liked in 1960 at the old John Rodgers Terminal on Lagoon Drive. All major terminal operations were relocated to the current HNL Terminal complex and the airport was renamed Honolulu International Airport on August 22, 1962.

The new John Rodgers Terminal provided more efficient loading and boarding of the new jets that were now flying to the Hawaiian Islands. With continued growth the terminal soon became obsolete itself and required a major expansion.

With the arrival of the Boeing 747, HNL went through a further expansion in 1970. As shown here in 1971, the new Diamond Head and Ewa Terminals were completed and were now accommodating hundreds of passengers at a time. The State's tourist boom was now well on its way.

For the year 2011, Honolulu International Airport had 262,000 aircraft movements and served 18 million passengers. A far cry from 1960 when just 1.5 million passengers moved through HNL.

Be sure to click on the images for a more detailed look at the facilites and the aircraft that served Honolulu International.


Over the next decade, or so, HNL will undergo another transformation which will add more gates, infrastructural improvements, and a re-configuration of the existing concourses.

Holidays in Kona

South (General Aviation) Ramp (12/27/12)

Each year between Christmas and New Years the ramps at KOA fill to near overflowing with corporate and private jet aircraft.  Some years the the ramps will see up to 65 jets on the ground.  This year there was still a light inventory when the photos were taken, with only about 44 itinerant jets in place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.  It's still a good number that will likely increase in the next few days leading into New Years Eve.

Overall corporate jet traffic arrival and departure totals for 2012 at KOA are on pace to match 2011 numbers and finally return to annual totals not seen since 2005 and 2006. 

Since 2004 Airports Division has used the services of Mauna Loa Helicopters to take aerial photos of the crowded ramps and of other areas of the airport that have seen improvements over the previous 12 months or will see changes in the near future.   Those images have provided much needed support at times to justify improvements as well as document the numerous changes the property has seen over the years.

Bravo South Ramp (12/27/12)

Empire Airlines To Run Hawaiian's Turboprops

Hawaiian Airlines has signed a three-year MoU to have Idaho-based Empire Airlines fly and maintain Hawaiian's new ATR42-500 turboprop operation. Both N801HC and N804HC are at Empire's home base at COE [Couer d'Alene, ID], awaiting it's Hawaiian livery.

This would be the second time Empire assists a local carrier. The first, being with Mahalo Air, when Empire flew Fokker F27s for Mahalo, while the latter waited for their ATR42 AOC.

Further details in this press release.

Mele Kalikimaka!

On behalf of the HNL RareBirds team, Merry Christmas!