NASA's N522NA

NASA's Gulfstream G-IV, N522NA (msn 1199), is making a stop at HNL while on its way from LFI to PPG as NASA522, with other stops at BJC and MRY.

28 June 2023 UPDATE

N522NA returned to HNL before returning to LFI (seen above).

01 July 2023 UPDATE

NASA522 departed for TUS early this morning.

N157TS

The Wilmington Trust Company is ferrying N157TS (c/n 30517, l/n 1224) from TNA to DHN, via GSN, HNL, and TUS. This 737-89L appears to be headed for freighter conversion.

30517's History:

Oct 2002: Delivered to Air China as B-2657.

Jly 2018: Withdrawn from service.

Aug 2019: Returned to service.

Mar 2022: Withdrawn from service and stored at CGK.

Jly 2022: Ferried to TNA for storage.

Hawaiian Airlines Acquires Four 717-2BLs

Hawaiian Airlines acquired four 717-2BLs from Boeing Commercial Capital (BCC), and are currently in storage at VCV. It's not known what Hawaiian will do with these 717s.

In honor of Michael Carter's passing several days ago, the photos in the links to the Midwest Airlines photos were taken by our late friend, and fellow aviation photographer.

N728BC (c/n 55172, l/n 5122)

Aug 2003: Delivered to Midwest Airlines as N908ME, under lease from BCC.

Oct 2008: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCV.

May 2010: Leased to Mexicana Click as N908ME, and painted in the Mexicana Go livery the next month.

Aug 2010: Withdrawn from service, and stored at GDL, then ferried to VCV four months later.

Jun 2012: Leased to Volotea as EI-EXA.

Aug 2019: Withdrawn from service, and stored at ARN, then ferried to VCV three months later.

Mar 2020: BCC registers it as N728BC.

Jun 2023: Acquired by Hawaiian Airlines.

N825BC (c/n 55174, l/n 5124)

Oct 2003: Delivered to Midwest Airlines as N910ME, under lease from BCC.

Sep 2009: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCV.

Jun 2012: Leased to Volotea as EI-EXI.

Jan 2021: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCE, then ferried to VCV.

Jly 2021: BCC registers it as N825BC.

Jun 2023: Acquired by Hawaiian Airlines.

N826BC (c/n 55183, l/n 5140)

Feb 2005: Delivered to Midwest Airlines as N921ME, under lease from BCC.

Oct 2008: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCV.

Aug 2009: Leased to Mexicana Click as N921ME.

May 2013: Leased to Volotea as EI-FBL.

Oct 2020: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCV.

Feb 2021: BCC registers it as N826BC.

Jun 2023: Acquired by Hawaiian Airlines.

N883BC (c/n 55190, l/n 5149)

Oct 2005: Delivered to Midwest Airlines as N924ME, under lease from BCC.

Oct 2008: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCV.

May 2009: Leased to Mexicana Click as XA-CLD.

Jan 2011: Withdrawn from service, registered as N799BC, and stored at VCV.

Jly 2013: Leased to Volotea as EI-FCU.

Oct 2020: Withdrawn from service, and stored at VCE, then ferried to VCV two months later.

Feb 2021: BCC registers it as N883BC.

Jun 2023: Acquired by Hawaiian Airlines.

All Nippon Airways' JA894A

All Nippon Airways' 787-9, JA894A (c/n 34517, l/n 605), painted as their new Pokémon logo jet, made a stop at HNL as ANA186 from HND today. It will return to HND this afternoon as ANA185.

JA894A spent over a month at TPE getting the Pokémon characters painted across the fuselage.

N154TS

N154TS (c/n 30515, l/n 1165), a 737-89L owned by Aviation Trading and Leasing LLC Trustee, is stopping through HNL as it ferries from TNA to CNW, via MFM, SPN, and HNL.

30515's History:

Jun 2002: Delivered to Air China as B-2671.

Jun 2018: Withdrawn from service, and stored at PEK for 14 months, then reactivated.

Feb 2022: Withdrawn from service, and stored at TNA.

Mar 2023: Sold to the Wilmington Trust Company as N154TS.

Jun 2023: Sold to Aviation Trading and Leasing LLC Trustee.

07 Jly 2023 UPDATE

Sold to Falcon Aviation Holdings, and ferried from CNW to CWF, via ICT.

25 Jan 2024 UPDATE

AirlineVideos caught N154TS in a new livery at LAX. Falcon Aviation Holdings is linked to SpaceX, as they share the same registration address.

Aloha ‘Oe Michael Carter

The HNL RareBirds team expresses their condolences and prayers to the family of aviation photographer, Michael Carter, who passed away yesterday morning.

Mike was an internationally published writer and photographer, with works published in Airliners, Airways, Airliner World, and other publications. He specialized in airliner photos at the SoCal airports, Las Vegas, and Anchorage. He also ran the Aero Pacific Flightlines blog, and was a staff photographer for Airliners Gallery. He was also a long-time employee of Southwest Airlines. Prior to working for Southwest, Mike lived a few years on Hawai‘i Island.

I got to spend time with Mike several years ago, on one of his vacations here, where we spent a day plane spotting at HNL. We also messaged each other regarding airliners, most recently with Southwest's "Imua One", which stopped at LGB, before heading here.

The aviation photography community lost a great photographer yesterday. Fair winds and blue skies, Mike. 

Pacific Air Charters To Assign P2012s

CH-Aviation reports that Pacific Air Charters will assign its two Tecnam P2012 Travelers on order to its new subsidiary in American Sāmoa, called Pago Wings.

Pago Pagoʻs KVZK reports that Pago Wings is owned by the Alofa family.

Typhoon Mawar Relief Flights

Following Typhoon Mawar's pass over Guam, several relief flights were flown from Hawai‘i airports. Two HC-130Js from the US Coast Guard's 14th District based at JRF were dispatched to GUM. Kalitta Air's N767CK flew their weekly GUM flight, CKS370, with emergency generators from FEMA. Antonov Airlines' UR-82008 used KOA as a stop from SBD to GUM. The An-124 flew as ADB3558. United Airlines also brought supplies in their 777s that normally service GUM. Asia Pacific's N888LT flew as MGE400 to GUM. The airport sustained damage to some of their jet bridges , and is open for limited operations.

HNL's Runway 8L To Reopen This Morning

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Airports Division (HDOTA) announced that HNL's Runway 8L reopens this morning at 07:00. It has been closed since last October for widening and repaving.

Further information in this HDOTA press release.

The first flight to depart from 8L was HAL166 at 08:05, flown by N491HA. The first flight to land on 8L this morning was HAL144, at 08:13, flown by N486HA. 

HiFly Malta's 9H-TQP

HiFly Malta's A330-202, 9H-TQP (msn 211), is making a flight from YYZ to HNL as HFM352P today. It's due to arrive this evening.

211's History:

Apr 1998: Delivered to Canada 3000 as C-GGWB, under lease from ILFC.

Jly 2002: Leased to Volare Airlines as I-VLED.

May 2004: Leased to Air Madrid as EC-IYN "Atocha".

May 2007: Leased to Air Comet as EC-IYN for two years, then re-registered as EC-KIM two months later.

Sep 2011: Leased to HiFly as CS-TQP.

Dec 2013: Subleased to Livingston for one month.

May 2014: Subleased to Saudia for six months.

Jun 2017: Subleased to XL Airways France for three months, then in 2018 and 2019 for the same period.

Dec 2021: Transferred to HiFly Malta as 9H-TQP.

Lānaʻi Air To Receive A SkyCourier

Western Aircraft, the parent company of Lānaʻi Air, has taken delivery of a Cessna C408A SkyCourier. N971LA (msn 408-0012) is currently at BOI for pilot training. This SkyCourier is the first passenger version to be delivered to Western Aircraft. The cabin will be fitted for the full 19 seats for shuttle service. The delivery flight to HNL will occur after training is complete, and the ferry tanks installed. This SkyCourier will join the six Pilatus PC-12s in the Lānaʻi Air fleet.

Further information in this Cessna / Textron Aviation news release.

Lānaʻi Air will receive five C408s, three passenger and two freighters, for their charter and shuttle operations.

Alaska Airlines' N559AS

Alaska Airlines had their "Salmon-Thirty-Salmon" 737-890, N559AS (c/n 35178, l/n 2026), repainted at AMA to the new "Xáat Kwaáni (Salmon People) special livery. It's making its first appearance at HNL from SFO today as ASA877, and will depart for SAN as ASA892. N559AS made an appearance at OGG on the 20th from PDX as ASA809, and departed for SFO as ASA878.

Further information in this Alaska Airlines news release.

N208FF

N208FF (msn 208B1125), a Cessna C208B Grand Caravan owned by Merlin Labs, is transiting through HNL as it goes from MCE to AKL. It's next stop is APW, following some repairs at HNL.

Merlin Labs is a company working on fully autonomous flying, and N208FF is one of their testbed aircraft.

N153QS Bound For HNL Crashes Off Bay Area

N153QS (msn 869), a Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter, owned by a Bank of Utah Trustee, crashed off the coast of Half Moon Bay, CA today. Two souls aboard perished. It was scheduled to deliver from STS to NAN, with a stop at HNL. This Twin Otter was reported to be a floatplane version that used to be based in Australia.

Further details in this Aviation Safety Network report.

USDOT Revokes Rhoades Certificate

CH-Aviation reports that the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has revoked Rhoades Aviation's certificate of public convenience and necessity, effectively shutting the airline down. Rhoades can reapply after a period of one year. The FAA already had revoked its operating certificate on 30 January 2023.

N340CG

Nomadic Aviation is ferrying N340CG (msn 2340) from SGN to GYR, via GUM, MAJ, and JRF, as OMD197. This A320-232 is being returned to the Aviation Capital Group, and will make a gas & go fuel stop at JRF.

2340's History:

Jan 2005: Delivered to Tiger Airways as 9V-TAD, under lease from ACG.

Aug 2012: Leased to Jetstar Pacific as VN-A556.

May 2017: Leased to Pan Pacific Airlines as RP-C7933.

Jly 2020: Leased again to Jetstar Pacific as VN-A556, but did not re-enter service. Airline rebranded as Pacific Airlines, A320 remained in storage at HAN.

N175AN

Nomadic Aviation is ferrying N175AN (c/n 32394, l/n 992) from ROW to XMN, via JRF and GUM, as OMD199. This 757-223, owned by AerSale Inc, is headed for freighter conversion. It will make a gas & go fuel stop at JRF this evening.

N175AN's History:

Dec 2001: Delivered to American Airlines (f/n 5FK).

Jun 2015: Painted in the current livery.

Mar 2020: Withdrawn from service, and stored at ROW.

Apr 2023: Sold to the AAR Corporation, then sold to AerSale a month later.

Royal New Zealand Air Force's NZ4803

The Royal New Zealand Air Force's No. 5 Squadron is taking delivery of their third P-8A Poseidon, NZ4803 (c/n 67019, l/n 9565). It's making its delivery flight from BFI to OHA, via HNL and NAN, as POSIDN1.

N492BA

N492BA (msn 492), a Dash8-202Q owned by Berry Aviation, is ferrying from ADL to HYI, via POM, MAJ, HNL, and MMV.

492's History:

Oct 1997: Delivered to Field Aviation as C-GEOA.

Jan 1998: Acquired by Surveillance Australia as VH-LCL, and operated for the Royal Australian Navy.

Oct 2019: Withdrawn from service, and stored at CNS.

Dec 2019: Ferried to ADL for storage.

Delta Downguages West Coast To A321neos

Delta Air Lines has downguaged all but one of their west coast (SEA and LAX) flights to the islands to their A321-271NXs. The one remaining west coast flight, DAL480 (LAX), which applies to both segments, is served by their 767-300ERs.

Delta's flights from SLC, ATL, DTW, MSP, and JFK to HNL are continued to be served by their wide-body fleet.

Delta joins Hawaiian Airlines and American Airlines with A321neo service between the west coast and the Hawaiian Islands.