C-130 Celebrates 70 Years Of Service

Today marks the 70th Anniversary of the first flight of the Lockheed C-130A Hercules. This tactical airlifter has gone through many upgrades throughout the decades, as well as filling a variety of roles from cargo airlift, firefighting, gunship, search and rescue, and used in the commercial sector. The legacy of the Hercules carries on with the J-model Super Hercules.

In Hawai‘i, the C-130 was with the 204th Airlift Squadron of the Hawai‘i Air National Guard. "Na Manu Ikaika" had eight C-130Hs from 1994 to 2008, when it was replaced by the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III.  The C-130 tail flash included a pueo (or Hawaiian owl) painted on the rudder portion. 

Currently, the US Coast Guard's 14th District at Air Station Barbers Point (Kalaeloa Airport) have four HC-130Js that entered service in 2018. They replaced four HC-130Hs that were the mainstay of the USCG's air wing in the islands.

The US Marine Corps' VMGR-153 "Hercules" was re-activated in January 2023 as a new unit to Marine Air Group 24, 1st Marine Air Wing, that is based at Marine Corps Air Station Kāneʻohe Bay. The unit is scheduled to have 17 KC-130Js delivered by the end of 2025.

C-130s from various US armed forces units, foreign armed forces units, and civilian operators have stopped through the airports and military bases in Hawai‘i, and continue to do so.

"Hurricane Hunters" Arrive

In the midst of Tropical Storm Hone nearing Hawai‘i Island, four WC-130Js from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron / 403rd Wing arrived at JRF from BIX [Kessler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS], via SUU today.

These are the  four Hercules, that will base at JRF, will be flying under the TEAL call sign and flight code.

96-5300 (msn 382-5451)

96-5302 (msn 382-5453)

97-5308 (msn 382-5478)

99-5309 (msn 382-5501)

NOAA is sending N49RF "Gonzo" as well to fly into the tropical storm.

24 August 2024 UPDATE

Tropical Storm Hone has been updated to a Category 1 Hurricane.

27 August 2024 UPDATE

The four WC-130Js will return to BIX today.

Boeing's N779XY Grounded

Boeing announced today that they are grounding all four 777-9 test bed airliners as a thrust link mount component in one of the General Electric GE9X engines on N779XY was discovered. That 777-9 is still at KOA, and the defect was found after a certification flight.

Further details in this Aviation Week article.

31August 2024 UPDATE

N779XY was due to return to PAE, but according to Instagram's @boeing777xlovers post, N779XY is still at KOA.

06 September 2024 UPDATE

N779XY performed a round-trip test flight from KOA.

08 September 2024 UPDATE

N779XY departed for BFI this morning as BOE3.

Xiamen Air B-20DW

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-20DW (c/n 42962, l/n 7848) today. This 737-8 is making its delivery flight from BFI to XMN, via HNL and GUM, as CXA800. This is the airline's second 737 delivery this month.

Hawaiian / Alaska Merger Moves One Step Closer

With the US Department of Justice (USDOJ) clearing the merger between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, the next step is approval from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT). The USDOJ had until today to make any ruling against the merger during its review period, but since none was issued, the merger is now in the hands of the USDOT. No timetable was set by the USDOT as to when they will render a decision.

Six days ago, a US District Court judge dismissed a class-action consumer lawsuit meant to block the merger. Several consumers claimed that the merger would raise airfares of the routes both airlines serve.

Mokulele Airlines Fleet Stand Down

KHON reports that Mokulele Airlines will perform a safety stand down from today to 20 August to for safety inspections on their Grand Caravan fleet. This will impact at least half of their flights, and they expect to resume full service on the 21st.

Mokulele Airlines' press release.

Aloha ‘Oe N799AL

It seems that the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation - Airports has had N799AL scrapped. The DC-8-62CF, that was the centerpiece of the former Naval Air Museum at Barbers Point, was last seen in late-July in the Kalaeloa Soundstages with the engines removed. Today, it's nowhere to be seen around JRF.

The above photo was N799AL's last known whereabouts this past February.

On a related note, the airport-side exterior of the soundstage has been cleared of the build-ups used for "Magnum P.I.".

Shenzhen Airlines' N230BE

Shenzhen Airlines is ferrying N230BE (c/n 61157, l/n 8242) from BFI to HSN, via JRF and GUM as BOE956. This 737-8, that will overnight at JRF, is heading to Boeing's China Completion Center for cabin completion. It will be registered as B-20EU after its completed.

LATAM Cargo's N570LA

Nomadic Aviation is delivering N570LA (c/n 40799, l/n 1029) for LATAM Cargo. This white-tail 767-316ERF, just completed freighter conversion, is flying from QPG to VCV, via JRF as OMD242.

40799's History:

Jun 2012: Delivered to LAN Airlines as CC-BDD.

May 2016: Airline re-brands as LAN Airlines Chile.

May 2017: Transferred to LAN Airlines Brazil as PT-MOD.

Dec 2023: Transferred to the LATAM Airlines Group.

Jan 2024: Ferried to XSP by Nomadic Aviation for freighter conversion.

QantasLink's VH-NXO

Southern Cross International is ferrying National Jet Systems' VH-NXO "Wilsons Promontory National Park" (c/n 55096, l/n 5093) from CBR to VCV, via APW and KOA. This 717-231 is flying as SXI2466, and will overnight at KOA tonight.

55096's History:

Nov 2000: Delivered to Trans World Airlines as N429TW (f/n 2429), under lease from Pembroke.

Dec 2000: Transferred to the American Airlines fleet following the merger.

Apr 2002: Leased to Impulse Airlines as VH-VQJ, and operated for QantasLink.

May 2004: Leased to Jetstar Airways.

Jly 2005: Logo jet for Avis Rent-A-Car.

Jan 2006: Re-registered as VH-YQJ.

Jly 2006: Withdrawn from service.

Jly 2007: Leased to National Jet Systems as VH-NXO, and operated for QantasLink.

Oct 2011: Acquired by BBAM, and the lease transferred.

Mar 2013: Acquired by Falko, and the lease transferred.

Nov 2015: Purchased by National Jet Systems.

Jan 2020: Painted in the current livery, and named "Wilsons Promontory National Park".

Jly 2024: Withdrawn from service.

Virgin Australia Orders E190-E2s

As part of their fleet renewal, Virgin Australia confirmed an order for eight Embraer E190-E2s today. These E2s will replace the aging Fokker F100s that are part of Virgin Australia Regional Airlines based at PER. The F100s were used for the highly competitive fly-in, fly-out charter segment that serves the mining communities.

We are not certain if these delivery flights, scheduled to begin from October 2025, will stop through Hawai‘i. Some of their previous ERJ-190 orders had delivered through the islands at KOA and LIH.

Further details in this CH-Aviation.com article.

Frontier Plans For Hawai‘i Uncertain

With Frontier Airlines converting their order for 18 A321-200NY(XLR) to other A320neo series airliners, its plans to expand to Hawai‘i is uncertain. The airline also deferred deliveries from 2025-28 to 2029-31. The airline is not satisfied with the performance of the extra long range A321-200NY, which caused them to convert to other A320neo types. The airline plans to slow expansion over the next couple of years.

Frontier does have 39 A321-271NXs in their fleet, with several more on order for 2024, that have a 4,000nm range, that is well enough for a non-stop flight between DEN and HNL (3,300nm).

Further details in this Aviation Week article.

Boeing's N779XY

Boeing has flown N779XY (c/n 65799, l/n 1581), one of their three 777-9 testbed aircraft from TLC [Toluca International Airport, Toluca, México] to KOA, as BOE3, for further test flights for certification.

Kamaka Air's Growth Plan

In a CH-Aviation.com article, Kamaka Air said that their growth plan moving forward is a conservative one, as they expect to take delivery of one more aircraft, and may possibly order more. The main expansion goal for Kamaka, is to grow its inter-island cargo service.

The airline dismissed the idea of expanding to TransPacific service, with Aloha Air Cargo ceasing their HNL-LAX daily round-trip cargo flights.

Hainan Airlines' B-225H

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-225H (c/n 64708, l/n 7792) today. This 737-8 is making its delivery flight from PAE to HAK, via HNL and GUM, as CHH2250, and will overnight at HNL tonight. Like the first Fuzhou Airlines 737-8, B-225J, it was originally allotted to airline, but was taken back by parent airline Hainan Airlines. It's seen above in a hybrid livery.

Royal Australian Air Force's A62-001

A62-001 (c/n 67959, l/n 8532), the Royal Australian Air Force's first 737-8 BBJ, is back at HNL as ASY333 from CBR, on a state mission.

QantasLink's VH-X4C

National Jet Systems is taking delivery of VH-X4C "Little Red Flying-Fox" (msn 55288). This A220-371 (BD-500-1A11), operated for QantasLink, is making its delivery flight from YMX to CBR, via YVR, HNL, and NAN, as QJE6075. It left YMX yesterday, and will overnight at HNL tonight.

Kingdom of Morocco's CN-MVI

The Kingdom of Morocco's 737-8KB BBJ2, CN-MVI (c/n 37545, l/n 2696) is making a stop at HNL from TTU [Sania Ramel Airport, Tétouan, Morocco], via CMN [Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca, Morocco], JFK, and LAX, as FRV303.

Luftwaffe Typhoons Extend Stay

After participating in the last week of RIMPAC 2024, the three Luftwaffe Eurofighter Typhoons from the Tactical Air Force Wing 73 (Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 73) "Steinhoff, and the two A400M Atlas from the Air Transport Wing 62 (Lufttransportgeschwader 62) will be extending their stay at HIK to fly with the F-22A Raptors of the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron and US Air Force's 19th Fighter Squadron.

Xiamen Air's B-20EA

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of another 737-8 in consecutive days, with B-20EA (c/n 64682, l/n 8025) today. It's making its delivery flight from PAE to XMN, via HNL and GUM, as CXA899, and will overnight at HNL tonight. B-20EA had been test flying out of PAE last month, and used the Boeing Delivery Center for its flight here.