Helicopter Accident At Kalalau Beach

KHON2 reports that a helicopter with five aboard made a crash landing at Kalalau Beach on Kaua‘i's Nāpali coast after 15:30HAST today. It's being reported to be an air tour helicopter belonging to Airborne Aviation. Flight tracks from FlightRadar24 and FlightAware, shows the last helicopter to be in the area as N715KA (msn 490487D), a Hughes 359D, commonly known as a Hughes 500. There were five people aboard the helicopter. N715KA is owned by AA Leasing LP [Kīlauea, Kaua‘i, HI], and leased to Airborne Aviation.

26 March 2026 - 22:00 UPDATE

Kaua‘i County officials report there were three fatalities, and two injuries.

China Southern Airlines' B-228K

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-228K (c/n 44406, l/n 9503) today. This 737-8 is making its delivery flight from BFI to CAN, with overnight stops at HNL and GUM, as CSN8139. This is China Southern's first new-build 737-8 since the groundings.

photo to follow ...

Upcoming 737MAX Deliveries

With airlines around Asia and Oceania ordering the 737MAX series, a majority of these airliners will stop through Hawai‘i (mainly HNL) during the first segment of their island-hopping delivery flights from Boeing Field (BFI) [map]. Boeing has indicated that the variants will be referred to as the -x without the MAX name, we will do the same.

Our own Google Sheet is documenting the 737 information below, as well as 737MAX series deliveries as of 2017, and is continually updated.

Boeing P-8A Poseidons and E-7A WedgeTails on order for armed forces around the Pacific Rim will be added below when information becomes available.

This post will be continuously updated as we receive new information, and this  » symbol notates the updated information per airframe.

According to the Boeing Test Fights Google Sheet and PlaneSpotters.net's 737 MAX Production List, these listed below are the airframes that have begun final assembly, made its first flight from RNT, or are being readied for delivery on the BFI flightline. Those listed below, should make a stopover in Hawai‘i on their first segment out of BFI on their delivery flights in the near future. In the past, additional information was also provided by Tyke's Aero Blog, and The Boeing Test Flights website.

DELIVERED

9495 | VH-8VG | 67037 | Virgin Australia | -8 "Peregian Beach" [03.01.26 VOZ9947 fr MLB to KOA ]

9523 | HL8760 | 67925 | Eastar Jet | -8 [03.20.26 N769BA to JRF ]

9527 | B-228E | 61298 | Hainan Airlines | -8 [03.21.26 CHH2288]

9503 | B-228K | 44406 | China Southern Airlines | -8 [03.25.26 CSN8139] »

FERRIED TO HSN FOR COMPLETION

• • • • •

ON ORDER

737MAX Series

9511 | 9M-MVO | 43358 | Malaysia Airlines | -8 | BOE715 « BFI

9531 | 9V-MBV | 44260 | Singapore Airlines | -8 | BOE223 « BFI

9539 | JA738A | 65542 | Skymark Airlines | -8 º | BOE61 « BFI

9547 | B-228M | 66419 | China Southern Airlines | -8 | BOE156 « BFI

9567 | VH-8VH | 67038 | Virgin Australia | -8 « RNT

9571 | VH-8VI | 67039 | Virgin Australia | -8 * "Lake Centenary" « RNT

9587 | VH-8VD | 67040 | Virgin Australia | -8 « RNT

• • •

P-8A and E-7A

____ | A47-014 | 64752 | Royal Australian Air Force | P-8A « BFI

• • • • • 

MARKS

« Final Assembly / Pre-Flight Prep / First Flight from RNT (Location [IATA])

« Pre-Delivery Test Flights / Ready For Delivery (Location [IATA])
« Stored (Location [IATA])

« Duplicate Boeing test flight numbers

° New / Modified Livery
* Special Livery / Markings

~ Grey Tail (Only winglets and rudder painted)
» New airline and registration after re-market

« Previous airline and registration prior to re-market
» Boeing registration for ferry to HSN

« Returned to Boeing, NTU

» New / updated information

LOCATIONS [IATA]
RNT: Renton Municipal Airport, Renton, WA
BFI: King County International Airport - Boeing Field, Seattle, WA

PAE: Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), Everett, WA

MWH: Grant County International Airport, Moses Lake, WA

VCV: Southern California Logistics Airport, Victorville, CA

NIP: Naval Air Station Jacksonville / Jacksonville Airport, Jacksonville, FL (P-8As)

GED: Delaware Coastal Airport, Georgetown, DE (BBJs)

SKF: Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX

• • • • •

NOTES

In the event that a delivery flight stops through any Hawai‘i airport other than HNL, their IATA airport code will noted after the flight number. 

Due to the order backlog for the 737MAX series, some airframes may deliver from sites other than BFI, and will be noted in the flight number information. 

If an airframe listed is sold or re-marketed to another airline, it will be noted with a » symbol, along with the new airline and registration. If an airframe was acquired from a previous airline, it will be noted with a « symbol, along with the old airline and registration. Should the airframe delivers through Hawai‘i, the information will be revised with the delivery information. If it's not making a delivery flight through Hawai‘i, that listing will not be changed to the new airline, then removed upon its delivery flight. That information will be kept on our Google Sheet.

Delivery flights that go through ANC, KEF, or any other non-Hawai‘i airport, will only be listed on our Google Sheet. Most 737s delivering to airlines in India will deliver east-bound through KEF [Keflavik International Airport, Keflavik, Iceland] as their first fuel stop. Some 737s delivering to airlines in east Asia (Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam) deliver through ANC [Ted Stevens International Airport, Anchorage, AK] for their first fuel stop. Their information will be deleted upon their delivery flight. In the event that those 737s delivers through Hawai‘i, they will be listed on a post, and on the annual deliveries page.

Some of the deliveries bound for China will ferry to the Boeing China 737 Completion and Delivery Center, in Zhoushan, China, will have its own listing above, along with a Boeing test flight number, and a temporary US Boeing registration assigned to the particular airframe. Some may have its full livery painted, and is going to HSN for cabin completion; while others may ferry as a grey tail (only the rudder and winglets painted), that will be fully painted, along with cabin configuration.
...

... 

United Airlines To Take Delivery of 250+ Airliners By 2028

United Airlines announced today, that between now and 2028, they will take delivery of over 250 new airliners. That includes: 47 787-9s with the "Elevated" cabin, 119 737MAX series (breakdown not specified), 40 A321-200N "Coastliners", 28 A321XLRs; and 18 A321-200Ns. It's not known which of these aircraft will serve Hawai‘i after delivery. The A321neos will be replacing the airline's aging 757-200s.

Though not affecting Hawai‘i, United Airlines is also launching the Mitsubishi CRJ450, which is an upgraded CRJ200, that will be operated by SkyWest Airlines. United has 50 CRJ450s on order with Mitsubishi, and expects to have all 50 by the end of 2028.

Life Flight Network Orders 12 PC-12s

Life Flight Network, that operates air ambulance services on Hawai‘i Island, has placed a firm order with Pilatus Aircraft for 12 PC-12 PROs, that will be equipped with ICU medical gear. Currently, Life Flight Network has two PC-12/47Es, and an EC135P2+, based on the island. The air ambulance service is also expanding to MUE. It's not known if there will be more PC-12s added to their Hawai‘i Island operations.

Further details in this Life Flight Network news release.

HDOT-A Suspends KOA Ops

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation - Airports has issued a ground stop at KOA due to severe weather in the vicinity, that includes thunderstorm cells. KOA will reopen once the storm cells clear out.

23 March 2026 - 11:15 UPDATE

HDOT-A has reopened KOA.

QantasLink's C-FQWE

JD Aero is delivering C-FQWE (msn 4473) to Sunstate Airlines from YAM to BNE, via DLH, CCR, KOA, and MAJ. This QantasLink-liveried Dash8-402 Q400 is making an overnight stop at KOA tonight. It will be registered as VH-X4J "Dubbo" after its delivery flight.

4473's History:

Jun 2014: Delivered to Westjet Encore as C-FQWE (f/n 415).

Jun 2023: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YYC.

Dec 2025: Ferried to YQA, then YAM for prep for QantasLink.

HDOT-A Closes HDH

Due to the second  "Kona Low" storm in a week, and the closure of access to Waialua, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation - Airports has closed the Kawaihāpai Airfield (HDH) from today, until 24 March. The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) has closed access to the northwest coastline of Waialua, Mokulē‘ia, and Ka‘ena Point, as it has been flooded from the heavy rains, as well as potential flash floods, and the potential spillover from the Wahaiwā Reservoir Dam.

Hainan Airlines' B-228E

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-228E (c/n 61298, l/n 9527) today. This 737-8 is making its delivery flight from BFI to HAK, with overnight stops at HNL and GUM, flying as CHH2288.

Eastar Jet's N769BA

Boeing is ferrying Eastar Jet's N769BA (c/n 67925, l/n 9523) from BFI to GMP, with stops at JRF and GUM today. This grey-tail 737-8, wearing Eastar winglets, will be registered as HL8760. 

This would be the first delivery flight bound for South Korea to stop in Hawai‘i, as they normally transit through ANC.

25 March 2026 UPDATE

N769BA departed GUM for CRK.

26 March 2026 UPDATE

N769BA departed CRK for HAK.

Kaiser Air's N778MA

Kaiser Air's 737-8Q8, N778MA (c/n 37404, l/n 1958), is making a stop at HNL, from PDX as KAI537.

37404's History:

Jun 2006: Delivered to Sunwing Airlines as C-FTDW, under lease from Babcock & Brown.

May 2009: Subleased to Travel Service for six months.

May 2010: Subleased to Viking Airways for three months.

May 2011: Subleased to Travel Service for five months.

May 2012: Subleased to Smartwings for five months.

May 2013: Subleased to Smartwings for six months.

Jun 2015: Subleased to Smartwings for five months.

Jun 2017: Subleased to Smartwings for five months.

Apr 2019: Subleased to TUI Fly Netherlands for six months.

Nov 2020: Leased to Miami Air International as N778MA, but did not enter service.

May 2023: Leased to Kaiser Air as N778MA.

Sep 2024: Painted in the 2024 Harris/Walz campaign livery for one month.

20 March 2026 UPDATE

N778MA is departing for OAK to day as KAI52.

Life Flight Network's N662LF

Life Flight Network's Hawai‘i Island base took delivery of N662LF (msn 1587) tonight. This PC-12/47E made the delivery flight from VGT, with a stop at SMX. This PC-12 air ambulance is to be based at KOA.

Further information in this Life Flight Network news release.

C-FHHJ

The Avmax Group is ferrying C-FHHJ (msn 555) from YYC to CNS, with stops at GTF, CCR, KOA, and MAJ. This white-tail Dash8-0315 Q300 departed GTF yesterday, and its overnight stop at KOA is tonight.

This Q300 stopped through ITO this past October, as the Avmax Group ferried it from Australia to Canada. It was re-registered as C-FHHJ this past November.

John Travolta Donates N707JT To Australian Museum

Actor John Travolta has donated his 707-138, N707JT "Jet Clipper Ella" (c/n 187840, l/n 388), to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society at the Shellharbour Airport, New South Wales, Australia. The actor promised to donate the 707 to the HARS, and the plan was to fly it from Florida to Australia, but was not allowed due to regulatory challenges in ferrying the airliner. So it was taken apart, and the wings, engines and other parts have already been shipped. The fuselage is now set to travel via ship.

N707JT had made numerous stops at HNL, including times when it bore a Pan American-like livery, as Travolta's late wife, actress Kelly Preston, was born and raised in Honolulu. It used to park on the AirService Hawaii (now Atlantic Aviation) ramp.

Further information in this ABC Sydney report.

Royal Canadian Air Force's 140117

140117 (msn 285B-5723), a CP-140M Aurora from the Royal Canadian Air Force's 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron, 19 Wing Comox, is making a stop at HNL from YQQ.

On a related note, Air Data News reports that the first CP-8A Poseidon has entered final assembly at RNT last month, been assigned line number 9627. It has yet to be assigned a construction number nor an RCAF serial number.

Rainbow Warriors Team Charter

For their trip to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors basketball team chartered an Allegiant Air A319 for their trip from LAS to PDX today. N307NV (msn 2427), an A319-112, flew the 'Bows to play in the West Regional as the 13th seed, as AAY4106. They will play the 4th seed Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday for the first round.

GO BOWS!!!

Photos from the team's Instagram post.

A Trio of RNLAF MRTTs

A trio of A330-243MRTTs from the Royal Netherlands Air Force are making a stop at HIK from SLC today. These Multi-Role Transport Tankers are escorting six RNLAF F-35A Lightnings from SLC as part of an exercise the RNLAF and USAF are having this month in Utah.

The three MRTTs from 334 Squadron are: T-061 (msn 2030), flying as MMF30; T-054 (msn 1830), flying as MMF35; and T-059 (msn 1982), flying as MMF29. They are flying under the NATO Support and Procurement Agency flight code, as they operate for the Multinational Multi-Role Transport Tanker Fleet.

20 March 2026 UPDATE

This RNLAF group of fighters and tankers are to depart for MSJ [Misawa AB, Misawa-shi, Aomori-ken, Japan].

Atlas Air Orders A350Fs

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings announced today, that they have placed a firm order for 20 A350F freighters, with the first deliveries expected for 2029. The A350F, a shortened and reinforced version of the A350-1000, with the same wings and engines, is being designed to carry about 111 tonnes (244,000+ pounds) of cargo, with a 4,700nm range. Atlas Air is the first US carrier to order the A350F.

Further information in this Atlas Air press release, and this Airbus A350F fact page.

Kona Low Storm Impacts Flights And Operations

The "Kona Low" storm that is bringing heavy rain, high southerly winds, and thunderstorms, is impacting airlines and airport operations. Both Kamaka Air and Lāna‘i Air suspended operations today. Air traffic was put on ground holds and holding patterns for periods as storm cells sat over the state's airports. Some flights are delayed, and others face cancellation. Departing and arriving traffic patterns are also in flux, as the winds are causing the FAA to reverse, and revert, the traffic patterns.

Surf Air Orders BETA Electric Aircraft

Mokulele Airlines' parent company, Surf Air, is partnering with BETA Technologies, with a firm order of 25 all-electric ALIA CTOL aircraft, with an option of 75 more. Surf Air plans to designate some of the 25 to Mokulele Airlines for inter-island cargo flights. Surf Air also plans to build an MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) facility in Hawai‘i, but did not disclose that location.

Further information in this Surf Air press release.

BBN Airlines Indonesia's PK-BBK

BBN Airlines Indonesia is ferrying PK-BBK (c/n 35717, l/n 2455) from CGK to MZJ, with stops at GUM and HNL. This 737-9GPER is flying as BBL8005, and is being returned to its lessor, Alterna Capital Partners.

Pk-BBK stopped through HNL in September 2024, as 2-IBAZ, as it was being ferried to Indonesia.

Kīlauea Eruption Closes ITO

Due to eruption episode 43 at the Kīlauea Volcano, ash fallout, and southwesterly winds, the FAA and HDOT-A is suspending operations at ITO. The US Geological Service said that with this eruption episode, combined with winds blowing ash fall toward the eastern side of Hawai‘i, will affect air traffic, as ash will damage jet engines.

11 March 2026 UPDATE

Eruption episode 43 ended in the evening hours yesterday, and ITO was opened early this morning.

VH-TQE

VH-TQE (msn 596), a Dash8-315 Q300 owned by the Avmax Group, is being ferried from ASP to YYC, with stops at CNS, MAJ, and JRF. This white-tail Q300 departed ASP on 02 March, and its stop at JRF is tonight.

VH-TQE's History:

Jly 2003: Delivered to Eastern Australia Airlines, to operate for QantasLink.

__ 2017: Painted in the current QantasLink livery, and named "Launceston".

Dec 2024: Withdrawn from service, and stored at TMW.

Dec 2025: Ferried to ASP for storage, and purchased by the Avmax Group.

OGG's Runway 2/20 Reconstruction

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation - Airports (HDOT-A) held a meeting on 02 March regarding the reconstruction project for Runway 2/20, which was originally built in 1942 during World War II. There are four proposals (one temporary, and three permanent) for a parallel runway to be built before Runway 2/20's reconstruction can begin (along with other governmental regulatory requirements). 

The three permanent runway proposals would place the second runway east of the current ramp area where there are the tour helicopter operations, FBOs, and the FAA control tower. Under the permanent proposals, Runway 5/23 (the general aviation/commuter runway) would be permanently closed.

Further information and HDOT-A illustrations in this Maui News article.