Miami Air's N740EH

Leading off today's HNL RareBirds hat trick is Miami Air's N740EH, a 737-8DCW (c/n 34596), which arrived later in the day as BSK524 from GUM (Agana, Guam).

RAAF's A41-206

The Royal Australian Air Force's first Boeing C-17A "Globemaster III", A41-206 (c/n P-206), departs HNL's Runway 22L this morning, after a visit to HIK (Hickam Air Force Base).

I guess this would be more like an HIK RareBird. :-D

China Eastern's B-2127

Rounding out the hat trick is this China Eastern Airlines MD-82, B-2127 (c/n 49511) is headed for the mainland. It left PVG (Pudong Airport, Shanghai, China) on the 27th, and has been island hopping its way across the Pacific via SPN and MAJ. It's destination nor future is unknown.

ATA L-1011

Also on the North Ramp was an ATA L-1011-500 (N164AT). ATA only has painted the L-1011s in partial new colors (no tail logo or stripe on the engines) and only small titles on the front. Not sure what flight this aircraft flew in as, but it most likely came in as a military charter.

Royal Brunei 767-200

Royal Brunei has made another appearance in HNL this time with a 767-200 (V8-MHB) and parked on the North Ramp. The last time it was back in November and they had a A340 parked on the South Ramp. The aircraft was also being watched all the time by security guards. You can see them sitting in the shade under the nose of the aircraft.

Miami Air Daily Double

Miami Air International (GL/BSK) has two of their 737-800s at HNL. Parked side by side are N906MA [top] and N739MA [above].

N906MA, a 737-81Q (c/n 20952), is wearing the new colors of Excel Airways (JN/XLA) [London, UK], is being leased by GL. The UK registration is G-XLAD. JN used to be called Sabre Airways (JN/SBE), and G-XLAD was registered as G-ODMW. N906MA arrived from OAK as BSK528.

N739MA, a 737-8Q8W (c/n 30670), wears GL's current livery, and arrived from OAK as BSK524.

2007 Airlines Of The Year

Air Transport World (ATW), the sister publication of Airliners Magazine has named All Nippon Airways - ANA as the ATW Airline Of The Year, and Horizon Air as ATW Regional Airline Of The Year.

In the top photo, ANA's (flying as Air Japan) 767-381ER, JA8970 (c/n 25619), at HNL, taxies to Runway 26L on Taxiway RT.

In the above photo, Horizon Air's CRJ700, N616QX (msn 10128) at PDX (Portland, OR), taxies to Terminal A on Taxiway T.

Japan Airlines' JA302J

Japan Airlines' second 737-846(W), JA302J (c/n 35331), prepares to depart for MAJ as JAL7901. The heat haze blurred the photo a bit.

China United Airlines' B-5183

The China United Airlines (KN/CUA) name has been brought back by Shanghai Airlines as their subsidiary. B-5183 (c/n 30711) is the first 737-8Q8(W) to wear the new China United colors, based on the Shanghai Airlines livery. B-5183 seen here minutes before pushing back for it's next segment to MAJ as CUA183.

The Eskimo At HNL?

According to this morning's Honolulu Advertiser, it's now a matter of time before we'll see Alaska Airlines (AS) 737-700W and -800W flights to HNL.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the HA/AS code-share, since both airlines will be flying out of SEA.

In this photo from Nov 2004, an Alaska Airlines 737-490, N703AS (c/n 28893), is on finals to LAX's Runway 24R. This photo was taken from the In-N-Out Burger on Sepulveda & Lincoln Blvds.

Another AQ 732QC With Cargo Titles

Aloha now has a second 732QC painted in the cargo livery. This aircraft N747AS was previously with Alaska. N747AS started out flying for Markair as N673MA. It then went to Malaysia flying for Transmile Air as 9M-PMU. In 2001, this aircraft actually passed through HNL on its way to PHX to before being put into service for Alaska. This picture was taken by Je89 W on its layover at HNL: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0156358/L/.

Air Med Hawaii

AirMed Hawaii began service in April 2006 to provide emergency medical air service between the neighbor islands and O‘ahu. They have a local fleet of three Beech 90 King Air. AirMed Hawaii is a local arm of Air Med, which also serves Hawai‘i with a Raytheon Hawker 800 jet (N9UP) from the mainland.

N946AM is one of the three B90s, seen here on Taxiway C in November.

Pacific Wings Heats Up The Inter-Island Market

Pacific Wings (LW/NMI) has created Pacific Wings Express as a low-cost subsidiary. The Honolulu Advertiser has an article regarding this latest move in the hot inter-island fare wars. It appears to be a response to the Mokulele Air & go! partnership (go! Express), and possibly Island Air(?).

As the prop blades spin ...

Hong Kong Express Airways' B-KXE

Hong Kong Express Airways' 737-808(W), B-KXE (c/n 34710) gets fueled up for its next segment to MAJ as "Hong Kong Express 8002". B-KXE is being leased from Icelandic Air, and appears that the rest of this 73H will be painted in Hong Kong.

Air China's B-5179

Further down the south ramp, Air China's next 737-86N, B-5179 (c/n 35211), leased from ILFC, awaits its departure for MAJ later in the morning.

Hawaiian's 2nd ex-Delta 767-300

Here's Hawaiian's 2nd ex-Delta 767-300, N596HA. This aircraft is named Koa`e Kea (white-tailed tropicbird). This aircraft is also the first to have the NuLook interiors from Heath Techna.

We're Back!

On behalf of the HNL RareBirds team, I would like thank you all for patiently waiting for new posts. It seems there was a challenge in the Blogger system, which prevented us from adding new posts from 12-31-06 to today. Mahalo & Aloha!

RAAF's N363BJ

Another unpainted Royal Australian Air Force 737-7ES, N363BJ (c/n 33986), stopped over at HNL on its way to Australia for test flights. 363 will return to the Boeing factory to complete assembly of the “Wedgetail” AWACS antenna & equipment, and to get painted.

It's seen here getting ready to taxi to Runway 8R as BOE204 to depart for its next stop, PPG (Pago Pago, American Samoa).

Sister-ship N361BJ was in town this past April.

Aloha ‘Oe Northwest DC-10-30s!

Northwest Airlines operated its final DC-10-30 flight, as N237NW flew the MSP-HNL-MSP run (NWA099/098). N237NW was the DC-10 used for the ASU charter earlier in the month.

Airbus A330-200s and -300s will take over the long-haul wide-body routes.

Some of the remaining DC-10-30s will move on to American Trans Air - ATA (TZ).

In the top photo, N239NW (c/n 48290) in the current NW colors, taxies down Taxiway RT to Runway 26L. 239 is about to become N612AX for Omni Aviation Leasing (Tulsa, OK). In the above photo, N225NW (c/n 46582), in the old 1991 NW colors is on a very short final for Runway 4R. 225 is still with NW, though not for long.

Kenn Borek Air's C-FBCN

This Beech Super King Air 200, C-FBCN (msn BB-7) owned by Kenn Borek Air (Calgary, AB, Canada) has been in town for the past several days. Word is, that C-FBCN has been operating out of the Circle Rainbow Air hangar. It’s seen here taxiing out for its next flight.

Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!

The HNL RareBirds team would like to wish our blog visitors a Happy And Proseprous New Year!