ATA's DC-10-30s

ATA Airlines began New Year's charter flights between HNL and KIX, as AMT6400 (KIX_HNL), using ex-NW DC-10-30s.

ATA has also substituted DC-10-30s on AMT4755/AMT4754, between HNL and LAX.

Omni Air Japan Charters

For the past few years, Omni Air International (X9/OAE) has been doing charter flights between HNL and Japan during the New Year's season, as many Japanese tourists flock to Hawai‘i to celebrate this holiday.

Omni's N720AX (c/n 48252) is seen here taxiing to Runway 26L during some Kona Wind weather back in early 2005. N720AX began its career with Lufthansa as D-ADSO, then transfered to its charter subsidiary Condor, before being acquired by Omni.

Another UH Logo HA 767-300?

Unless I saw the wrong registration yesterday, it looks like the UH logo has been applied to a second HA 767, N591HA. This aircraft was parked along Elliott this morning and probably is the actual aircraft that is taking the team to New Orleans.

The flight number for the UH charter is HA1086 and blocked out a little after 5:00pm from Gate 60 in the Interisland Terminal. It is scheduled to arrive in MSY tomorrow morning at 5:10am.

HAL1086 departing for MSY on Runway 8R by BlueWave707 ... Go Warriors!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas from the HNL RareBirds team!

UH Charter to the Sugar Bowl

It was announced last week that the University of Hawaii football team will flying to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on HA instead of AQ, who flew the team to their away games during the season. Baring any difficulties, the Warriors will be flying to the Sugar Bowl tomorrow night on N590HA, "Koa`e`ula." HA has added the UH logo to N590HA in the same area as the Raiders and Seahawks logos on N592HA and N583HA. Sorry, no picture of this yet.

Air China's B-5343

B-5343 (c/n 36485) is Air China's newest 737-89L, and it's on its delivery flight from BFI. It left earlier this morning for MAJ as CCA058, after arriving from BFI yesterday.

Sorry no HNL photo, but here's Rick Schlamp's photo at BFI.

Due to my busy schedule, I haven't been able to get out to HNL to get any photos of the recent delivery flights.

Winter Island Visitors

Always nice to see a couple of our favorite liveries here in the warm December sunlight.

North American has been operating an "open jaw" charter; something like OAK-OGG-LAX. Seen arriving Thursday for the second time as NA4635; he didn't grab the localizer on the first try.


Westjet has added a seasonal daytime flight YVR-OGG-YVR. Seen landing Thursday as WJA922.

ATA Brings In Hawai‘i Bowl Teams

Both the Boise State University Broncos (Western Athletic Confernce) and the East Carolina University Pirates (Conference USA) chartered ATA Airlines' L-1011s to bring their respective football teams to HNL for the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl on December 23rd at Aloha Stadium (and will be aired on ESPN at 2000EST).

Both teams arrived late yesterday ... The Broncos arrived on AMT6471 from BOI (Gowen Field, Boise, ID), and the Pirates arrived on AMT6469 from ISO (Kinston Regional Airport, Kinston, NC) with a fuel stop at OAK.


Update 12-24-07 (07:00)
The ECU Pirates beat the BSU Broncos 41-38 in the final seconds with a walk-off field goal. Both the Pirates and Broncos returned to their respective cities last night aboard their ATA L-1011 charters after the game. The Broncos returnd to BOI on AMT6472, and the Pirates returned to ISO on AMT6470.

Rain and Rainbows

After a week and a half with no cable (which also meant no internet) due to the storm last week, here's some recent pictures. With all the rain we have been having recently, there have been a lot of rainbows showing up around HNL. These pictures were taken on Dec 12.




This one was taken in the morning and the rainbow is right over the AS 737-800. Apparently, one of AS's flights the previous day was cancelled, most likely the ANC flight.

This one was taken in the afternoon. The rainbow now appears over the terminals.

This last one is actually the top of the same rainbow in the second picture.

Lion Air's PK-LFL

Lion Air International's next 737-9GPER(W), PK-LFL (c/n 35714), is on its delivery flight from BFI as LNI001. It's scheduled to arrive in HNL around midday, and leave later this evening.

Rick Schlamp caught PK-LFL at BFI.

Air China's B-5329

Air China is taking delivery of B-5329 (c/n 35222), a 737-86N, today, and scheduled to arrive later this morning as CCA052.

Check out Rick Schlamp's cool rain shot of B-5329 at BFI.

Go! Express in OGG airspace

Taking a page from the business plan of Pacific Wings, Mesa is now operating Cessna Caravans out of OGG. Saw one landing for the first time today. Sorry no picture; but you have probably already seen these at HNL.

Lion Air's PK-LFP

Lion Air International is taking delivery of its next 737-9GPER, PK-LFP (c/n 35717). It's scheduled to arrive this evening from BFI for a fuel stop, before continuing onto MAJ then to BIK (Biak Airport, Indonesia).

Here's a link to Rick Schlamp's BFI photo.

Interisland HA 763's cont'd

Today, we once again noticed HA operating an interisland 763. Flight 1226  from HNL to OGG and they turned it around as HA 1225. Doesn't seem to be an equipment repositioning maneuver. I called Hawaiian reservations, and they were selling seats on these. "Lot's of seats available." 

JAL Express' JA307J

JAL Express, a subsidiary of Japan Airlines, is taking delivery of its first 737-846(W), JA307J (c/n 35336) it will stop at HNL as JAL7901.

Here's Rick Schlamp's BFI photo.

Shandong Airlines' B-5348

Shandong Airlines' next 737-85N(W), B-5348 (c/n 36191), will be stopping over at HNL on its delivery flight from BFI as CDG5348.

China Southern's B-5251

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of their next 737-71B, B-5251 (c/n 35384). It arrived today from BFI, and will leave tomorrow morning for MAJ and SPN.

Sorry, no HNL photo available, but here's Rick Schlamp's BFI photo.

Huskies Charter ATA's N702TZ

The University of Washington Huskies chartered ATA Airlines' N702TZ, an ex-Northwest Airlines DC-10-30 (msn 46912) to bring their football team, cheerleaders and band to HNL, as the Huskies football team faced off against the University of Hawai‘i Warriors. The flight arrived from SEA as AMT6317.

N702TZ still wears the old NW "bowling shoe" colors with small ATA titles in the forward section. It was originally delivered to Korean Airlines as HL7316. It was taken up by Northwest in the late '90s, and registered N234NW.

The Warriors battled back to beat the Huskies 35-28, to complete a perfect 12-0 regular season, and await a BCS bowl bid.

Mahalo Aeros for the photo!


Update 12-03-07 (21:30): The Huskies returned to SEA on Monday 12-03 on the same DC-10 listed as AMT6318.