Mesa Settles With Hawaiian

Mesa Air Group, go!'s parent comapny, has settled with Hawaiian Airlines, and removed its appeal over the $80M award to Hawaiian by the US Federal Court.

The Honolulu Advertiser's article link.

Kalitta Charters' N720CK

Kalitta Chaters II has brought in N720CK (c/n 21298), a 727-2B6F/Adv, to handle air cargo duties on behalf of Pacific Air Cargo.

N720CK had been here in 2005 for Pacific Air Cargo to do runs to/from PPG, but was short-lived. In the photo above, this 727 has a Pacific Air Cargo logo near the main entry door. It was originally delivered to Royal Air Maroc as CN-RMP.


Kitty Hawk Aircargo had done some inter-island cargo runs with 727-200Fs in the earlier part of the decade, but left after a brief run as they tried to compete against Aloha Airlines' cargo ops.

Aloha Cargo Shuts Down

This afternoon, Aloha announced that their cargo operations will be shutting down at the end of business today. The two bidders for the cargo division pulled out and the lender will not provided any more money.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080428/BREAKING03/80428053

http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/28/news/story09.html

Lion Air's PK-LFK

Lion Air International's newest 737-9GPER(W), PK-LFK (c/n 35713), made a tech stop at HNL, during its delivery flight to Indonesia.

Rick Schlamp's photo of PK-LFK at BFI.

Aloha Cargo

We caught this Aloha Cargo landing at HNL today around 7:14am with a pocket cam. They were also tugging N840AL around.

Air Nippon's JA18AN

Air Nippon is taking delivery of JA18AN (c/n 33885), a 737-781(W). It arrived today as ANK9984, and will depart for MAJ and GUM tomorrow.

Rick Schlamp got a shot of it at BFI.

Shanghai Airlines' B-5368

Shanghai Airlines is taking delivery of B-5368 (c/n 35273), a 737-8Q8(W), leased from ILFC. It arrived yesterday and is seen above departing from Runway 8R this morning for SPN as CSH368.

Royal Air Force's K1s

The UK's Royal Air Force K1 (L-1011-385 "TriStar 500") air re-fueling tankers have been using HNL as a stopover point during "Exercise Longlook", over the past few days.

Airliners.net photo link

Mokulele Airlines

This Grand Caravan with a new look was at Kahului today. Nose art features a Hawaiian flag with the name, "The Spirit of Maui." Mokulele now has 2 aircraft in company livery, and 3 in the Go! Express c/s. They expect to be operating a fleet of 10 208's by the end of the year.

JAL Express' JA311J

Taken Sat morning prior to departure as JAL7901 to MAJ and SPN.

Aloha ‘Oe "Mo‘ikeha"

"Mo‘ikeha", Aloha Airlines' N739AL (c/n 28500), a 737-73A(W), is getting ready to be ferried off to GYR like its sister-ship N738AL. It appears that "Mo‘ikeha"'s eyebrow windows have been covered, and have the "alohaairlines.com" titles painted on the inside of the winglets.

Hong Kong Express' B-KBQ

Hong Kong Express Airlines' B-KBQ (c/n 35274), a 737-84P(W) is on its way to Hong Kong from BFI. It stopped off at HNL last night, and left this morning. Unfortunately we just missed its departure ...

Here's a link to Rick Schlamp's photo of B-KBQ at BFI .

11th 737-800 for JAL

The eleventh 737-846(W) for JAL, JA311J (c/n 35340), arrived in HNL last night, April 11. This aircraft is wearing JAL Express titles. It is scheduled to leave for MAJ today, April 12. Sorry for the poor picture as I had to use the car to take a steady shot, but was parked too close to get the whole aircraft in the frame.

Aloha's 737-200s Are Saying Aloha

It now seems that the leased Aloha Airlines 737-200’s are now starting to be returned as two flights left Honolulu this morning. Winging their way east to Victorville California was N828AL Hoapili which departed HNL to VCV at 7:30 am followed by N837AL Kaumuali`i at 7:40 am.

Aloha Machines

Sad to see these aircraft parked in the middle of the field like this.

Another View Of UR-82027

Antonov Airlines' UR-82027

An Antonov Airlines An-124-100, UR-82027 (msn 19530502288/208), was in town today. Sorry, I do not have any inbound nor outbound flight info.

Aloha ‘Oe "Kuapaka‘a"

"Kuapaka‘a", Aloha Airlines' N738AL (c/n 28499), a 737-73A(W), was ferried to GYR (Phoenix Goodyear Airport, AZ) today by its lessor, the Wilmington Trust Company. It will be stored there for the time being. I guess it could be the same for the other 737-700Ws and 737-200s AQ had under lease.

N738AL was the first 737-700 delivered to AQ that kicked off their west coast service. It's seen above on the AirService Hawai‘i ramp being prepared for the non-stop flight to GYR (as N738AL) that would depart a few hours after I got this shot.

Garuda's PK-GHX

Garuda Indonesian Airlines is taking delivery of PK-GHX (c/n 26440), a 737-3L9. It's flying as GIA8011, and the flight originated from GYR (Phoenix Goodyear Airport, AZ) via LAX, HNL and MAJ to Indonesia.

PK-GHX was delivered to Maersk Denmark as OY-MRK in 1992, then onto Deutsche BA as D-ADBB a few months after delivery. It then went onto Frontier Airlines as N310FL from 1999 until 2004. After its time it was Frontier, it was taken up by Sundowner LLC.

It's seen here on a rainy HNL ramp a day after arriving from LAX. It's departure date is scheduled for tomorrow.

Aloha Airlines ... Mahalo Nui Loa!

Over the past couple of years, I was privileged to be invited to Aloha Airlines' functions to capture the event for airliner magazines ... the return of the Funbird, their 60th birthday celebration, Wyland's painting of N748AL, and the leasing of PH-HZO. Over that course of time, I have also met a lot of great people from the front office, maintenance dept., cabin crews and flight crews. You're all good people!

The return of the "Funbird"




Aloha's 60th Birthday Celebration





The Embraer E-190 visit and demo flights


Wyland and Koholālele




Leasing of Transavia's PH-HZO


To all of you at Aloha Airlines, mahalo for letting me be a part of your events ... my heartfelt prayers are with you all.

Theme Week

In my other photo blog, Blue Wave Pix, I am running a theme week of aviation photos that have not been shown on this blog.

During the first week of each month, I select a theme to run from Sunday to Saturday. This month I chose to post a theme based on my airliner photos, and the stories behind the shots. Please feel free to check them out.

Aircraft Names of Aloha Airlines

Over the years Aloha Airlines had a tradition of naming all of its Boeing 737 fleet honoring Polynesian Navigators and Hawaiian Royalty. Each Aloha Airlines jet proudly wore the name of a significant figure in Hawaiian history or a skilled Polynesian navigator. Naming the aircraft is one way that Aloha perpetuated Hawaii's remarkable history and cultural heritage wherever Aloha flew. Behind the name of every plane, there is a story, a story that Aloha Airlines loved to share.

BOEING 737-700s named after Polynesian navigators

KUAPAKA'A – Aircraft 738 Son of the chief Paka'a and advisor of Keawenui, Kuapaka'a was well known for his sailing and fishing skills. It was said that he had the ability to call upon the winds with the magical wind gourd of La'amaomao so that he could sail swiftly.

MO'IKEHA – Aircraft 739 Mo'ikeha was a famous navigator who traveled by canoe many times between the Hawaiian Islands and Tahiti. His wife Lu'ukia is responsible for originating the lashing that Mo'ikeha incorporated into his canoes, which can still be found on canoes today. His son Kila was also a famed navigator.

KAMOHOALI'I – Aircraft 740 Kamohoali'i is named after the brother of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. According to legend, he took the form of a shark to lead Pele and the rest of the family to Hawaii.

'OLOPANA – Aircraft 741 'Olopana was an historic Hawaiian navigator and the brother of another famous navigator, Mo'ikeha, who traveled between the Hawaiian Islands and Tahiti.

HAWAI'I LOA – Aircraft 742 Hawai'i loa is named after a legendary Polynesian navigator believed by some to have been the first to discover Hawaii.

KAHA'I – Aircraft 746 Kaha'i was a royal voyager who made a trip to 'Upolu in Samoa. He returned to Hawaii and landed at Hakip'u with the first breadfruit. He also sailed to the homeland in Kahiki (Tahiti) to locate his aging father, Hema.

KOHOLALELE – Aircraft 748 The name Koholālele (“literally flying or leaping whale”) honors the humpback whale, an ancient visitor to Hawaii, considered by Hawaiians to be a kupuna, or elder, in its own right. Koholālele also is a place name for an area along the Hāmākua Coast of the Big Island and the name of a wind that “leaps over the land” like a flying whale. This plane was hand-painted by the artist Wyland on May 7 and 8, 2007.

'AUKELE – Aircraft 751 'Aukele is the Hawaiian name for Aldebaran, a bright red star in the eye of the Taurus. 'Aukele was an ancient hero who made a perilous journey to the underworld to find the “water of life.” He also traveled to the sun, moon and stars and became a mythical hero, revered by all navigators.

BOEING 737-800

MAKALI`I - Aircraft PH-HZO Makali`i was a great navigator who sailed with the chief Hawai`iloa to Hawai`i. He settled on Kaua`i and became the ancestor of all common people. His skill at farming was legendary. Makali`i was said to have tied crop foods in a carrying net which he then suspended high up in the sky in case of famine. Makali`i is also the name Hawaiians of old use for the constellation Pleiades.

BOEING 737-200s

KALELEONALANI – Aircraft 808 Queen Emma Kaleleonalani, also known as Queen Emma, was the wife of Alexander Liholiho (Kamehameha IV) and shared the experiences of his reign. She was responsible for the financing and construction of the Queen's Hospital, known today as Queen's Medical Center. In 1860 she was an instrumental figure in allowing the establishment of the first Episcopal Church in Hawaii, St. Andrew's Cathedral. Emma also sponsored the founding of St. Andrew's Priory, a school for girls.

LU`UKIA – Aircraft 810 Lu`ukia traveled with her navigator husband Mo`ikeha and his brother on a voyage to Tahiti. When the brothers began to compete for her, she wrapped her legs with sennit. She told them that the one who figured out the intricate lashing first would be her husband. Mo`ikeha finally came upon the solution and was so intrigued by the lashing that he later used it to make canoes. Canoe men still use this technique and call it Pa`u-o-Lu`ukia, Lu`ukia's lashing.

KING DAVID KALAKAUA – Aircraft 816 (Cargo) Kalakaua became king on February 13, 1874, and began the colorful reign that characterized him as the "Merrie Monarch." He was the first Hawaiian sovereign to visit the United States. His trip to Washington was undertaken to rally support for the long-delayed Reciprocity Treaty sought by the kingdom. A scholar, poet and musician, he promoted the spirit and culture of Hawaii at home and abroad. Following his 1881 trip around the world to visit fellow heads of state, he commissioned construction of Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

KALANIKUPULE – Aircraft 817 (Cargo) Kalanikupule, the son of Maui's ruling chief Kahekili, ruled the island of Oahu in 1795. He is significant in Hawaiian history because he fought a great battle at the summit of Nuuanu Pali to defend Oahu against Kamehameha I. Kalanikupule's death in the Battle of Nuuanu led to Kamehameha's conquest and reign over all the islands.

LIHOLIHO – Aircraft 823 (Funbird) Liholiho was the son of Kamehameha I, the great ruler and unifier of the Hawaiian Islands. Following his father's death, Liholiho overthrew many ancient taboos. During his reign, the island economy flourished due to sandalwood trading and whaling.

KALANI`OPU`U – Aircraft 824 Kalani`opu`u ruled over the Island of Hawaii and the Hana district of Maui during the mid-1700s. He played a part in the incident at Kealakekua Bay in 1779 that led to the death of Captain Cook. When he died, Kalani`opu'u's powerful son was to have succeeded him as king. However, a highly ambitious nephew outmaneuvered the son to the throne. That nephew was Kamehameha I.

KAKUHIHEWA – Aircraft 826 (Cargo) Oahu's most famous chief, Kakuhihewa is poetically called O'ahu a Kakuhihewa. He instilled in his subjects an appreciation for Oahu's arts and culture and preserved many of the beloved crafts of his island.

HOAPILI – Aircraft 828 Born the son of a royal twin, Hoapili was the close companion of Kamehameha I. In 1819, he assisted with the overthrow of the native religion and supported the work of the American missionaries. As Governor of Maui, Molokai and Lanai from 1836 to 1840, he made education for children compulsory. Hoapili was instrumental in persuading his daughter Liliha, then Governor of Oahu, to resume her loyalty to Kamehameha III, thus averting a potential battle between the two.

PAI'EA – Aircraft 834 (Cargo) Also known as Kamehameha the Great, Kamehameha Pai'ea was Hawaii's most famous monarch. A powerful ruler and warrior, he unified all the main islands under one rule. The reign of Kamehameha was marked by peaceful expansion and prosperous trade with foreigners. In 1816 Kamehameha defended the islands against the incursion of Russian forces. He was succeeded as ruler by his two sons and two grandsons. After the Kamehameha family died out, the kings of Hawaii were elected by the people.

MATAIO KEKUANAOA – Aircraft 835 Mataio Kekuanaoa was the punahele, or intimate companion, of Kamehameha II. In 1827, he married Kinau, daughter of Kamehameha I, and later fathered two successive monarchs, Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V. One of Hawaii's early statesmen, Mataio Kekuanaoa served as Governor of Oahu after Kinau's death in 1839. Later, he served as a member of the House of Nobles, Privy Council and as President of the Board of Education. In 1866, Mark Twain praised Mataio Kekuanaoa as "a man of noble presence... seemingly natural and fitted to the place as if he had been born to it...."

KAUIKEAOULI – Aircraft 836 Kauikeaouli, also known as Kamehameha III, held the throne between 1825 and 1854. His was the longest reign in Hawaiian history. During his rule, The Constitution of 1840 became law, outlining human rights for all residents of the Kingdom. Kauikeaouli instituted major reforms of the taxation system, and reorganized the Executive Branch to include a Minister of Foreign Relations. He also established an independent Judiciary. He is credited with returning the Kingdom to a stable economic base after paying off the national debt, and with setting up the legal basis for land ownership in Hawaii.

KAUMUALI`I – Aircraft 837 Kaumuali`i was the last ruling monarch of Kauai and Niihau. By gathering arms and enlisting foreigners in his defense efforts, he resisted Kamehameha I's attempts to conquer Kauai by force. In 1810 Kaumuali'i peacefully ceded his islands to Kamehameha I to avoid bloodshed. He was among the first Hawaiian rulers to become a Christian and was influential in the spread of Christianity. He was the first monarch to learn to read, write and speak the English language extensively.

LOT KAUPA'IWA – Aircraft 840 (Cargo) Prince Lot Kaupa'iwa was the son of Kina'u, daughter of Kamehameha the Great.

KE`OPUOLANI – Aircraft 841 Ke`opuolani was a powerful chiefess who later became the sacred wife of Kamehameha I, unifier of the Hawaiian Islands. She was the mother of Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III, who ruled in succession following the death of their father. One of the first Hawaiian converts to Christianity, Ke'opuolani was instrumental in abolishing polygamy among her people.

LA`AMAIKAHIKI – Aircraft 842 (Cargo) La`amaikahiki was a respected navigator and chief from Tahiti. He is credited with bringing the first pahu, or Polynesian drums to the Hawaiian Islands. La`amaikahiki's story has been preserved through ancient chant, an important resource for Hawaiian history and culture.

KEKAULIKE – Aircraft 843 Kekaulike was an ancient ruler of Maui who amassed vast lands as a warrior chief. He had several wives including Keku`iapoiwanui. Together they were instrumental in establishing the modern lineage system of Hawaiian monarchy. When Kekaulike died, he decreed that his lands should go to Kamehameha I. This was the start of the Kamehameha dynasty.

-source- Aloha Airlines

Aloha Airlines 1946-2008

Aloha Airlines "The People's Airline" and "The Aloha Airline" is now sadly no more. For 61 years Aloha flew passengers across our island state and across the Pacific with the spirit of Aloha. To my friends at Aloha and there are many, I salute your passion for your company and wish you all Ahui Hou!

From the Honolulu Advertiser - Letter to the Editor

AIRLINE'S LOSS A TRAGEDY FOR HAWAI'I, AVIATION
Make no doubt about it, the loss of Aloha Airlines after 61 years is a tragedy for the people of Hawai'i and for American aviation.
Aloha Airlines and its employees had pride in their airline and took care of the people of Hawai'i and those who came to our island state for so many years.
I feel sad for all those pilots, ramp workers, gate agents, administration staff and other employees who put their heart and soul into Aloha Airlines, and now will have nothing but great memories along with what can now seem like an insurmountable crisis in their own personal lives.
Aloha was the "people's airline," just like Ruddy Tongg, Aloha's founder, once said and that Hung Wo Ching made "The Aloha Airline."
Aloha 'oe, Aloha Airlines. Aloha 'oe.

Shenzhen's B-5378

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of another 737-8AL(W), B-5378 (c/n 35085). Due to the rain and heavy traffic + lack of time, I was not able to get a shot of it.

AQ & ATA Rest In Peace

It seems to be happening way too fast. This was the scene at Aloha's final arrival. Such a sad moment in history. Employees of Aloha all gathered around the last flight were all kind of emotions where exchanged. What my pictures dont show are the other supporters that came out to bid Aloha good bye. On the opposite side of the 732 where the employees of Hawaiian, showing some aloha to there fellow ohana. People from United, Swissport, WFS, Sherrifs, and various other airport staff also came out to witness history. Thank you Aloha for your 61 years of fabulous service.


Tonight a similar story showed again. This time it was ATA's turn to be placed into the pages of history. ATA's last flight nationwide was to take off from Honolulu. Word came down the line as we were servicing N517AT, a 757-200, that this flight would be the last flight of ATA. At first we thought that it was a late April Fool's joke. We soon found out from operations that this was no joke. This was for real. TZ4586 for PHX lifted off around 0030. What a way to see a airline go. I had the privilege of waving off the last ATA flight out of HNL.




ATA was our main contract at night. With them gone now, Im not sure of our employment situation. We also service Air Canada and Air Pacific. Air Canada has reduced flights for this month to five days a week. Air Pacific had two days per week. We where servicing ATA every night. After seeing what Aloha's employees had to go though, I would have never thought that a similar situation hit so close to home so quickly.

Shenzhen's B-5377

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of B-5377 (c/n 35079), a 737-8AL(W). It's seen here taxiing to Runway 8R for its depature to MAJ. The aircraft has a name, unfortunately it's written in Chinese ...

Also, in the background are the Aloha Airlines 737-700Ws parked on Taxiway F.

Aloha Parks Their 737s Around HNL

Aloha Airlines has parked their 737-700s on Taxiway F west of Runway 4L, and south of Taxiway B (above), and some of their 737-200s are parked in the Aloha hangar area (middle) and near Gate 49 of the Makai Pier of the Interisland Terminal (top).

In the photo of the parked -700s, two of those birds have special meaning to me ... N751AL, "‘Aukele", was the 73W I rode home from SNA in 2004. Of course, N748AL, "Koholālele", was the 73W I had the honor of photographing the painting process that Wyland worked on.

The four -200s parked by Gate 49 are N824AL, N808AL, N843AL, and N837AL. N808AL was the one 737-200 that was once ETOPS certified and carried the flags of the USA, Marshall Islands, and Micronesia. The four parked at the hangar are N836AL, N828AL, N841AL, and N823AL. Of course, N823AL is the retro livery Funbird.

Mahalo to Ha763 for the -200 photos.