China Southern's N769BE

The February edition of "HNL RareBirds Classics" takes us back to August 3, 1998, and China Southern Airlines' N769BE (c/n 24118, l/n 163), a 757-236, that's pictured above on the Anderson Aviation ramp.

24118 was originally delivered to Air Europe [AE/AEL] as G-BNSD in March 1988. Apparently, this 757 was not taken up by British Airways, as their Boeing Customer Code is -_36. It was subleased to Air Europa [UX/AEA], and registered as EC-EMA, from December 1988 to November 1989. After the closure of AEL, it went to Transavia [HV/TRA] as PH-TKY in March 1992. Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM) purchased 24118, and leased it to China Southern Airlines [CZ/CSN] in July 1993. In the above photo, it's seen returning to the mainland. Two months after the photo was taken, it was leased to Royal Airlines [QN/ROY] as C-GRYO. It was then absorbed into the Canada 3000 Airlines [2T/CMM] fleet when it merged with Royal in January 2001. Following the closure of CMM in January 2002, Pegasus Aviation acquired the 757, leased it to Transmeridian Airlines [T9/TRZ], and registered as N958PG. It was subleased to Avianca Colombia [AV/AVA] from October 2003 to May 2004. From May 2004 to November 2004, N958PG was chartered for Senator John Kerry, and specially painted presidential campaign run. Since 2008, 24118 has been leased by Venezuela's Santa Barbara Airlines as YV2243, and currently wears the new SBA branding.