ATA's N561TZ

Our January 2013 edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" takes us to November 2004, and this ATA Airlines [TZ/ATA] 757-33N, N561TZ (c/n 33526, l/n 1032, f/n 561), that was photographed on HNL's South Ramp, as it was on a  team charter assignment.

N561TZ was originally delivered to ATA in July 2003, under buy back and lease program with Boeing Capital Corporation (BCC). It flew with ATA, in a one-class Y247 interior seating layout until the the airline's demise in April 2008. Continental Airlines leased this 757 from BCC in December 2009, and registered as N77871 (f/n 871). Later, it had Blended Winglets installed, and the interior re-configured to an F24Y192 layout. N77871 was absorbed into the United Airlines fleet (f/n 0871) when the two carriers merged in 2010.

We were fortunate to get a photo of N77871 while here at HNL, this past December 7th, and is seen above departing Runway 22L, destined for LAX as UAL1636, when the "Kona Winds" were blowing. It's one of the few opportunites that we're able to get "then & now" photos of "HNLRareBirds Classic" subjects.