SilkAir's 9V-MGC

SilkAir is taking delivery of 9V-MGC (c/n 44219, l/n 4882) today. The 737-8SA is making its delivery flight from BFI as SLK8880, and will overnight at HNL.

HL7227

HL7227 (c/n 35977, l/n 2047), a 737-7HF BBJ registered to the Hanwha Group, is here at HNL, after a flight from HOU. According to this Korea JoongAng Daily article, Hanwha's Chairman Kim Seung-yoon is undergoing medical treatment in the US.

35977 was originally delivered to Luxury Ocean Ltd in September 2006 as VP-CLL, with a VIP interior. In March 2007, it was acquired by White Sapphire LLC as N888AQ. The Hanwah Group acquired this BBJ in September 2010, still wearing the previous owner's livery. In mid-2012, it was painted in the above livery.

Mahalo to team member Clipper Hawaii for the article link.

Hainan's B-5813

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-5813 (c/n 39210, l/n 4885) today. The 737-74P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH5813, and will overnight at HNL.

Lion's PK-LOO

Lion Air is taking delivery of PK-LOO (c/n 39814, l/n 4879) today. The 737-8GP, their second delivery within the past ten days, is making its delivery flight from BFI as LNI1, and will make its brief fuel stop at HNL.

China Southern's B-1950

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1950 (c/n 41317, l/n 4880) this morning. The 737-81B is their second delivery in as many days, and is under lease from Air Lease. It's making its delivery flight from BFI as CSN50, and will overnight at HNL. B-1950 parked on the Pacific Avionics / Anderson Aviation ramp, as sister-ship B-1951 did not leave for MAJ as scheduled.

This is also their tenth 737-800 that they have taken delivery of this year, more than any other airline making trans-Pacific delivery flights.

Shenzhen's B-1941

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of B-1941 (c/n 37625, l/n 4877) today. This 737-87L, their second with the past seven days, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSZ908, and will overnight at HNL.

China Southern's B-1951

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1951 (c/n 38921, l/n 4878) this morning. The 737-81B is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSN1951, and will overnight at HNL.

Teen Stows Away On A Hawaiian 767-300ER

News outlets report that a 15-year-old boy stowed away in the wheel well of the port side landing gear on HAL45 (SJC-OGG), yesterday.  The top photo shows an iPad screenshot of from the FlightAware app of yesterday's HAL45 flight path and information. A FlightRadar24.com playback did not list the 767-33AER's N-Number. As a reference, the above photo is of Hawaiian's N580HA at OGG, taken in 2004.

Apparently, the teenager jumped a fence at SJC, then snuck into the wheel well, and survived the 5:15 flight at FL380, bearing temperatures of at least -40ºF, and a lack of oxygen. He was found wandering on the OGG ramp. It has been previously documented that a small number of others have survived this type of stowaway, but the majority of those who chose the wheel well as their stowaway location ended up dead.

Further details in this Hawaii News Now article.

AT-802 Air Tractor Shuttles

VH-FFB (SN: 802A-0356) & VH-FFM (SN: 802-0416) are a pair of Air Tractor AT-802's on the ground at ITO on Thursday 04/17/14. These, and three more to arrive on Friday, are British Columbia Forest Service fire fighting planes being shuttled back home from Australia and China.

I talked to one of the pilots a bit and he told me that they island hop to get these planes home. Their range on a tank of fuel is about 2200 miles or so. 

 Unfortunately I really missed the exposure on these photos because my camera was still set up from lunar eclipse work a day or so earlier! Did my best to recover and salvage something for here. :)

Hawaiian And Air China Codeshare

Hawaiian Airlines (HAL) and Air China (CCA) announced today that the two carriers have signed a code-share agreement for CCA flight codes on Hawaiian's inter-island flights and HAL flight codes on a few of Air China's major cities.

Further information in this Hawaiian Airlines press release.

Malaysia's 9M-MLU

Malaysia Airlines is taking delivery of 9M-MLU (c/n 39940, l/n 4872) today. The 737-8H6, under lease from RBS Aerospace, is making its delivery flight from BFI as MAS5473, and will overnight at HNL.

Shenzhen's B-1939

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of B-1939 (c/n 37621, l/n 4869) this morning. The 737-87L is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSZ969, and will overnight at HNL.

Sorry, we were unable to get a photo of B-1939 at HNL.

Hawaiian Launches PEK Service

Hawaiian Airlines launches service between HNL and PEK tonight. Unfortunately, we were unable to make the pre-boarding festivities. N396HA "Keoe" is the A330-243 making the inaugural flight.

Further details in this Hawaiian Airlines press release.

China Eastern's B-5820

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-5820 (c/n 39733, l/n 4855) today. The Yunnan Peacock-liveried 737-79P is making its delivery from BFI as CES599, and will overnight at HNL.

We were unable to get a photo of B-5820 at HNL, but team member Drewski2112 got a photo of it at BFI, during its test phase.

Lion Air's PK-LOM

Lion Air is taking delivery of PK-LOM (c/n 38750, l/n 4867) this morning. The 737-8GP is making its delivery flight from BFI as LNI1, and will make it's brief fuel stop at HNL.

VP-BEL

VP-BEL (c/n 29139, l/n 189), a 737-74T BBJ, owned by Orient Global (Singapore) was at HNL for a few days after arriving from DMK. It left today for OOL [Gold Coast Airport, Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia].

29139 was delivered to North Pacific Aviation in August 2000, operated for Kjell Inge Røkke as N21KR. In November 2003, it was acquired by Magenta Aviation, and registered it with the current VP-BEL, and retained livery without the "R" logos on the tail and winglets.

Garuda's PK-GNF

Garuda Indonesia is taking delivery of PK-GNF (c/n 39939, l/n 4866) this morning. The 737-8U3, leased from RBS Aerospace, is making its delivery flight from BFI as GIA8011. Instead of making an overnight stop at HNL, it made a 90-minute fuel stop on Hard Stand C, which is normally used by Kalitta Air. GIA8011 will continue onto KSA, then CGK.

China Southern's B-2935

China Southern Airlines is ferrying their second 737-300 within the past two weeks. B-2935 (c/n 27283, l/n 2547), a 737-37K, is making its ferry flight from CAN to GWO (via LAO, GUM, MAJ, HNL, and OAK) as CSN2002. Like the previous ferry flight, B-2935's fate has been sealed as it will be parted out and scrapped.

B-2935 was originally delivered to Zhongyuan Airlines [Z2/CYN] in February 1994. The airline was acquired by China Southern in August 2000, and the 737s were integrated into the fleet.

Sorry, we were unable to get a photo of B-2935, as it was raining when I got to HNL.

Air China's B-1956

Air China is taking delivery of B-1956 (c/n 40024, l/n 4864) this morning. The 737-89L is making its delivery flight from BFI as CCA78, and will overnight at HNL.

We were unable to get a photo of B-1956 at HNL, but team member Drewski2112 gat a photo of it at BFI.

Alaska Airlines Scimitar Winglets

Alaska Airlines' effort to cut fuel costs and emissions led to the purchase of the new Scimitar Split-Winglet system for its fleet of 737NGs. N586AS (c/n 35189, l/n 2393) is the first Alaskan 737-890 to receive new winglets. It arrived from Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA/KSEA) as ASA851 and turned as ASA892 to San Diego International (SAN/KSAN) a few hours after.

Okay Air's B-1962

Okay Airways is taking delivery of B-1962 (c/n 41248, l/n 4863) today. The 737-86N, leased from GECAS, is making its delivery flight from BFI as OKA1962, and will overnight at HNL.

Xiamen's B-1912

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-1912 (c/n 39908, l/n 4862) this morning. The 737-85C is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA1912, and will overnight at HNL. 

ZK-SJB

A former Air New Zealand 737-33R, ZK-SJB (c/n 28868, l/n 2881), is making its way to GYR from CHC, after the airline retired this 737. Southern Cross is doing the ferry flight as SXA1409, and will overnight at HNL, after arriving from APW.

28868 was originally purchased by Orix Aviation, and leased to Western Pacific Airlines [KMR] in May 1997, as N963WP. After the shutdown of Western Pacific in February 1998, it was leased to VASP [VP/VSP] (Brazil) as PP-SFK, three months later. In June 2000, Freedom Air International [SJ/FOM] purchased the 737-33R from Orix, and became ZK-SJB. When Air New Zealand acquired Freedom Air in October 2005, it was transferred to the ANZ fleet.

Sorry, we were unable to get a photo of ZK-SJB at HNL, but MRC Aviation did at CHC.

N991LF

N991LF (c/n 26334, l/n 2782), a 737-4Q8 that was most recently with Merpati Nusantra [MZ/MNA] (Indonesia), is making its way back to the US mainland, as its lease with ILFC is up. From CGK to GYR, it has made stops at BKI [Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Kot Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia], SPN, MAJ, and now HNL. It arrived last evening from MAJ, and will depart for GYR tomorrow morning. As seen above, it's still in the full Merpati livery.

26334 was originally delivered to ILFC, then leased to Hainan Airlines in April 1996 as B-2965. It also was repainted in the 2006 livery, and stayed with Hainan until February 2012. Three months later, it was leased to Merpati Nusantra as PK-MDR.


04.14.14 Update

N991LF is still at HNL, and has been moved to the south ramp hardstands a couple of days ago.


04.18.14 Update
N991LF departed for GYR today, after spending about a week on the south ramp.

N454BJ

N454BJ (c/n 41706, l/n 3902), a BBJ2, is making its delivery flight from GED [Sussex County Airport, Georgetown, DE] to CGK (via ILG [Wilmington / New Castle Airport, New Castle, DE], SMF and HNL). The 737-8U3, with Garuda Indonesia's Boeing customer code, is outfitted with a VIP configuration for the Indonesian government, and is under lease from Wells Fargo Bank Northwest.

According the Puget Sound - Boeing Test Flight blog, the airframe was completed in January 2012, then ferried to GED for the cabin configuration, and ARA [Arcadiana Regional Airport, Arcadiana, LA] for painting in late 2012.


04.11.14 Update
The Indonesian registration for this BBJ2 will be RI-1.

Travel Service's OK-TVL

Travel Service's [QS/TVS] (Czech Republic) OK-TVL (c/n 37076, l/n 3147) is making a stop at HNL from OAK as TVS4649. The 737-8FN is wearing the Moravian-Silesian Region special livery. Before the OAK-HNL leg, it had been flying out go GYE (Simon Bolivar International Airport, Guayaquil, Ecuador), and BGI (Grantley Adams International Airport, Bridgetown Barbados).


04.08.14 Update

OK-TVL departed for PPT this morning as TVS4650.

Hawaiian's 17th A330-243

Hawaiian Airlines 17th, and newest A330-243 arrived on Friday afternoon as HAL21 from Seattle, after it flew direct from Airbus's Toulouse factory as HAL9975. N370HA (msn 1511) is named Kuamo'o after the North-South Starline. This constellation connects the North Star to the Southern Cross. Searching for the name Kuamo'o will produce an alternative name, Iwi Kuamo'o.

Thomson's G-OOBD

Thomson Airways' G-OOBD, as the TCS & Starquest Explorer 757-28A (c/n 33099, l/n 1028), is making its annual stop at HNL, from VLI [Port Vile Efate / Bauerfield International Airport, Vanuatu] as TOM962. It has the new Thomson livery that was designed for their 787s.

This flight also paid a visit to KOA on March 17th, as it left for PPT.


04.07.14 Update
TOM962 departed for YYZ this morning.

Hawai‘i Five-0 Cameos

In tonight's episode, "Ho‘i Hou",  a US Air Force C-17A, 09-9207 (c/n 50231 [F-230/P-207]) from the 436th AW and TransAir's N306AL (above) made cameo appearances after the first commercial break.   Only the interior of N306AL was used, to simulate the interior of the C-17A. H50 fan blogs noted that film crews were working around the 737-2T4C, parked on the South Ramp.

The "Kamekona Air Tours" AS350, from Makani Kai Helicopters, also appeared in the episode.

Japan Airlines' JA8542

Here's a bonus "HNL RareBirds Classic" for April.  Pictured above is JAL's DC-10-40,JA8542 (cn 47825/310), being pushed back for the last JAL DC-10 flight from Hawaii.  On October 26, 2005, JA8542 operated as JALways flight JO057 to FUK.  Unlike the last HNL flights of JAL's 747 Classic and 747-400s, there was no special ceremony since this was not the last JAL DC-10 flight.  However, the aircraft was sent off by several of the local JAL staff in addition to the maintenance personnel as seen in the picture below (Sorry for obstructed pictures as the Bradley fuel truck decided to drive by right at the same time the JA8542 was fully in the frame).

JA8542 was delivered to JAL on April 17, 1980 and was sent to Marana (MZJ) after its retirement in 2005 wearing the registration N825VV.  In this picture from airliners.net, you can see JA8542 stripped down sitting on blocks with the N825VV registration.

Mokulele Begins HNL-OGG Flights

Mokulele Airlines announced that they are launching non-stop Cessna C208B Grand Caravan service between HNL and OGG. They also have one-stop service, with a stop at MKK.

N874AC

N874AC (msn 2874), an A320-232, owned by Wells Fargo Bank Northwest (WFBN), is making its ferry flight from MNL to the US mainland, and is scheduled to stop at HNL.

2874 was originally purchased by the Aviation Capital Group (ACG) in September 1996, and leased to Air Deccan [DN/DKN] (India) as VT-ADU. When Air Deccan was acquired by Kingfisher Airlines [IT/KFR], its name was changed to Simplifly Deccan. In October 2008, the latter carrier ceased operations, and the fleet transferred to Kingfisher. VT-ADU was withdrawn from service in February 2013, and stored. At the same time, WFBN acquired it from ACG, then registered it as N874AC.


04.04.14 Update
N874AC arrived at HNL at 0157HST, and left 90 minutes later for OAK after a quick refuel. We were unable to get a photo of N874AC at HNL.

Jetstar To Launch BNE-HNL Service

Jetstar Airways announced today that they will launch thrice-weekly A330-200 service between BNE [Brisbane, Australia] and HNL, beginning on 15 December 2014. This will be Jetstar's third Australian airport to serve HNL.

Further information in this Jetstar Airways press release.

Adam Air's N312FL

Our April edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" dates back to June 2005, and this 737-300 delivery flight to Indonesia's Adam Air [KI/DHI]. Still wearing its US N-Number, N312FL (c/n 24569, l/n 1775), is seen above on Taxiway C, taxiing to Runway 8R. It was under lease from the Aviation Capital Group (ACG), and would be registered as PK-KKR, before entering service.

24569, a 737-3L9, was originally purchased by Maersk Air (Denmark) [DM/DAN] in September 1989, but was leased to Linjeflyg (Sweden) [LF/LIN], and delivered as OY-MMD "Vaermland". It was returned to Maersk in October 1990. It was then leased to Icelandair [FI/ICE], for three months, in May 1991. It was then leased to Air Europa (Spain) [UX/AEA] in April 1992 as EC-996 and EC-FMS, that lasted six months. It was leased to Deutsch BA (Germany) [DI/BAG] in October 1992 as D-ADBE "Sterntaler". That lease ran until November 1998, and in that time, it was sub-leased to Transavia (Netherlands) [HV/TRA] for three months, and sold to Wings Aerospace. In April 1999, 24569 was purchased by CIT Leasing Corporation as N312FL, then leased to Frontier Airlines (2nd) [F9/FFT] (f/n 312) in May 1999. N312FL was sold to ACG in March 2001, and returned in April 2005. The lease to Adam Air would end in february 2008, as the airline shut down. Six months later, it would return to Indonesia. This time to Citilink [QG/CTV], Garuda Indonesia's low-cost carrier as PK-GCA. The airline would later receive a livery similar to its parent company. It was returned to ACG in February 2014 as N832AC.