Volga-Dnepr's RA-76950

Volga-Dnepr Airlines's RA-76950 "Vladimir Kokkinaki" (msn 2043420697) arrived at JRF today from NGO, as it is the support aircraft for the Solar Impulse 2 Zero Fuel Aircraft. The Il-76TD-90VD is making its flight as VDA4494.

N710MQ

N710MQ (c/n 34710, l/n 2144), a 737-808, is making a ferry flight from HAK to MCI (via HKG, SPN, and JRF). It was most recently with Hainan Airlines as B-5763.

34710 was originally purchased by Icelease, the leasing arm of Icelandair in January 2007, and leased to Hong Kong Express as B-KXE. In March 2013, it was leased to Hainan Airlines as B-5763. Earlier this month, Macquarie AirFinance acquired 34710.

China Eastern's B-1775

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1775 (c/n 41507, l/n 5466) this morning. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CES9002, and will overnight at HNL.

Qantas' VH-OJI

Qantas Airways is ferrying VH-OJI "Longreach" (c/n 24887, l/n 826) from SYD to MHV for storage, as the Australian carrier is slowly phasing out their 747-438 fleet. It's making the ferry flight as QFA6021. VH-OJI was delivered to Qantas in December 1990.

Shandong's B-1509

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of B-1509 (c/n 44916, l/n 5462) this morning. The 737-85N is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG1509, and will overnight at HNL, before continuing onto MAJ.

Hainan's B-1503

Hainan Airlines' B-1503 (c/n 39961, l/n 5452) is the airline's third 737-84P in as many days. It's making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH1503, and will overnight at HNL, before continuing onto GUM. B-1503 is also Hainan's 10th 737-800 delivery this year, which is the first airline to get double-digit deliveries through Hawai‘i.

Shenzhen's B-1517

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of B-1517 (c/n 37626, l/n 5461) this morning. The 737-87L is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSZ517, and will overnight at HNL.

VP-CYB

VP-CYB (msn 5545), an A318-112CJ owned by Business Aviation Asia (a Hong Kong-based charter company), has made a stop at HNL. Because of tight ramp space on the south side, the "Baby Bus" has been parked on Taxiway F.

Though built in 2013, this ACJ was delivered to PVG from XFW in April 2015. When it was registered as D-AUAA, during its test phase, it had Sharklets installed, but has since had the standard wingtip fences installed.

Evergreen Medevac's Bell 412s

Evergreen Medevac's N415EV (msn 36404) [top] and N418EV (msn 36440) [above], both Bell 412EP helicopters, just wrapped up a Neighbor Island assignment with the US Army. They are now in the process of being prepped to be shipped back the mainland.

N303KH

N303KH (c/n 25606, l/n 3123), a 737-319 formerly with Air New Zealand, has stopped off at HNL while making a ferry flight from CHC to YLW [Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada].

25606 was originally delivered to Air New Zealand in September 1999 as ZK-NGG. It was withdrawn from service and stored at CHC last month, and sold to Aircraft 25606 LLC (Lake Mary, FL) as N303KH.

VH-VLT

Marcplan Charters' (Australia) VH-VLT (msn 14501107), an ERJ135BJ "Legacy 600", has made a stop at HNL.

Hainan's B-1502

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of their second 737-84P in as many days, with B-1502 (c/n 43660, l/n 5436). It is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH1502, and will overnight at HNL, before continuing onto GUM.

Hainan's B-1505

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-1505 (c/n 39962, l/n 5460) today. The 737-84P, leased from SMBC, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH1505, and will overnight at HNL.

China Eastern's B-1791

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1791 (c/n 41474, l/n 5453) this afternoon. The orange peacock-liveried 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CES9001, and will overnight at HNL.

Air China's B-1765

Air China is taking delivery of B-1765 (c/n 41106, l/n 5456) today. The 737-89L is making its delivery flight as CCA74, and will overnight at HNL.

N167CR

N167CR (c/n 26278, l/n 671), a 757-2G5, is making a ferry flight from XSP to GYR, via GUM and HNL. It's owned by Wells Fargo Bank Northwest, and is due to be converted to a freighter, then leased to SF Airlines - (ShunFeng Airlines) [O3/CSS China].

26278 was originally delivered to LTU [LT/LTU] (Germany) in April 1995 as D-ABMO, under lease from ILFC. In April 2000, it was then leased to JMC Airlines [MT/JMC] (United Kingdom) as G-JMCG. When JMC Airlines became part of Thomas Cook Airlines [MT/TCX] in March 2003, G-JMCG was transferred, and painted in the Thomas Cook livery. During it's time with TCX, it was sub-leased to Air Scotland as SX-BLV (November 2003 - April 2004), and Jazz Air [QK/JZA Canada] (December 2010 - April 2011, and December 2011 - April 2012) as C-GJZD. In May 2014, it was sold to AerCap, and continued with TCX. In December 2014, it was withdrawn from service and stored at QLA [Lasham, United Kingdom]. This past April, it was moved to XSP [Seletar, Singapore], was acquired by WFBN, and registered as N167CR.

China Southern's B-1728

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1728 (c/n 41333, l/n 5451) this morning. The 737-81B is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSN728, and will overnight at HNL.

Thai Lion's HS-LTU

Thai Lion Air is taking delivery of HS-LTU (c/n 39841, l/n 5446) today. The 737-9GPER is making its delivery flight from BFI as TLM1, and will make a brief fuel stop at HNL, before continuing onto DVO.

JAL's JA8941

Japan Airlines has retired JA8941 (c/n 28393, l/n 152), and is ferrying the 777-346 from HND to SBD (via HNL) as JA8131. It's expected that this "triple" will parted out and scrapped upon arrival at SBD.

JA8941 was delivered to Japan Airlines in July 1998 wearing the Landor-designed livery, and named "Regulus". In 2004, it was painted in the "Arc of the Sun" livery, and was a logo jet for both Japanese National Olympic Team with "Gambare Nihon" for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens; and for the TV series "Saiyuki" (December 2006 - April 2006). It also was a logo jet for the OneWorld Alliance (May 2007 - February 2008), that JAL is a partner of. The Japanese pop music (J-pop) duo called Kobukuro was represented on JA8941 in the second half of 2009. The ever-popular cartoon character Doraemon was also depicted on JA8941 from February - May 2010. In January 2012, JA8941 was painted in the current Tsuru livery. The last promotional logo decal that JA8941 wore, was for "HelloSmile", a campaign to raise awareness of cervical and uterine cancers, from January 2012 to February 2013.

NASA's N747NA

NASA's N747NA (c/n 21441, l/n 306), their 747SP-21 with the SOFIA telescope in the aft cabin, is making its way to CHC, from PMD [Palmdale Regional Airport, CA], with a stop at HNL (or HIK). It arrived around 0230HST, and left for CHC before 0630HST.

This 747SP was originally delivered to Pan American World Airways [PA/PAA] in May 1977 as N536PA "Clipper Lindbergh". When Pan Am sold their Trans-Pacific operations to United Airlines in February 1986, N536PA was transferred in the sale, and became N145UA. It wore both the Saul Bass livery, and the grey/blue livery. NASA acquired N145UA in October 1997, and added the SOFIA telescope. It was re-registered as N747NA in April 2005.

Myanmar's XY-ALB

Myanmar National Airlines [UB/UBA] is taking delivery of XY-ALB (c/n 43405, l/n 5430) today. The 737-86N, leased from GECAS, is making its delivery flight from BFI as UBA737, and will overnight at HNL. This is the first of six 737-86Ns Myanmar National Airlines is leasing from GECAS.

China Eastern's B-1515

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1515 (c/n 41510, l/n 5447) today. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CES9001, and will overnight at HNL.

Hainan's B-2646

Hainan Airlines is ferrying B-2646 (c/n 28056, l/n 273) from HAK to GYR, via GUM and HNL. The 737-8Q8 is being returned to Aircastle, as its lease has expired.

B-2646 was originally ordered by ILFC, and leased to Hainan in May 1999 in the "Blue Orchids" special livery. In November 2005, the airliner was purchased by Aircastle, and continued the lease with Hainan. In early 2009, it was painted in the 2007 livery.

Shanghai's B-5298

Shanghai Airlines is taking delivery of B-5298 (c/n 39743, l/n 5440) this morning. The 737-79P, originally ordered by parent company China Eastern Airlines, and allocated to Shanghai Airlines, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSH298, and will overnight at HNL.

Shenzhen's B-1518

Shenzhen Airlines is taking delivery of B-1518 (c/n 40827, l/n 5439) this morning. The 737-87L is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSZ518, and will overnight at HNL, before continuing onto MAJ.

Malindo's 9M-LNR

Malindo Air is taking delivery of 9M-LNR (c/n 39863, l/n 5438) early this morning. The 737-8GP is making its delivery flight from BFI as MLO1, and will make a brief pre-dawn fuel stop at HNL, before continuing onto MAJ.

20 Years Of 777 Service

Today marks the 20th year of Boeing 777 service! 

Currently, United Airlines and Japan Airlines offers daily 777-200 flights to/from HNL. Korean Air offered 777-200 and 777-300 service between ICN and HNL for a time in the mid-2000s, and occasionally brings them in. The same applies for All Nippon Airways, as they substitute 777-200s when traffic demands.

Airways Magazine's tribute article.

QFA94 Diversion

Qantas Airways' QFA94 [LAX-MEL] made a diversion to HNL with a medical emergency early this morning. The A380-842, VH-OQA "Nancy Bird-Walton" (msn 014), arrived at HNL shortly after 01:00HST, and departed before 03:00HST.

Air China Inner Mongolia's B-1769

Air China Inner Mongolia [CNM] is taking delivery of B-1769 (c/n 44915, l/n 5433) this morning. The 737-89L, allocated from the mainline order, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CNM78, and will overnight at HNL.

Shenzhen Orders 46 737s

Ch-Aviation reports that Shenzhen Airlines has placed an order with Boeing for 46 737s. It was not specified which variants were ordered.

India Navy's IN326

The Indian Navy is taking delivery of IN326 (c/n 40616, l/n 4859) today. The P-8I (737-8FV) is making its delivery flight from BFI as BOE207, and will overnight at HNL, before continuing onto GUM. This is the seventh of eight Poseidons for the Indian Navy.

Malindo's 9M-LNQ

Malindo Air is taking delivery of 9M-LNQ (c/n 39857, l/n 5435) today. The 737-8GP is making its delivery flight from BFI as MLO1, and will make a brief pre-dawn fuel stop at HNL.

HNL To Receive Funding

KHON reports that HNL will receive $16.5million for runway modification from a Congressional grant.

FedEx To Trim Their MD-11F Fleet

Federal Express announced today that they will be retiring several MD-11Fs, among other aircraft types, within the next two years. The MD-11F has been the mainstay of the FedEx service to HNL, interspersed with their MD-10s and 777Fs. When the fleet adjustment occurs, it will remain to be seen if other MD-11Fs will be moved to cover HNL service, or be replaced by another type.

Further information in this World Airline News article.

Sky One's N211DB

Our June edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" features the Sky One Express Airlines [SYF] 727-2J4/Adv, N211DB (c/n 20766, l/n 993). It's seen above on Taxiway RT in August 2005. Not much is known about Sky One, except that it was a short-lived carrier.

20766 was originally delivered to Sterling Airways [NB/SAW] (Denmark) in in October 1973 as OY-SAT. In May 1984, it was sold to Boeing Equipment as N729BE. In February 1986, it was sold to Federal Express as N223FE, then leased back to Sterling (in their new livery), until the airline's demise in September 1993. In February 1994, it was then acquired by Royal Airlines [QN/ROY] (Canada) as C-GRYP. In June 1998, 20766 was purchased bey Riverhorse Investments, then leased out to a variety of airlines over the next several years, all registered as N211DB: Laker Airways [6F/LKR] (February - September 1999); Star Air Tours (September - November 1999); Sky Trek International Airlines (January - March 2000); Sun Country Airlines [SY/SCX] (July 2000 - May 2002); DB Air (May 2002 - January 2003); Miami Air International [BSK] (January - December 2003); Sun World (December 2003 - June 2004); Falcon Air Express [6F/FAO] (June 2004 - April 2005); and Sky One (May 2005 - May 2006). After Riverhorse repossessed N211DB, it was placed in storage at VCV, and its fate looked it was destined to be scrapped. However, OK Consultants purchased the airframe, in May 2008, and the airframe was partially scrapped. The forward part of the fuselage was sold to the China Lantian Trade Company, where it was shipped to Beijing, and is now part of children's center in an Air China livery.