Xiamen's B-6818

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-6818 (c/n 39916, l/n 5593) today. The 737-85C is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA6818, and will overnight at HNL.

Air China's B-1530

Air China is taking delivery of B-1530 (c/n 44922, l/n 5585) this morning. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight as CCA78, and will overnight at HNL. B-1530 was also used as the stage backdrop for Chinese President Xi Jinxing's visit to Boeing's Paine Field factory.

China Eastern's B-6145

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-6145 (c/n 39746, l/n 5581) today. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CES9001, and will overnight at HNL. It's the airlines' second delivery in the last five days, and third this month.

Lakers Team Charter

The NBA's Los Angeles Lakers chartered an American Airlines A321-231 for its team charter from LAX to HNL. N126AN (msn 6313, f/n 858) brought the team and staff for its two-game pre-season matches against the Utah Jazz.

Thai Lion's HS-LUJ

Thai Lion Air is taking delivery of HS-LUJ (c/n 39864, l/n 5589) today. The 737-8GP is making its delivery flight from BFI as TLM1, and will make a brief fuel stop before continuing onto DVO.

Okay's B-1522

Okay Airways's B-1522 (c/n 41119, l/n 5459) is the second of the pair of 737-9KFERs making their delivery flights from MZJ. It's makings delivery flight from BFI as OKA683, and will overnight at HNL, then continue onto GUM.

Okay's B-1521

Okay Airways is taking delivery of a pair of 737-9KFERs today. B-1521 (c/n 41118, l/n 5412) is the first of the two, making its delivery flight flight MZJ, after several months of storage, as OKA5121, and will overnight at HNL, then continue onto GUM.

N612AX

N612AX (c/n 48290, l/n 435), a former Omni Air International DC-10-30, is making a brief fuel stop at HNL from ABQ [Albuquerque International Sunport, NM]. It's bound for BNE, with a stop at PPG. The owner is listed as BC Aircraft Leasing LLC of Las Vegas, NV, and its one of the DC-10 firebombers.

This DC-10-30 began service with Thai International Airways in December 1987 as HS-TMB. In April 1998, Northwest Airlines acquired it, and registered as N239NW. In October 2006, Omni Air International acquired this trip-jet, and registered as N612AX, where it flew until January 2012. After it was withdrawn from use, it was placed into storage at GYR. Omni sold it to BC Aircraft Leasing in November 2013.

Shandong's B-6986

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of B-6986 (c/n 41627, l/n 5590) today. The 737-85N is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG6986, and will overnight at HNL.

Donghai's B-6983

Today, Donghai Airlines is taking delivery of their second 737-83Z in the past six days with B-6983 (c/n 61269, l/n 5592). It's making its delivery flight from BFI as EPA285, and will overnight at HNL.

China Eastern's B-6146

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-6146 (c/n 41488, l/n 5588) today. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CES9002, and will overnight at HNL.

N666GL

N666GL (msn 19000317), an Embraer Lineage 1000 (E190 ECJ), made a brief fuel stop at HNL early this morning, as it arrived from BFI, and continued onto to SYD, via PPG.

Boeing's 737 Completion Center In China

Boeing and China have agreed to build a completion center in China for the 737MAX orders that they ordered, which accounts for 25% of new version of the 737.

It means that many of the 737MAXs may stop through HNL as white tails, or with the green protective coating over the bare aluminum.

Further details in this Boeing Media Room press release, and local coverage in this The Seattle Times report.

Asia Pacific Preps N757QM

Asia Pacific Airlines has moved N757QM from its Taxiway F holding spot to the South Ramp, and prepping the their new addition to enter service.

JTN5092

Early this morning, there was a 737-800 that stopped off at JRF for a brief fuel stop. FlightAware has it listed as JTN5092 with the routing from PVG to GYR (with stops at SPN and JRF). Jet Test International is an aircraft ferry service based in Henderson, NV. We aren't sure what the registration is for this 737-800, nor which airline it was with.

The Visiting PHX website shows JTN5092 arriving at GYR in Boliviana de Aviación's [OB/BOA] livery, and registered as 2-TBXG.

Lion's PK-LPK

Lion Air is taking delivery of PK-LPK (c/n 39872, l/n 5586) today. The 737-8GP is making its delivery flight from BFI as LNI1, and will make a brief fuel stop at HNL, before continuing onto PNI. As seen above, PK-LPK has the Lion Air logo on the tail, engines, and Blended Winglets, but does not have titles.

Hawaiian's A321neo Opportunities

Investing publication Motley Fool came out with an article yesterday regarding Hawaiian Airlines' A321neos, and the potential opportunities it sees the the airline has with the narrow-body airliner.

Kunming's B-6493

Kunming Airlines is taking delivery of B-6493 (c/n 44382, l/n 5580) today. The 737-8LY is making its delivery flight from BFI as KNA6493, and will overnight at HNL.

SlikAir's 9V-MGM

SilkAir is taking delivery of 9V-MGM (c/n 44229, l/n 5572) today. The 737-8SA is making its delivery flight from BFI as SLK8383, and will overnight at KOA.

Donghai's B-6980

Donghai Airlines is taking delivery of B-6980 (c/n 61268, l/n 5537) today. The 737-83Z is making its delivery flight from BFI as EPA284, and will overnight at HNL.

Xiamen's B-6488

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-6488 (c/n 41396, l/n 5579) this morning. The 737-85C is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA6488, and will overnight at HNL.

Virgin Australia's VH-ZPO

Virgin Australia is ferrying VH-ZPO "Boomerang Beach" (msn 19000321) from BNE to BNA, via APW, HNL, and VNY, as VOZ9901. It arrived this afternoon, and continue onto VNY tomorrow morning.

Loud Jets

Fellow RareBirders:

Between 04:00 and 04:45 Friday morning 9/18, there was a constant sound of loud, powerful jet engines.  I couldn't see anything posting on FlightAware, do any of you know about something such as a large deployment of military aircraft?  There was one about every 30-60 seconds. 

Virgin America Proving Flight

Virgin America [VX/VRD] has begun proving flights ahead of the November launch of their SFO-HNL service. N281VA "Pineapple Express" (msn 6669, f/n 281), an A320-214, made today's proving flight as VRD8281, and will overnight at HNL.

Lucky Air's B-6800

Lucky Air is taking delivery of B-6800 (c/n 43883, l/n 5569) today. The 737-8MB is making its delivery flight from BFI as B6800, and will overnight at HNL.

Malindo's 9M-LNU

Malindo Air is taking delivery of 9M-LNU (c/n 39865, l/n 5574) early this morning. The 737-8GP is making its delivery flight as MXD1, and will make a brief fuel stop at HNL.

Mokulele Re-brands

Mokulele Airlines has re-branded its logo and wordmark. The 2015 version replaces the 2008 look it had when the airline begun its E170 operations with Republic Airlines.

American Uses Ill-Equpped A321

CBS Los Angeles reports that one of the two American Airlines A321-231 flights between LAX and HNL on August 31st, lacked vital safety components for ETOPS over-water flights. The report did not specify which flight had the affected Airbus airliner, but in searching flight data history on FlightRadar24.com for that particular day, we found that N137AA (msn 6647, f/n 869) was used on AAL31 (returned as AAL162) and N124AA (msn 6271, f/n 856) was used on AAL297 (returned as AAL298).

In a related note, all four of American's LAX-HNL flights are now served with A321-231s.

09.13.15 Update
In today's Star*Advertiser report, it lists AAL31 as the flight in question. Which means that N137AA was the ill-equipped A321. After arrival at HNL, it was ferried back to LAX as AAL9964, according to its flight history on FlightRadar24. Also listed in its recent flight history prior to August 31st, was that N137AA was used on routes within the Continental US. The Aviation Herald reports that N137AA was not ETOPS-certified at the time of this flight.

Never Forget

The HNL RareBirds team takes a moment to pause, remember, and pray for those lost on this fateful day 14 years ago.

Rainbow Warriors To Columbus

The University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors football team has chartered a Sun Country Airlines 737-800 to travel from LAX to CMH, for their Saturday game against the Ohio State University Buckeyes. N816SY (c/n 30637, l/n 800), a 737-8Q8, made the trip as SCX8661. The football team's Facebook page has a photo of the team deplaning at CMH.

From HNL, the team flew on a Hawaiian Airlines commercial flight to LAX last night, on HAL4, aboard N370HA "Kuamo‘o" (msn 1511).


09.12.15 Update
The Rainbow Warriors' Sun Country return flight is listed as SCX8662, aboard N816SY. It will leave this evening. The return flight from LAX is scheduled to HNL Sunday afternoon on HAL1, aboard N370HA "Kuamo‘o" (msn 1511).

Xiamen's B-6490

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-6490 (c/n 41392, l/n 5566) this morning. The 737-85C, their second delivery in eight days, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA6490, and will overnight at HNL.

General Electric's Engine Testbed

General Electric's engine testbed arrived from its home-base in Victorville, California this morning. After resting for the night, N747GE (s/n 19651, l/n 25) will depart for Guam in the morning. Unfortunately, N747GE flew in with its four factory equipped Pratt and Whitneys.

Despite being 45 years old, this 747-121 has only been with two operators. It originally was delivered to Pan Am as N744PA in March, 1970. It managed to remain with the company until Pan Am ceased operations in December, 1991. General Electric then purchased it in March, 1992 and refurbished it to be used as the company's engine testbed.  

Delta Retires N661US

Delta Air Lines is retiring N661US (c/n 23719, l/n 696, f/n 6301), Boeing's first 747-400. It made its final revenue flight from HNL to ATL, as DAL836 this evening. The airline will preserve this airliner at its museum in Atlanta.

This 747-451 was originally registered as N401PW, as the prototype model for the -400, and first flew in April 1988. It was delivered to Northwest Airlines in December 1989 as N661US, under lease from AT&T Capital Services. When Delta and Northwest merged, Delta purchased N661US outright as it was transferred into the fleet.

The above photo was taken in May 2007 at HNL, as N661US taxied to Runway 8R for departure to NRT as NWA15.

Dynamic Airways N253MY

Arriving this morning, was a Dynamic Airways 767-23BER direct from JFK as DYA9001. Dynamic Airways operates a fleet of 4 767-200s and 1 767-300 on their New York (JFK-KJFK)-Georgetown (GEO/SYCJ), Guyana route and between Ft. Lauderdale (FLL/KFLL)-Maiquetia (CCS/SVMI), Venezuela.

N253MY (c/n 23974, l/n 214) first flew with Air Mauritius in April, 1988 as 3B-NAL. It flew with Air Mauritius until March, 2007 where it was acquired by KMW leasing and leased to MAXjet with the current registration. Within the same month that it was leased to MAXjet, the company ceased operations. N253MY then went to Air Italy as I-AIGI in July, 2008 and flew with the airline until February 2013. The airframe was then returned to KMW Leasing with its US registration and placed into storage until Dynamic Airways leased it in May, 2014.

China Eastern's B-1513

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1513 (c/n 41477, l/n 5561) today. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CES9002, and will overnight at HNL. B-1513 is the 100th 737NG new-build delivery to China this year.

Lucky Air's B-6016

Lucky Air is taking delivery of B-6016 (c/n 41811, l/n 5557) this morning. The 737-84P is making its delivery flight from BFI as B6016, and will overnight at HNL. B-6016 will continue onto ROP [Rota, Northern Marianas Islands] for its next leg. As seen above, the fuselage has been painted in a special livery similar to the 747-8I house livery.

Virgin Australia's VH-YFT

Virgin Australia is taking delivery of VH-YFT "Admirals Arch" (c/n 41028, l/n 5557) today. The 737-8FE is making its delivery flight from BFI as VOZ9940, and will overnight at LIH.

Air China's B-1529

Air China is taking delivery of B-1529 (c/n 44921, l/n 5556) today. The 737-89L is making its delivery flight from BFI as CCA78, and will overnight at HNL.

Xiamen's B-6489

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-6489 (c/n 39915, l/n 5552) this morning. The 737-85C is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA6489, and will overnight at HNL.

NokScoot To HNL?

Flight Global reports that the CEO of NokScoot Airlines [NCT] (Thailand) has intimated of starting service between DMK and HNL in 2017 with 787-8s that the airline has on order.

It would be the first time in almost 40 years since Air Siam's [VG] BKK-HNL non-stop route that flew in the early to mid-1970s with 747-200s and a DC-10-30.

09.09.15 Update

CH-Aviation reports that NokScoot may even use their 777-212ERs on the DMK-HNL flights. The Thai carrier is seeking a partnership with Hawaiian Airlines to provide onward service to the US mainland.

University of Colorado Team Charter

The University of Colorado Buffaloes football team (PAC-12) is using United Airlines for their team charter to HNL, for their game against the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors on Thursday. N68453 (c/n 41742, l/n 4057), a 737-924ER, is making the flight from DEN to HNL (via SFO) as UAL2211.

The Buffaloes are scheduled to return to DEN Thursday night (via SFO) aboard N77430 (c/n 37098 l/n 2778), a 737-924ER, as UAL2211.

Air China's B-5201

Our September edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" goes back to October 2005, as Air China began promoting the 2008 Summer Olympics that Beijing would host. B-5201 (c/n 34023, l/n 1795), leased from AWAS, was the first 737 to promote the 2008 Beijing Games, and is seen above taxiing to its parking spot at HNL, as it made its delivery flight from BFI. The airline was listed as the official airline of the Beijing Games.

This special livery was worn until September 2008, when it was painted in the standard Air China livery.