Hauʻoli Lā Hānau KC-135!

Sixty years ago, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker made its first flight, and we celebrate its birthday. Presently, the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard's 203rd ARS, in association with the 96th ARS (active duty), has a fleet of eight "R" models.

Further details in this US Air Force article.

9 Air's B-1551

9 Air is taking delivery of B-1551 (c/n 61351, l/n 6050) today. The 737-86X is making its delivery flight from BFI as JYH1551, and will overnight at HNL.

P2-ANW

P2-ANW (msn 218), a Dassault Falcon 900EX registered to the Papua New Guinea government, has made a stop at HNL. It wears the partial livery of Air Niugini. It's probably here for the World Conservation Convention, which Honolulu is hosting.

Western Global Airlines' N412SN

Western Global Airlines' [KD/WGN] MD-11F, N412SN (c/n 48412, l/n 454) made a stop at HNL as WGN854, from an unknown origin, and continued on to SZL [Whiteman AFB Airport, Knob Noster, MO].

Hainan Airlines' B-7618

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-7618 (c/n 41390, l/n 6049) this morning. The 737-84P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH7618, and will overnight at HNL.

N124WF

N124WF (c/n 25180, l/n 2201), a 737-4Y0, is making its ferry flight from MNL to DHN, and has made a stop at HNL from MAJ, and continues to SBD tomorrow. It's owned by Southern Aircraft Consultancy (Bungay Suffolk, United Kingdom).

25180 was originally delivered to Futura [FH/FUA] (Spain) in January 1992 as EC-FLD, under lease from GPA. From April to July 1996, it was sub-leased to Air-Berlin as D-ABAJ. GECAS took over ownership of this 737-4Y0, and leased it back to Futura in July 1996 as EC-GHT. During the lease period, which lasted to October 2008, it was sub-leased to Are Lingus (as EI-CNF, from October 1996-April 1997), Ryan International Airlines (as N251RY, multiple times), and TransBrasil (as PT-TDG, December 1998-March 1999). Futura also had multiple Spanish registrations: EC-GHT, EC-GOB, EC-HBZ, and EC-KUI. In July 2009, GECAS leased 25180 to Sriwijaya Airlines as PK-CKD "Bersebah", until May 2015.

China Southern's B-7970

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-7970 (c/n 43891, l/n 6043) this morning. The 737-81B is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSN970, and will overnight at HNL. B-7970 is the 100th 737-800 to make its delivery flight stop in Hawai‘i.

Xiamen Air's B-1550

Xiamen Air is taking delivery of B-1550 (c/n 42934, l/n 6040) this morning. The 737-85C is making its delivery flight from BFI as CXA8099, and will overnight at HNL.

Aloha ‘Oe N845KH

Aloha Air Cargo has returned N845KH "Kupa‘a" (msn 340A-111) to WFBN. It's being ferried to the mainland as N845KH, with its first stop being VGT.

*** 08.23.16 Update ***

N845KH is at BGR [Bangor International Airport, Bangor, ME], with stops at APA [Centennial Airport, Denver, CO], and DFI [Defiance Memorial Airport, Defiance, OH]

Shandong's B-7978

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of B-7978 (c/n 61430, l/n 6039) this morning. The 737-85N is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG7978, and will overnight at HNL. It's also wearing the "Friendly Shandong" special livery, the same as B-7977.

N962NZ

N962NZ (c/n 25362, l/n 2164), a 737-484F, is making its delivery flight to Toll Airwork, is stopping through JRF from DHN (via ONT). It will continue onto PPG tomorrow.

25362 was originally delivered to Olympic Airways [OA/OAL] (Greece) in October 1991 as SX-BKD "Amphipoli". In December 2003, Olympic Airways re-branded as Olympic Airlines, after it emerged from bankruptcy. SX-BXD was transferred, and painted into a special livery for the 2004 Olympic Games that the city of Athens hosted. In 2006, it was painted into Olympic's "Euro-White" livery. SX-BXD was withdrawn from service in September 2009, and sold to AerSale as N362AS. After being in storage for a couple of years, 25362 was leased to Med-View Airlines [VL/MEV] (Nigeria) in August 2012 as 5N-BPA, and returned to AerSale in June 2015. After its return to AerSale, it was ferried to DHN for freighter conversion, and sale to Toll Airwork.

Hebei Airlines' B-1561

Hebei Airlines is taking delivery of B-1561 (c/n 42970, l/n 6033) this morning. The 737-8LW is making its delivery from BFI as HBH1561, and will make an overnight stop at HNL.

Nok Air's HS-DBW

Nok Air is taking delivery of HS-DBW "Nok Fah Kram" (c/n 61296, l/n 6030) today. The 737-88L is making its delivery flight from BFI as HSDBW, and will make it overnight stop at LIH.

Ruili Airlines' B-7088

Ruili Airlines is taking delivery of B-7088 (c/n 60462, l/n 5979) today. The 737-7ME is making its delivery flight from BFI as B788, and will overnight at HNL. B-7088 is the 100th 737NG delivery flight to stop through Hawai‘i this year. As pictured above, B-7088 lacks the light red markings as previous Ruili 737s to deliver through HNL.

Thai Lion Air's HS-LTW

Thai Lion Air is taking delivery of HS-LTW (c/n 38307, l/n 6029) this evening. The 737-9GPER is making its late night delivery flight from BFI as TLM1, and will make its brief fuel stop at HNL, before continuing onto PNI.

N197CR

N197CR (c/n 28153, l/n 615), a former Qantas 767-338ER, is ferrying through HNL from VCV, as it's bound to join the SF Airlines fleet in China.

28153 was delivered to Qantas Airways in May 1996 as VH-OGP, and served with the airline until January 2014.

Lucky Air's B-7988

The second of the two Lucky Air 737-800 deliveries, is B-7988 (c/n 42160, l/n 6025). The 737-84P is making its delivery flight from BFI as B7988, and will overnight at HNL.

Lucky Air's B-7990

Lucky Air is taking delivery of two 737-800s this morning. B-7990 (c/n 61794, l/n 6027), a 737-8AL leased from BOC, is making its delivery flight from BFI as B7990, and will overnight at HNL.

Volga Dnepr Airlines' RA-76503

An Ilyushin IL-76TD-90VD of Volga Dnepr Airlines arrived in the early morning hours from Auckland, New Zealand as VDA4953. RA-76503 (c/n 2013422748, l/n 94-07) wears special markings of the Antarctic Logistics Centre International company. ALCI specializes in providing flights in, out, and within Antarctica utilizing the IL-76, Basler BT-67 Turbo Dakota, and DHC-6 Twin Otters. It will leave early tomorrow morning for Mountain View, CA [NUQ] as VDA4953.

Further information on its mission in New Zealand from MRC Aviation.

China Eastern's B-7876

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of B-7876 (c/n 41495, l/n 6024) today. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CES9002, and will overnight at HNL.

Shandong's B-7977

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of B-7977 (c/n 61429, l/n 6023) this morning. The 737-85N, wearing a special livery to promote the Shandong region of China, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG7977, and will overnight at HNL.

Donghai's B-1532

Donghai Airlines' second of two 737-83Z deliveries is B-1532 (c/n 42156, l/n 5925). It's making its delivery flight from BFI as EPA292, and will overnight at HNL.

Donghai's B-1533

Donghai Airlines is taking delivery of B-1533 (c/n 42157, l/n 5940) this afternoon. The 737-83Z , the first of two deliveries today, is making its delivery from BFI as EPA293, and will overnight at HNL.

AirAisa X's 9M-XAA

9M-XAA (c/n 54) is making its way to the Tucson Marana Regional Airport (AVW/KAVQ) from Kuala Lumpur (KUL/WMKK), Malaysia via Kansai (KIX/RJBB), Japan, and HNL, as it has been retired from the AirAisa X fleet.

This A330-301 was originally leased to Aer Lingus by ILFC in May, 1994 as EI-SHN and named "St. Flannan". EI-SHN was returned to the lessor in June, 2002. Two years later, it was leased out by AWAS to Air Algerie in April, 2004 as F-OMSA. In September, 2005 it went to Air Madrid as EC-JMF, and named "Puerta de Toledo" until the company ceased operations in December, 2006. A year later in September, 2007 it then went to AirAisa X as 9M-XAA and named "Semangat Sir Freddie Laker", leased from Kahala Aviation Leasing.

Hainan's B-7639

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-7639 (c/n 60691, l/n 6014) today. The 737-86N, leased from GECAS, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH8639, and will overnight at HNL.

Virgin Australia's VH-ZPI

Virgin Australia's VH-ZPI "Seven Mile Beach" (msn 19000202) is returning to BNE from its maintenance check at BNA. Flying as VOZ9902, it arrived today from VNY.

Shan Xi's B-5137

Our August edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" goes back to November 2005, and Shan Xi Airlines' 737-84P, B-5137 (c/n 32606, l/n 1805) delivery flight from BFI, that stopped through HNL.

B-5137 was ordered by Hainan Airlines, and leased to its Shan Xi Airlines [8C/CXI] subsidiary. In June 2006, it was leased to CR Airways, another Hainan subsidiary, as B-KBF. When CR Airways [CRK] re-branded as Hong Kong Airlines [HX/CRK], B-KBF was transferred. In October 2008, it was returned to the mainline Hainan Airlines fleet, again as B-5137.