Hainan Airlines' B-6103

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-6103 (c/n 44930, l/n 6288) today. The 737-84P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH6103, and will overnight at HNL.

Shandong Airlines' B-7885

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of B-7885 (c/n 43895, l/n 6287) this morning. The 737-85N, their second delivery within the past five days, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG7885, and will overnight at HNL.

Batik Air Malaysia's 9M-LCP

Batik Air Malaysia is taking delivery of 9M-LCP (c/n 43186, l/n 6282) tonight. The 737-8GP is making its delivery flight from BFI as MXD1, and will make a brief fuel stop at HNL.

Qantas VH-QPJ

Qantas' "Rainbow-Roo" livery A330-303 dropped in for today's QFA3-4 run from Sydney. VH-QPJ (msn 712) was painted this month with a modified new livery in support of  Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Aeroméxico's XA-AMZ

Aeroméxico [AM/AMX] is taking delivery of XA-AMZ (c/n 29927, l/n 727), as it ferries from NRT to TIJ [Generál Albelardo L Rodriguez International Airport, Tijuana, Baja California, México] as AMX8546. The 737-8AS, leased from Aircastle, made a non-stop flight from NRT to HNL for its first leg.

29927 was originally delivered to Ryanair in December 2000 as EI-CSN. In February 2009, it was acquired by CIT Leasing, then leased to Garuda Indonesia as PK-GEL. In 2012, 29927 was sold to Aircastle, and continued with Garuda, then withdrawn from service in November 2016. It's was painted at CGK into the Aeroméxico livery this past January.

Shandong Airlines' B-7669

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of their 100th 737NG today, with B-7669 (c/n 60160, l/n 6285). It has commemorative decals on both side of the aft fuselage to mark the milestone. It's making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG7669, and will overnight at HNL.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines' RA-82077

Another Volga-Dnepr Airlines An-124-100M, RA-82077 (c/n 9773054459151, l/n 07-09), has made a stop at HNL from KHV [Khabarovsk Novy, Khabarovsk, Russia], as VDA3015.

RA-82077 was originally delivered to Polet Flight in August 1995. The airline ceased operations in April 2015. Volga-Dnepr Airlines acquired this An-124 last month.

HNL RareBirds Visits N806NA

We got the opportunity to visit NASA's ER-2S, N806NA (msn 80-1063), as it prepared to make a research flight this morning from Marine Corps Air Station Kāneʻohe Bay [NGF]. At 0900HST, it departed NGF's Runway 4 in less than 1,000 feet from Taxiway F, for its 2.5 hour flight.

The ER-2S made a research flight over Maui County to map the four island's coral reefs at an altitude of 65,000 feet. It also made reef mapping runs above the northeast coast of O‘ahu. The aircraft is equpped with an Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVRIS) system to perform the experiments. The aircraft returned to NGF with a flawless landing, after the Oʻahu overflights.

The other mission for N806NA here in Hawaiʻi are overflights over the volcanoes on Hawaiʻi Island to map the progress of volcanic emissions and its effects on the environment. The flights can be followed at NASA's Airborne Science Program web page.

Hainan Airlines' B-7377

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-7377 (c/n 60700, l/n 6280) today. The 737-86N, leased from GECAS, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH7377, and will overnight at HNL.

Volga-Dnepr's RA-82046

Volga-Dnepr Airlines' RA-82046 (c/n 97730522555117, l/n 06-10) made a stop at HNL from IWA [Phoenix Gateway Airport, AZ]. It's transporting several US Army AH-64E Apache helicopters to AVV [Avalon Airport, Geelong, Australia] for the Avalon Airshow.

American Airlines' N730AN

American Airlines' 777-323ER, N730AN (c/n 31554, l/n 1217, f/n 7LP), made a medical diversion to HNL today. It's flight is listed as AAL72 (SYD-LAX). The aircraft, crews, and passengers will overnight at HNL.

N712AX

N712AX (c/n 23307, l/n 126), a former Asian Air 767-2J6ER, has stopped off at HNL from UTP [U-Tapao International Airport, Ban Chang, Thailand], as it ferries to ILN [WIlmington Air Park / Airport, Wilmington, OH].

23307 was originally delivered to CAAC-Civil Aviation Administration of China in October 1985 as B-2551. Three years later, CAAC changed its name to Air China. In August 2007, it was sold to ABX Air, and registered as N712AX. In May 2009, it was acquired by Sky King. Two years later, it was went to Air Transport International. In December 2011, went to Dynamic Airways, but withdrawn from use three months later. In January 2014, it was sold to Asian Air as HS-DCM, and was placed into storage two years later. In November 2016, Cargo Aircraft Management acquired 23307, and its registration reverted back to N712AX, and will probably be converted to a freighter.

HDOT Considers Closing Rwy 4L/22R

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is considering closing Runway 4L/22R due to runway incursions, and the risk of losing federal grant money. The runway in question is primarily used by general aviation aircraft as it is 6,952 feet long, and 150 wide, though some inter-island flights will use the runway to land if traffic, or other runway closures permit. Runway 4 Left is about 9,000 feet downrange from the approach end of Runway 8 Left, thus there is a "Land And Hold Short" (LAHSO) operation in effect. It would mean more use of Runway 4 Right, which is used by both commercial and general aviation, and LAHSO would still be in effect. Currently, commercial and military departures are assigned Runway 8R, and arrivals to Runway 8L; Runway 4R has some commercial arrivals, as well as general aviation departures and arrivals.

Both HDOT and the FAA say that HNL annually leads the nation in runway incursions, but the statistics does combine all incursions from encroaching the hold short line to near-miss, but for HNL, the incursions have been on the lowest end of the scale. The FAA would call for a temporary runway closure. 

Further information in this KHON2 News report.

N598BC

N598BC (c/n 28402, l/n 113), a former China Airlines 737-809, is ferrying from TPE (via GUM) to GWO, and will stop at HNL this evening. 

28402 was originally delivered to China Airlines in October 1998 as B-18601. From June 2000 to April 2001, it was transferred to its Mandarin Airlines subsidiary. It served with China Airlines until November 2016, when it was withdrawn from use, and stored at TPE.  It was sold to GECAS earlier this month.

Air China's B-1417

Air China is taking delivery of B-1417 (c/n 43424, l/n 6271) today. The 737-89P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CCA48, and will overnight at HNL.

N599XQ

N599XQ (msn 415), Dash8-315 owned by the Bank of Utah, has made a stop at HNL from MNL (via SPN and MAJ), as it ferries to BTR [Baton Rouge Regional Airport, Baton Rouge, LA]. It also made a stop at MRY from HNL.

This Dash8 was most recently registered as N505LL, and has stopped through HNL in the past.

NASA's N806NA To Overfly The Islands

N806NA (msn 80-1063), a Lockheed ER-2S, that NASA has, is here at NGF to perform research flights over the volcanoes on Hawai‘i Island. It's one of two ER-2S that belongs to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.

Further details and video in this KITV news report and this KHON news report.

Air Canada Reveals New Livery

Today, Air Canada unveiled a new livery for their fleet, along with new uniforms for their cabin crew, as the airline celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.

Further details in this Air Canada webpage.

Hawaiian's N494HA

The first of two "new" 717-2BLs for Hawaiian Airlines, under lease from Boeing Capital, arrived this afternoon from Oakland as HA8981. In keeping with the tradition of naming their fleet of 717s after native birds, N494HA (c/n 55182, l/n 5138, f/n 94), was given the Hawaiian name of the White-tailed Tropic bird, Koa‘e Kea.

N494HA was originally leased to Midwest from Boeing Capital Corporation on December 6, 2004 as N920ME. It then went to MexicanaClick on January 6, 2010 as N920ME. Volotea Airlines became the next operator to lease the frame on March 21, 2013 and received the Spanish registration, EI-FBK.

AirAsia X To Start HNL Service In June

Malaysia's AirAsia X [D7/XAX] announced that they will begin four weekly A330-300 flights between KUL and HNL, with a stop at KIX, starting on June 28, 2017. The airline, which received an approval from the FAA, two weeks ago, filed schedules for this new service.

Further details in this Airways Magazine news article.

Boeing's N7874

Boeing's N7874 (c/n 40693, l/n 4), a 787-8 test aircraft, has made a stop at KOA. It arrived from COS [Colorado Springs, CO] as BOE784, this afternoon.

Boeing's N8704Q

Boeing's 737-8 MAX test aircraft N8704Q (c/n 36988, l/n 5788), is returning to BFI from a certification test stint at DRW [Darwin International / RAAF Airport, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia], with stops at GUM and HNL, and flying as BOE104.

After the test phase completed, it will be delivered to Southwest Airlines with the same registration (f/n 8704).

Island Air To Increase Frequencies

Island Air announced today that they will increase frequencies to OGG, LIH, and KOA, as more Q400 Next Gens arrive.

Further details in this Island Air press release.

Near Collision Incident At OGG

The Maui News reports that there was a near collision incident at OGG between a Makani Kai Cessna C208B Grand Caravan and a Hawaiian Airlines 717-200 yesterday morning. The 717 was departing from Runway 2 as HAL155 to HNL, and the Caravan was departing from Runway 5, which both runways cross paths at the departure end. The 717 was forced to make an evasive right turn to avoid the collision, then continued onto HNL without further incident, and no injuries were reported. Neither the Hawaiian Airlines 717-200 nor the Makani Kai Air Grand Caravan has been identified.

Mokulele Airlines commented at the end of the Maui News article, that none of their flights were involved in this incident. Hawaii News Now has identified the Grand Caravan as being from Makani Kai Air as identified by the FAA. In the FlightRadar24 playback, it does show the 717 change course, but does not show the Caravan, nor does it list which 717 it was.

Archived mp3 recording from LiveATC.net.


02.04.16 Update

The Aviation Herald reports that it was Hawaiian Airlines' N478HA and Makani Kai's N865MA (as their call-sign) as the two aircraft involved in this incident.

SR Jet's B-3220

SR Jet's B-3220 (msn 19000641), an E190 Lineage 1000, has made a stop at HNL from PVG (via SPN). SR Jet, also known as Sparkle Roll Jet, is a business jet operator based in Tianjin, China.

B-3220 was delivered to Minsheng International Jet in April 2014. Two years later, it was acquired by Yalian Business Jet, but it appears it was either sold or leased to SR Jet.

Air Transport International's N799AL

Our February edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" goes back to April 2005, with Air Transport International's DC-8-62, N799AL (c/n 45922, l/n 335), departing HNL's Runway 8R.

N799AL was retired by ATI in May 2013. It is now one of the main attractions at the Naval Air Museum at Barbers Point, as ATI donated the DC-8-62CF to the museum.