China United Airlines' B-209F

China United Airlines' fourth 737-89P, B-209F (c/n 63079, l/n 7362), is also making its delivery flight this morning as CUA203, and will overnight at HNL.

China United Airlines' B-209G

China United Airlines is taking delivery of their third 737-89P that had been in storage at BFI. B-209G (c/n 63081, l/n 7352) is making its delivery flight this morning as CUA204, and will make an overnight stop at HNL.

Uzbekistan Airways' UK78702

Uzbekistan Airways has been granted 787-8 charter flights between Japan and HNL. UK78702 (c/n38364, l/n 495) began service today from KIX as UZB3593, and will fly to/from various cities in Japan.

Safari Helicopters' N985SA Crashes

Safari Helicopters' AS350-B2, N985SA (msn 3111), crashed near Kōke‘e, Kaua‘i this afternoon while on an air tour around the Garden Isle. There were seven (one pilot and six passengers) aboard the tour helicopter.

Continuing coverage by KHON2 News.

Our thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to the Safari Helicopters ‘ohana, and those of the passengers.

Skybus Air Cargo's OB-2059-P

A DC-8-73F of Skybus Air Cargo sits at the stands on a rainy Christmas day. OB-2059-P (N807DH) (s/n 45990 l/n 375) has logged flights from Miami-Dallas-Anchorage-Incheon before sneaking into Honolulu as HVY212.

45990 was delivered as a DC-8-63CF for Flying Tigers Line in July 1968 as N780FT. In June 1977, it was acquired by Cargolux as TF-CCV. It was leased to Air-India from April to November 1983, and Evergreen International Airlines in January 1984. Five months later, Evergreen bought this DC-8 as N816EV. In January 1985, it was converted to a -73CF,  as the JT3Ds were replaced with CFM56s. It was leased to Air-India from July 1985 to April 1986, and January to November 1988. It was also leased to TNT Express from July 1992 to March 1994. UPS leased it from April to August 1996. DHL Airways bought this DC-8 in March 1995, and remained leased to UPS as N816UP. In September 1996, it was registered as N806DH. It was operated by Astar Air Cargo and Skybus Jet Cargo.

N737AT

N737AT (c/n 36756, l/n 2405),  a 737-7HJ BBJ owned by Hillwood Airways, is making a brief fuel stop at HNL this evening as HWA359. It's flying from AFW to BIK, via OAK, HNL, and GUM.

36756 was originally delivered to the US Department of Defense in December 2007 as N529PP. In October 2014, it was re-registered as N737AT. It was sold to Hillwood Airways in July 2017. This BBJ also features a main deck cargo door, and the cabin can be configured in several variations.

Mele Kalikimaka! 🎄

The HNL RareBirds team wishes you all a very Merry Christmas!

N906CL

N906CL (c/n 29063, l/n 262), a 777-31H, owned by UMB Bank, is ferrying from SZB to AFW, via HNL. It will undergo a corporate cabin re-configuration for a new customer.

29063 was originally purchased by SALE, then leased to Emirates in December 1999 as A6-EMN. In July 2007, it was sold to BOC, and the lease was transferred, and flew until February 2017. In September 2017, it was sold to Apollo Aviation, and leased to Fly Global as 9M-FSM. Carlyle Aviation Partners purchased this 777 in December 2018, the lease transferred, and flew until April 2019, where it was registered as 2-RLBN, and stored at SZB. UMB Bank acquired this 777-31H last week, and registered as N906CL.

China United Airlines' B-209H

China United Airlines' second 737-89P to make its delivery flight today, is B-209H (c/n 63083, l/n 7377). It's making its flight out of BFI as CUA201, and will also overnight at HNL.

China United Airlines' B-209Z

China United Airlines is taking delivery of two of their six 737-89Ps today. These 737s had been stored at BFI due to a trade tariff issue between the US and China. B-209Z (c/n 63085, l/n 7457) is the first of the two to depart BFI as CUA202, and will overnight at HNL.

2-ABAC

2-ABAC (c/n 30501, l/n 619), an ex-Shenzhen Airlines 737-86J owned by ICBC Leasing, is ferrying from TNA to MZJ (via GUM and HNL). It's making an overnight stop at HNL from GUM, as its heading to the desert for storage.

30501 was originally delivered to Air-Berlin in July 2000 as D-ABAC. In November 2007, it was sold to ICBC Leasing, then leased to Shenzhen Airlines as B-5365, and was withdrawn from service in November 2019. 

9H-GGG

9H-GGG (c/n 40119, l/n 4620), a 737-7ZX BBJ, owned by Jet Aviation Malta, is making a stop from BFI this evening as it heads to AKL.

GE Propulsion Test Platform

General Electric's "Propulsion Test Platform" N747GF (c/n 23655, l/n 1024) is doing warm weather engine testing out of KOA during the week of 09 December 2019.

23655's History:

Mar 1994: Delivered to Japan Airlines as JA8910.

Mar 2010: Withdrawn from service and stored at HND for nine months.

Dec 2010: Acquired by AerSale, registered as N356AS, and ferried to ROW, then VCV for storage.

Jan 2011: Acquired by General Electric to use as a testbed.

Dec 2011: Re-registered as N747GF.

Kalitta Air's N284DH

Kalitta Air is sending a 767-300F, N284DH (c/n 28040, l/n 613), to HNL from LAX as CKS366 as a proving flight for supplemental service for Pacific Air Cargo. The DHL logo-clad 767-304ER, will make an overnight stop before returning to LAX as CKS367 tomorrow.

photo to follow ...

Asia Pacific Airlines' N888LT Flying For UPS

Asia Pacific Airlines has wet-leased N888LT to UPS for supplemental holiday service. It's flying between BFI, PDX, MHR, and ONT.

Swissair's HB-IWU

Our December edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" goes back to September 2005, and this Swissair MD-11, HB-IWU (c/n 48538, l/n 533), that made a stop at UPS's ramp at HNL, as it ferried to Singapore for freighter conversion.

48538 was originally delivered to LTU [LT/LTU Germany] in March 1993 as D-AERZ. In October 1998, it was sold to Swissair [SR/SWR] as HB-IWU. In January 2005, it was sold to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest, then sold to UPS four months later as N281UP. It was put into service in early 2006, and continues to haul packages for UPS.