China Airlines' B-1866

This quarter's edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" features China Airlines' 747-209B, B-1866 (c/n 21843, l/n 386) as it taxied to Runway 26L on Taxiway RT. This 1997 photo shows B-1866 about to return to TPE (via NRT) as CAL17.

21843's History:

Jly 1979: Delivered to China Airlines.

___ 1996: Painted in the current livery.

May 1999: Re-registered as B-18255.

May 2002: Crashed 20 minutes after departing TPE on 25 May 2002, as CAL611 [TPE-HKG], all 225 aboard killed.

B-18255 was on its last flight for China Airways, and was scheduled to be sold to Orient Thai Airways.

Air Force 1 Pays Visit To HIK

On his return trip from the G20 Conference in Bali, Indonesia, President Biden aboard Air Force 1, made a quick fuel stop at HIK today. 82-8000 (c/n 23824, l/n 679) was the VC-25A (747-2G4B) to make the flight that made stops in Cambodia and Indonesia.

All Nippon Airways' JA8174

Our December edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" features All Nippon Airways' 747-281B, JA8174 (c/n 23501, l/n 648), departing Runway 8R as it returns to NRT.

23501 was originally delivered to ANA in June 1986, and flew with the airline until 2005. From August 1989 to March 1990, ANA operated it for Australian Airlines.  In November 2005, it was bought by Air Universal as AP-BIC, and leased to Pakistan International Airlines in December 2006 for an unknown duration. In March 2008, it was acquired by Hellenic Imperial Airways as SX-TIC, and flew with the airline until 2016. After it was withdrawn from service, it was flown to KHI [Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan], where it currently sits in storage.

Qantas Retires Their 747s

Qantas Airways retired its 747 fleet today. It ends the 49-year with the "Queen Of The Skies" that began with 747-238B, VH-EBC (c/n 20011, l/n 162) in October 1971. Qantas has served HNL with four variants: -238B, -SP38, -338, and -438.

VH-OEJ "Wunala" (c/n 32914, l/n 1331) is making one last flight from SYD to LAX as QFA7474 today.

[Top]

747-338, VH-EBT "City of Wagga Wagga" (c/n 23222, l/n 602), taxiing on Taxiway RT in 2005.

[Above]

747-438, VH-OEI "Ceduna" (c/n 32913, l/n 1330), about to touchdown on Runway 8L in 2019.

50 Years!

Today, the Boeing 747 celebrates its 50th anniversary of its first flight!

HNL has seen practically every variant of the "Queen of the Skies", with Pan American and United serving with the -100, to Korean Air and UPS with the 747-8.

Happy 50th Birthday 747!

Fifty years ago today, Boeing Commercial Airplanes rolled out the first 747-100 at Boeing's Everett, WA assembly plant, in front of its employees, airline representatives, dignitaries, and the media.

The initial 747-100 service to HNL, began with Pan American World Airways and United Airlines. Over the course of this past half-century, HNL has seen all the 747's variants transit through. Here are a list of airlines who used the 747 to serve HNL (and KOA):

Pan American World Airways

United Airlines

Trans World Airlines

Continental Airlines

The Hawaii Express

Braniff International Airlines

America West Airlines

American Airlines

Northwest Airlines

Delta Air Lines

World Airways (1st)

Kalitta Air * [as Pacific Air Cargo]

UPS Airlines *

FedEx

Atlas Air * [as Qantas Cargo]

Polar Air Cargo *

Transamerica Airlines [also as Trans International Airlines]

Flying Tigers Airlines

Evergreen International Airlines

Southern Air

Canadian Pacific Air (CP Air)

Wardair Canada

Qantas Airways * [seasonal]

Air New Zealand

Japan Airlines

All Nippon Airways

China Airlines

Air Siam

Korean Air * [seasonal]

Singapore Airlines

* Airlines currently 747s servicing HNL.

Military and government 747s:

US Air Force

Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Republic of Korea Air Force
People's Republic of China [in Air China livery]

Qatar Amiri Flight * [VIP charter]

Saudi Arabian Airlines [VIP charter]

Royal Brunei Airlines [VIP charter]

Air Force One Stops At HIK

On his return to Washington, DC, US President Donald J Trump, aboard Air Force One, will make a one-hour fuel stop at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam this afternoon. President Trump is returning from his summit talks in Singapore with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-Un. 92-9000 (c/n 23825, l/n 685), a VC-25A (747-2G4B), made the trip to the summit and back as "Air Force One".

JALWays' JA8150

Our January edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" goes back to 2004 with this JALWays 747-246B, JA8150 (c/n 22479, l/n 496), seen above on Taxiway RT.

JA8150 was delivered to Japan Airlines in March 1981, in the Tsuru livery. In October 2000, it was assigned to Japan Airlines' JALWays subsidiary, complete with its own livery. In early 2001, it was painted into the above livery, with the "Reso'cha" titles, and flew with JALWays until November 2007, when it was withdrawn from service. The next month, it was sold to Orient Thai Airlines as HS-UTR, and flew with the airline for two years. It was stored at DMK from December 2010 to April 2014. The aircraft was bought by Kasemchai Farms, disassembled, transported to its property, then re-built as a preserved aircraft with its own tail markings, where it sits today.

USAF's 74-0787

One of four E-4Bs made an overnight stop at Hickam AFB. 74-0787 (c/n 20684 l/n 232) departed this morning.

Kalitta Air Ends 747-200F Operations

Kalitta Air has ended 747-200F operations on its LAX-HNL flight [CKS368/369] today. N793CK (c/n 23736, l/n 673), a 747-222BF, made the last flight, ending the 747-200F era at HNL. It will leave this afternoon on its farewell voyage. Kalitta will begin 747-400F flights on April 11th.

23736 was originally delivered to United Airlines in March 1987 as N151UA. In July 2000, it was acquired by Northwest Airlines as N645NW (f/n 6745), and converted to a freighter. After the Northwest Airlines / Delta Air Lines merger in October 2008, it was transferred over, but was withdrawn from service and stored at MZJ three months later. Kalitta Air acquired this 747-222BF in September 2010 as N793CK.

The last three -200Fs to fly for Kalitta, and flew the HNL-LAX route, were: N793CK, N794CK (c/n 23737, l/n 675), and N795CK (c/n 23111, l/n 594).


06.16.17 Update
N793CK has been sold to The Cargo Airline [TZS] (Republic of Georgia) as 4L-GEL.

Air Force One Refueling Stop

With the end of the 2014 G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia, President Obama stopped over at HIK for a short refueling stop before heading back to Washington, D.C. on Air Force One.  The President arrived a little after 6:00 a.m. and took off around 7:20 a.m.  The VC-25A that carried the President today was 92-9000 (c/n 23825, l/n 685) and is shown taking off from 8L.

Air Force One was followed a couple of hours later by a C-32A.