Kalitta Air's N769CK

Kalitta Air is substituting N769CK (c/n 32793, l/n 598) for their daily LAX-HNL-LAX service, CKS368/369 today. This "Big Twin" 777-36NERF was recently painted with Japan Airlines Cargo titles, and will eventually operate for JAL Cargo, by Kalitta.

32793's History:

Nov 2006: Delivered to Emirates as A6-EBW, under lease from GECAS.

Nov 2021: Acquired by AerCap, and the lease transferred.

Mar 2024: Withdrawn from service, and returned to AerCap.

May 2024: Ferried to TLV for freighter conversion, and registered as N769CK.

Nov 2025: Delivered and leased to Kalitta Air.

Dec 2025: To operate for JAL Cargo.

Pacific Air Cargo Launches HNL-GUM Service

Kalitta Air is launching a weekly 747-400F LAX-HNL-GUM service today for Pacific Air Cargo. This will be in addition to their daily LAX-HNL round-trip service. This new one-way service is flown as CKS380. N705CK "Dwight Palmer" (c/n 26413, l/n 1286), a 747-4B5F, is making the first flight today.

Kalitta Air's N740CK In-flight Emergency

The Aviation Herald reports that Kalitta Air's N740CK "Doug Kalitta Sr. 1" (c/n 24405 l/n 745) had an in-flight fire in the aft cabin, as it flew from LAX to HNL as CKS368 on 24 May. The fire was extinguished, and the flight continued onto HNL. N740CK was able to re-enter service several hours later.

Kalitta Air's N703CK Retirement

Kalitta Air's N703CK "Beti Ward 1" (c/n 24226, l/n809) is being retired by the airline. This 747-412F made its last flight into HNL on 09 Apr from GUM as CKS371, and continued onto YYZ with the same flight code. N703CK was repositioned to YIP, Kalitta's headquarters; then to OSC, Kalitta's maintenance base. Over the past couple years, the Pacific Air Cargo livery was removed, and left as a white-tail.

DHL / Kalitta Air Flights

Kalitta Air is flying their DHL-liveried 777Fs from CVG to SYD, with a fuel stop at HNL. This service operates several times per week with different flight numbers

Kalitta Air's N709CK

Our May edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" goes back to March 2004, with Kalitta Air's 747-132SF, N709CK (c/n 20247, l/n 159), seen above taxing out to Runway 8R to return to LAX.

20247 was originally delivered to Delta Air Lines in November 1971 as N9900. Boeing acquired it in April 1977 to convert it to a freighter, and three months later, sold to Flying Tiger Line as N805FT. When Federal Express acquired Flying Tigers in 1989, it was transferred, and re-registered as N625FE. In May 1993, it was acquired by Air Hong Kong as VR-HKC. A year later Kalitta / American International Airways purchased this 747-132SF, and registered it as N625PL. In June 1998, it was re-registered as N709CK. From February 1999 to December 2000, it was leased to AIA's Kitty Hawk International subsidiary, then returned to AIA (which re-branded to Kalitta Air). N709CK flew with Kalitta Air until December 2008, when it was stored at OSC, and was scrapped there in June 2015. The registration has been transferred to a Kalitta 747-4B5F (c/n 26396, l/n 951).

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 ...

Pacific Air Cargo's N703CK

Kalitta Air has painted N703CK (c/n 24226, l/n 809), a 747-412F, in the Pacific Air Cargo special livery, and is now doing the LAX-HNL run (CKS368/369).

24226 was originally delivered to Singapore Airlines in September 1990 as 9V-SMG. In July 2004, it was purchased by Air India as VT-AIE "Mamallpuram". In May 2007, Boeing Aircraft Holdings acquired 24226, and converted to a freighter, and six months later, sold to Aircastle, who leased it to Martinair Holland as PH-MPR. In November 2012, Aircastle leased this 747-412F to Air Atlanta Icelandic as TF-AMF. From January 2013 to October 2015, it was subleased to Saudi Arabian Airlines; and from October 2015 to November 2016, subleased to Air Bridge Cargo. It was returned to Aircastle, and stored at MCI. Jet Midwest purchased this airliner in February 2017 as N262JM, and sold it nine months later to Kalitta Air. It was re-registered as N703CK in February 2018.

Western Global Airlines' N356KD

During this past week, Western Global Airlines' 747-446F, N356KD (c/n 26356, l/n 1026), has been substituting on Kalitta Air's service between HNL and LAX [CKS369/368].

26356 was originally delivered to Japan Airlines in March 1994 as JA8911. In December 2007, it was converted to a freighter for JAL Cargo. In December 2010, it was acquired by Atlas Air as N356NA, and re-registered as N458MC four months later. It flew with Atlas until August 2015. Three months later Western Global Airlines bought this 747, and registered it as N356KD. It still wears the blue aft section of its former owner.

Kalitta Air Begins 747-400F Flights

Kalitta Air launched 747-400F flights that replaced the 747-200BFs this morning. They also have a logo jet with Pacific Air Cargo titles to go along with the new aircraft. N976BA (c/n 25275, l/n 874), a 747-4B5F made its first flight out of LAX to HNL as CKS368 this morning.

25275 was originally delivered to Korean Air in September 1991 as HL7483. It was converted to freighter in May 2008, and transferred to their cargo division, and served until February 2013. Seven months later, it was acquired by Boeing Aircraft Holdings. In July 2016, it was leased to Kalitta Air as N976BA, and recently painted to the Pacific Air Cargo livery.

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.

American International's N102CK

Our December edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" takes us back to November 1995, and this American International Airways L-1011-200F, N012CK (msn 193N-1198), seen above on Taxiway C, taxiing out for departure on Runway 8R.  American International Airways was the precursor to the current Kalitta Air [K4/CKS].

This Tri-Star was originally delivered to British Airways [BA/BAW] in November 1980 as G-BHBM "The Piccadilly Rose". It was also painted in the Landor livery, and re-named "Poole Bay" in the late 80s. It was leased to Kuwait Airways for a short period in 1992. It was acquired by American International in November 1994, after going through its freighter conversion. In May 1999, it was transferred to Kalitta's Kitty Hawk International [CB/CKS] subsidiary. After Kitty Hawk's closure, N102CK was sold to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest, and ferried to Jordan. It then was ferried to Greece, where it was supposed to be leased to Freedom Air (Cyprus), with the Greek registry of SX-CVE. Last known photo taken in January 2013, reports are that this Tri-Star remains stored at KVA [Megas Alexandros Airport, Kavala, Geece], still in the Kitty Hawk livery.

"Loha Ke Kahi I Ke Kahi"

In tonight's season four premier episode of Hawaii Five-0, "Loha Ke Kahi I Ke Kahi", Makani Kai Helicopters' N6077H makes an appearance as a TV news helicopter for the fictional TV station KHMJ. N6077H is seen above on the 50-yard line of Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium, where a part of the episode was filmed. The production company spent the entire day filming a few scenes inside the stadium, and out in the Hālawa parking lots.

Also making an appearance in the episode, is Kalitta Air's 747-221F, N748CK (c/n 21744, l/n 392), that scene was filmed on HNL's South Ramp.

Kalitta Air 747-246F N746CK

For the past few days, Kalitta Air has been sending this all-white 742F, with small titles, on their LAX-HNL-LAX  flights (CKS368/369), instead of an aircraft with their usual red and gold liveried 747Fs. 

N746CK (cn 22989/ ln 571) was originally delivered to JAL Cargo on December 14, 1982 with the registration, N211JL. The registration was changed in the late 1990's to JA811J. Kalitta acquired the aircraft from JAL in 2008 and it has always been in the all-white livery. There are about 5 Kalitta 747s that are in all-white liveries.

Kalitta Air 747-122(SF)

N712CK (c/n 19754, l/n 60), the third oldest 747 in commercial service, taxies by on a recent Kona wind day. This Kalitta Air 747-122SF has over four decades in operation. It began service with United Airlines (delivered in August 1970 as N4704U); then Pan American World Airways (acquired in December 1985, named "Clipper Belle Of The Skies"); Polar Air Cargo (converted to freighter and leased from Jet Midwest, August 1994 as N845FT); and now as a "Connie" for CKS (November 2002). Not bad looking for a 40-year-old girl huh?

Kalitta's 747-400F

This 747-446BCF (c/n 26356, l/n 1026) now belongs to Kalitta Air as N356NA. Kalitta has plans to acquire ten 747-400Fs from Japan Airlines. This aircraft was operated by Japan Airlines Cargo as JA8911 from 1994-2010.

Kalitta Charters' N720CK

Kalitta Chaters II has brought in N720CK (c/n 21298), a 727-2B6F/Adv, to handle air cargo duties on behalf of Pacific Air Cargo.

N720CK had been here in 2005 for Pacific Air Cargo to do runs to/from PPG, but was short-lived. In the photo above, this 727 has a Pacific Air Cargo logo near the main entry door. It was originally delivered to Royal Air Maroc as CN-RMP.


Kitty Hawk Aircargo had done some inter-island cargo runs with 727-200Fs in the earlier part of the decade, but left after a brief run as they tried to compete against Aloha Airlines' cargo ops.