Shandong's B-1745

Shandong Airlines is taking delivery of B-1745 (c/n 41621, l/n 5239) today. The 737-85N, the second  of three deliveries today, is making its delivery flight from BFI as CDG1745, and will overnight at HNL.

Photo of B-1745 at BFI by team member Drewski2112.

Xiamen's B-1749

Xiamen Air's B-1749 (c/n 39909, l/n 5234) leads off today's trio of China-bound 737-800 delivery flights. The 737-85C is making its delivery flight as CXA1749, and will overnight at HNL.

Reignwood Aviation's C208

Bound for China, this amphibious Caravan 208 arrived in HNL on the 12th of this month. N338RT (s/n 20800535) sits tucked away on the South ramp after arriving from Moundridge Municipal (47K), Kansas via Grand Canyon airport (KGCN/GCN), Arizona to Santa Maria (KSMX/SMX), California to Daugherty Field (KLGB/LGB), California to Santa Maria once again, before its 14 hour flight to Hilo. Reignwood Aviation recently ordered 10 amphibious Caravan EXs for use in Southern China for tourism. N338RT, a non-EX Caravan will probably be heading west for the same mission.

Hainan's B-1783

Hainan Airlines is taking delivery of B-1783 (c/n 39219, l/n 5233) today. The 737-84P is making its delivery flight from BFI as CHH1783, and will overnight at HNL.

China Southern's B-1737

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of B-1737 (c/n 41606, l/n 5232) today. The 737-81B is making its delivery flight from BFI as CSH137, and will overnight at HNL.

Allegiant Pilots Authorize Strike

World Airline News reports that the pilots union of Allegiant Air have voted to authorize a strike, but no strike is currently on the horizon. It may be weeks before any work stoppage is taken. Allegiant currently has one daily flight between LAX and HNL, and another daily flight between LAS and HNL.

Delta To Resume 747-400 ATL-HNL Service

Beginning in May, Delta Air Lines will replace their A330-300s with 747-400s on their ATL-HNL service, DAL837/836. That will mean a gain of 83 seats, as the Delta A330-300s has 293 seats, while their 747-400s have 376.

Air China's B-1767

Air China's B-1767 (c/n 41109, l/n 5230), a 737-89L, is the first 737NG delivery flight to stop off at HNL for 2015. It's making its delivery flight from BFI as CCA78, and will overnight at HNL.

Photo of B-1767 at BFI by team member Drewski2112.

Shanghai's B-2857

Shanghai Airlines is ferrying one of their 757-26Ds to VCV. B-2857 (c/n 33959, l/n 1044) is making its ferry flight from PVG as CSH2857, and arrived at HNL from SPN, before 02:00L this morning. Boeing Capital acquired it, and will lease it to Delta Air Lines as N819DX (f/n 6819).

B-2857 was delivered to Shanghai Airlines in May 2004.

Alaska ANG Raptor Incident

An Alaska Air National Guard F-22A Raptor here in Hawai‘i for the Sentry Aloha training exercise, had an incident when landing on Runway 8L. The left main brake had overheated and caught on fire. Emergency vehicles arrived shortly after and doused the Raptor in fire suppressive foam. The runway remained closed for the majority of the day as maintenance crews used airbags to fit a new tire onto the aircraft.

N848TM

N848TM (c/n 32596, l/n 1028), a 737-76N owned by GECAS, is ferrying through HNL from CAN (via GUM), as it makes its way to PAE. It's bound to be leased to Southwest Airlines.

32596 was originally leased to China Xinjiang Airlines in December 2001 as B-2699. When China Southern Airlines acquired China Xinjiang, B-2699 was transferred over.

Bill Boeing Jr Passes Away

The HNL RareBirds team expresses its condolences to the Boeing ‘Ohana on the passing of William "Bill" Boeing, Jr. The son of Boeing Aircraft founder William Boeing Sr, passed away yesterday at the age of 92. Bill Boeing Jr was instrumental in preserving the Red Barn, where his father began building airplanes, as well as help starting the Museum of Flight in Renton, WA.

Article links from The Seattle Times, Boeing Media Room, and the Museum of Flight.

Weststar Aviation's VP-BDJ

Weststar Aviation Services 727-23 (c/n 20046, l/n 605), formerly belonging to Donald Trump found its way back to Honolulu this morning. VP-BDJ was previously captured here back in early 2013 and still retains the basic livery of its previous owner.

Hawaiian Files Bid For KOA-HND Service.

Hawaiian Airlines has filed an application with the US Department of Transportation for daily A330-243 service between KOA and HND. The airline applied for the additional HND slot after Delta Air Lines downgraded their HND service from SEA to seasonal, and was put under scrutiny by the US DoT.

Further information in this Hawaiian Airlines press release.

HNL RareBirds At SEA

My wife and I took a Christmas trip up to Seattle, and flew its hometown airline, Alaska Airlines. Here were the photos I managed to take at both HNL and SEA.

N590AS (c/n 35687, l/n 2478, f/n 590) was the 737-890 we rode on to SEA, as ASA860, seen above at Gate 14 prior to departure. It was recently outfitted with the Split-Scimitar Winglets.

While waiting for our coffees, Japan Airlines' JA616J (c/n 35813, l/n 954) taxied in to Gate 24 as JAL786. This flight is normally operated by 787-8s.

The North half of Sea-Tac International Airport is dominated by Alaska Airlines. The North Terminal (above) five Alaska 737s, including N793AS (c/n 28888, l/n 2990, f/n 793), a 737-490 and N586AS (c/n 35189, l/n 2393, f/n 586), a 737-890.

At Gate C9, was N585AS (c/n 35683, l/n 2385, f/n 585), another 737-890.

N407AS (c/n 41731, 4278, f/n 407), a Split-Scimitar Winglet equipped 737-990ER being pushed out from Gate C17.

We were blessed to get a photo of N706AS (c/n 28894, l/n 3050, f/n 706), Alaska's Disneyland / Make-A-Wish 737-490 logo jet, seen parked at Gate D2.

N315AS (c/n 30019, l/n 1218, f/n 315), a 737-990 is seen above parked at Gate D1.

This 737-890, N531AS (c/n 35199, l/n 3287), was our ride back home to HNL. Surprisingly, we landed on Runway 8L just before midnight, when most arrivals after 20:00HST land on Runway 4R.

Asia Pacific To Add A 757F

Asia Pacific Airlines will add its first 757-29JF, N757QM (c/n 27203, l/n 588) by May of this year. It was purchased from Aircastle, and is currently undergoing freighter conversion. No word was given as to how many more 757-200Fs the Guam-based cargo carrier will get, nor how long their 727-200Fs (above) will remain in their fleet.

Further details in this CH-Aviation article.

Allegiant Devalues 757 Fleet

Allegiant Airlines is looking at retiring its 757-200 fleet before 2021, as it has wrote down the value of the six airliners in their fleet. It also cites declining demand from the west coast secondary markets it began service with, and now down to daily service to LAX and LAS from HNL. Some of the 757s have been re-assigned to other Allegiant routes.

Further details in this CH-Aviation article.

Virgin Australia's VH-ZPQ

Virgin Australia is ferrying VH-ZPQ "Main Beach" (msn 19000412), an ERJ-190AR, from BNE to BNA (via APW, HNL and VNY) as VOZ9901. It's making an overnight stop tonight at HNL.

Mahalo to team member AndrewC for the photo.

Northwest's N674US

Our first "HNL RareBirds Classic" of 2015 is Northwest Airlines' 747-451, N674US "City of Shanghai" (c/n 30269, l/n 1232, f/n 6314), seen above at HNL's Gate 12 in early 2005.

N674US was delivered to Northwest in October 1999, leased from debis Air Finance. In 2005, it was sold to AerCo. In mid-2006, N674US was painted in the mica-based, final Northwest livery. When Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines merged, N674US was transferred to the Delta fleet. It was painted in Delta colors in April 2009, temporarily stored in July 2011, and returned to service in June 2012.

Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!

The HNL RareBirds team wishes you all a blessed and prosperous Happy New Year!