28 April 2009

HNLRareBirds On Twitter

HNLRareBirds updates can be found on Twitter.com. If you are on twitter, you can follow us on "@hnlrarebirds". We'll be posting photo links, delivery flight information, and other RareBird sightings at HNL.

China Southern's B-5421

China Southern Airlines is taking delivery of their newest 737-81B, B-5421 (c/n 35373). It's flying as CSN501 from BFI, and completed its first leg to HNL today, and continues tomorrow onto MAJ.

Sorry, no HNL photo, but Drewski2112 got it at BFI.

25 April 2009

Allegiant Air To Hawai‘i???

Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air is exploring the possibility of expanding service to the Hawaiian Islands ... though they would need to get larger aircraft since their MD-80s are not ETOPS capable. That would definitely be a boost to the amount of seats to/from Hawai‘i.

Here's coverage from the Honolulu Advertiser, and coverage from the Las Vegas Sun.

Real Birds vs Metal Birds

It seems that there have been over 900 bird strikes with in Hawai‘i over the past five years. Over the past few years, I have noticed stepped up efforts by Wildlife Control Officers at HNL, riding in their pickup trucks, patrolling the taxiways of HNL. On a few occasions, I have heard shotgun blasts in the Reef Runway area to scare away birds.

We all know the dangers of bird strikes, especially the miracle landing of the US Airways A320 out of LGA.

Today's Honolulu Advertiser is running an article about it.

24 April 2009

ACA034 Diverted To HNL

Air Canada flight ACA034 was diverted from SYD to YVR due to severe turbulence, that injured over 20 people. The flight continued onto YVR after a couple of hours on the ground. The aircraft involved was C-FIUJ (c/n 35244), a 777-233LR.

The Honolulu Advertiser coverage.

23 April 2009

Air China's B-5423


Today features another 737 daily double!

Leading off today's edition is Air China's B-5423 (c/n 36742), a 737-89L, which arrived from BFI as CCA058. B-5423 will continue onto MAJ tomorrow.

Lion Air's PK-LFW


The second half of the daily double is Lion Air's PK-LFW (c/n 35724), a 737-9GPER(W), which is flying as LNI001. Like the other Lion AIr deliveries, it's expected to make a short tech stop, before continuing across the Pacific toward Indonesia.

After all the previous Lion Air delivery flights, this was the first time I actually got a shot of one of their -900ERs.


*Update 04-24-09*
PK-LFW overnighted here, and left this morning around 1000HST.

22 April 2009

Shandong's B-5450


Today featured a 737-800 delivery flight daily double ...

The first of the pair was Shandong Airlines' B-5450 (c/n 36773), a 737-85N. It arrived earlier today from BFI as CDG5450.

Xiamen's B-5433


The second half of today's 737 delivery daily double was Xiamen Airlines' B-5433 (c/n 35642), a 737-86N(W). It arrived several minutes after the Shandong 73H from BFI as CXA5433.

Both 737s will depart tomorrow to continue their island hopping journey across the Pacific to China.

17 April 2009

JAL Express JA319J


The 19th 737-800 for JAL arrived in HNL on April 16. JA319J, shown here parked on the North Ramp, has JAL Express titles. It is on the normal routing, BFI-HNL-MAJ-GUM-HND, and left HNL on April 17.

10 April 2009

N349UA

A former United Airlines 737-322, N349UA (c/n 24253) is at HNL from GYR via OAK. It's scheduled to depart for MAJ and ROR (PTRO, Airai, Palau) tomorrow.

Sorry, no HNL photo ...

09 April 2009

RAAF's N359BJ


The Royal Australian Air Force's "Wedgetail" 737-7ES AEW&C aircraft, N359BJ (c/n 33476), is at HNL again on another test flight from BFI as BOE202. Once it is taken up with the RAAF, it will be re-registered as A30-003. If I remeber correctly, this is the third "Wedgetail" for the RAAF.


*Update 04-10-09*
BOE202 departed this morning for PPG.

05 April 2009

VP-BAP


This Ex-PanAm 727-21 (cn 19260/412) arrived Kahului Maui yesterday from Van Nuys. This was the best shot I could get under the circumstances. RareBirds had another spot of this one at HNL back on 10/15/07.