Global Supertanker (T944) ceased operations

As some of you already know, the company that operates tanker 944 (Boeing 747), Global Supertanker ceased operating T944 on or about April 21st of this year. I read this news on Bill Gabbert's Fire Aviation site on April 23rd. Here is an excerpt of Bill's reporting on April 23rd.:

The investor group that owns the 747 Supertanker, Tanker 944, is shutting down the huge air tanker. In an email sent April 21 to officials in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and the federal government, Dan Reese the President of Global Supertanker gave them the news:

This week the investors that own the Global SuperTanker just informed me that they have made the difficult decision to cease operations of the company, effective this week…This is extremely disappointing as the aircraft has been configured and tuned with a new digital drop system and other upgrades to make it more safe and efficient.

Mr. Reese said in the email they are in discussions with prospective buyers, but it was unknown at that time if the aircraft would continue to be configured as an air tanker capable of carrying more than 17,500 gallons or if it would be used as a freighter.

If you have not already done so, you will want to read Bill's full report about the cessation of operations of Global SuperTanker Services.

Global SuperTanker Services is owned by Alterna Capital Partners

On Monday, April 26th, thanks to Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day e-mail newsletter, I read an April 26th article on the Aerial Fire Magazine about the cessation of tanker 944 operations, Global SuperTanker/Alterna Capital Partners Release Official Statement on GST Shut Down: the management of Alterna Capital Partners says in part:

Unfortunately, the 2009 vintage Alterna fund that owns GSTS has a 10-year finite life and does not have the resources to see the vision to come to fruition. Accordingly, the decision has been made to immediately cease all GSTS operations and look for alternatives to maximize the value of the team, the drop system and the 747-400 aircraft.

Alterna is actively pursuing various options, including, but not limited to, the recapitalization of GSTS as an aerial firefighting business, the sale of GSTS to strategic or other investors and/or the sale of the aircraft as a freighter. The option to sell the aircraft as freighter has been in part driven by the COVID-19 crisis, which has led to a significant increase in value for freighter aircraft.

Please take a couple of minutes to read the full statement from Alterna Capital Partners about why the decided to cease operations of Global SuperTanker Services.

The 747 Supertanker (tanker 944) with her 17,200 gallon tank capacity was a great resource in the aerial firefighting toolbox. California, Mexico and Chile are among the places where she flew fires. She will be missed. I sincerely hope that any financial and any issues (if applicable) with the 747 and the tank will be resolved so that she may return to service as an airtanker.