Boeing 747-400 can carry 19,400 gallons
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, left, greets the flight crew of the Boeing 747-400 Global SuperTanker after it dropped half its capacity of 19,400-gallons of water over the airfield during a ceremony Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the Colorado Springs, Colo., Airport demonstrating firefighting capabilities of the worldÂ’s largest firefighting plane. The Spirit of John Muir plane will be stationed out of the Colorado Springs Airport and will be able to respond to fires around the world. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)
The nation’s largest firefighting aircraft is ready to call Colorado Springs home.
Global SuperTanker Services LLC company CEO and founder Jim Wheeler, brought the Boeing 747-400 to Colorado Springs Airport on Tuesday ahead of an invitation-only grand opening Thursday. A public open house is planned this summer.
The massive aircraft had been in flight testing, maintenance and painting near Tucson, Ariz., and must complete another two to four weeks of testing, engineering work and other reviews before it is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for firefighting use, Wheeler said Tuesday.
Supertanker Test Drop, The Gazette
Global Supertanker in Colorado Springs, KRDO
The Boeing 747-400 Global SuperTanker drops half a load of itÂ’s 19,400-gallon capacity during a ceremony Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the Colorado Springs, Colo., Airport demonstrating the firefighting capabilities of the worldÂ’s largest firefighting plane. The Spirit of John Muir plane will be stationed out of the Colorado Springs Airport and will be able to respond to fires around the world. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)
The Boeing 747-400 Global SuperTanker drops half a load of itÂ’s 19,400-gallon capacity during a ceremony Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the Colorado Springs, Colo., Airport demonstrating the firefighting capabilities of the worldÂ’s largest firefighting plane. The Spirit of John Muir plane will be stationed out of the Colorado Springs Airport and will be able to respond to fires around the world. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, left, greets the flight crew of the Boeing 747-400 Global SuperTanker after it dropped half its capacity of 19,400-gallons of water over the airfield during a ceremony Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the Colorado Springs, Colo., Airport demonstrating firefighting capabilities of the worldÂ’s largest firefighting plane. The Spirit of John Muir plane will be stationed out of the Colorado Springs Airport and will be able to respond to fires around the world. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper speaks during a ceremony Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the Colorado Springs, Colo., Airport demonstrating firefighting capabilities of the Boeing 747-400 Global SuperTanker. The Spirit of John Muir plane will be stationed out of the Colorado Springs Airport and will be able to respond to fires around the world. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)
