Touching Airport Tradition: Water Salute

Water salute or water spraying from a fire truck is a touching tradition in the world of aviation to honor military veterans, foreign dignitaries, and new airline service. Salutes typically involve two firefighting rigs spraying arcs of water over an arriving or departing flight. Each water cannon salute, which lasts about two minutes, can use as much as 3,000 gallons of water, so it does involve airport fire department resources. A water salute consists of placing an even number of ARFF vehicles, namely crash tenders with powerful water cannons, on each side of a taxiway, pumping water to create a high arch. It can also be performed by three vehicles forming a triangle, with their water cannons’ stream meeting at the centre.

These are four main reasons for giving a water salute:

• For a new airline company operating out of the airport for the first time;

• For a new airplane operating commercially for the first time;

• If the Captain of the airplane or an ATC member is retiring;If the airline is closing down the route and its the last flight of that airline from that particular airport.

Here is the video of final flight of Air France 747-428 (B744) with water salute.👉🏻 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2peM7C72wWI&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1DRzT3CC4veNmvQCGHXUophy7JvTE25NxMWnW1tU0VeMx95X7KDdd2VjI