A water salute is an occasional occurrence used for a ceremonial purpose. It typically consists of a vehicle which travels under plumes of water expelled by one or more fire-fighting vehicles, as a mark of respect or appreciation.
At an airport, typically an even number of airport crash tender fire-fighting vehicles will arrange themselves perpendicularly along the sides of a taxiway or apron; they will emit coordinated plumes of water which form an arch (or series of arches) as an aircraft passes. Symbolically, the procession looks similar to a bridal party walking under a wedding arch or the saber arch at a military wedding.
Water salutes have been used to mark the retirement of a senior pilot or air traffic controller, the first or last flight of an airline to an airport, the first or last flight of a specific type of aircraft, as a token of respect for the remains of soldiers killed in action, [2] or other notable events. When Concorde flew its last flight in 2003 from John F. Kennedy International Airport, red, white and blue coloured plumes were used. [3]
Water salutes are also used for ships and other watercraft, with water being delivered by fireboats. This is often done for the first or last visit or retirement of a senior captain, the first or last cruise of a ship, the visit of a warship, or other ceremonial occasions. A notable example was the water salute to HMS Hermes (R12) as she returned to Southampton following her part in the victory of the Falklands War.
Concorde is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies started in 1954, and France and the United Kingdom signed a treaty establishing the development project on 29 November 1962, as the programme cost was estimated at £70 million . Construction of the six prototypes began in February 1965, and the first flight took off from Toulouse on 2 March 1969. The market was predicted for 350 aircraft, and the manufacturers received up to 100 option orders from many major airlines. On 9 October 1975, it received its French Certificate of Airworthiness, and from the UK CAA on 5 December.
The Tupolev Tu-144 is a Soviet supersonic passenger airliner designed by Tupolev in operation from 1968 to 1999.
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A supersonic transport (SST) or a supersonic airliner is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. To date, the only SSTs to see regular service have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003 ferry flight being its last airborne operation.
A stowaway or clandestine traveller is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as a ship, an aircraft, a train, cargo truck or bus.
On 25 July 2000, Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde passenger jet on an international charter flight from Paris to New York, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 109 people on board and four on the ground. It was the only fatal Concorde accident during its 27-year operational history.
This is a list of aviation-related events from 2003.
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Marshall Group, formerly Marshall of Cambridge, is a British company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Subsidiaries include Marshall Aerospace, an aircraft maintenance, modification, and design company located at Cambridge City Airport. Other subsidiaries are Marshall Land Systems, Marshall Slingsby Advanced Composites, Marshall Fleet Solutions and Marshall Property. Marshall also owns and operates the airport itself.
The Martin JRM Mars is a large, four-engined cargo transport flying boat designed and built by the Martin Company for the United States Navy during World War II. It was the largest Allied flying boat to enter production, although only seven were built. The United States Navy contracted the development of the XPB2M-1 Mars in 1938 as a long-range ocean patrol flying boat, which later entered production as the JRM Mars long-range transport.
The National Museum of Flight is Scotland's national aviation museum, at East Fortune Airfield, just south of the village of East Fortune, Scotland. It is one of the museums within National Museums Scotland.
A gun salute or cannon salute is the use of a piece of artillery to fire shots, often 21 in number, with the aim of marking an honor or celebrating a joyful event. It is a tradition in many countries around the world.
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An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to terminate the flight. It typically involves a forced diversion to the nearest or most suitable airport or airbase, or an off airport landing or ditching if the flight cannot reach an airfield. Flights under air traffic control will be given priority over all other aircraft operations upon the declaration of the emergency.
Coventry Airport is located three nautical miles south-southeast of Coventry city centre, in the village of Baginton, Warwickshire, England. The airport is operated and licensed by Coventry Airport Limited. Its CAA Ordinary Licence allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.
The Concorde... Airport '79 is a 1979 American air disaster film and the fourth and final installment of the Airport franchise. Although critically panned and earning poorly in North America, the film was a commercial success internationally, grossing a total of $65 million on a $14 million budget.
The airport apron, apron, flight line, or ramp is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled, boarded, or maintained. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway. However, the apron is not usually open to the general public, and a permit may be required to gain access. An apron's designated areas for aircraft parking are called aircraft stands.
An airport crash tender is a specialised fire engine designed for use in aircraft firefighting at aerodromes, airports, and military air bases.
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Media related to Water cannon salutes in aviation at Wikimedia Commons