Water salute

Last updated

A New York City Fire Department fireboat gives a water salute for the 125th anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge in 2008. Brooklyn Bridge 125 anniversary celebration -b.jpg
A New York City Fire Department fireboat gives a water salute for the 125th anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge in 2008.
Water salute for the commencement of easyJet service at Gibraltar International Airport in 2016 Nueva ruta aerea Gibraltar-Manchester (28048206996).jpg
Water salute for the commencement of easyJet service at Gibraltar International Airport in 2016
A fireboat gives a water salute to the USS Vandegrift by the Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon. US Navy 070607-N-7783B-004 A Portland fireboat greets the guided-missile frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) with red white and blue water streams as she passes under the Willamette River's Steel Bridge.jpg
A fireboat gives a water salute to the USS Vandegrift by the Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon.
Three water salutes were given for the Beijing medical team aiding Hubei, which returned to Beijing on 31 March 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei subsided, at Beijing Capital International Airport. Water salute for Air China 042 from Wuhan with medical team.jpg
Three water salutes were given for the Beijing medical team aiding Hubei, which returned to Beijing on 31 March 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei subsided, at Beijing Capital International Airport.

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.

Contents

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.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concorde</span> British–French supersonic airliner

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupolev Tu-144</span> Soviet supersonic passenger airliner

The Tupolev Tu-144 is a Soviet supersonic passenger airliner designed by Tupolev in operation from 1968 to 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviation</span> Design, development, production, operation and use of aircraft

Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. Aircraft includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air balloons and airships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supersonic transport</span> Airliner faster than the speed of sound

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stowaway</span> One who transports oneself surreptitiously

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air France Flight 4590</span> 2000 plane crash of an Air France Concorde in Paris

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign object damage</span> Damage to aircraft by objects

In aviation and aerospace, the term foreign object damage (FOD) refers to any damage to an aircraft attributed to foreign object debris, which is any particle or substance, alien to an aircraft or system which could potentially cause damage to it.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin JRM Mars</span> Large, four-engined cargo transport flying boat

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Museum of Flight</span> Museum in East Fortune, Scotland

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gun salute</span> Shots from an artillery gun performed as a military honour

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FedEx Express</span> Cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States

FedEx Express is a major American cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. As of 2023, it is the world's largest cargo airline in terms of fleet size and freight tons flown. It is the namesake and leading subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, delivering freight and packages to more than 375 destinations over 220 countries across six continents each day. FedEx Express is also the world's largest express transportation company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emergency landing</span> Aircraft landing made in response to a crisis

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coventry Airport</span> Airport in Warwickshire, England

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.

<i>The Concorde... Airport 79</i> 1979 American disaster film directed by David Lowell Rich

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport apron</span> Area at an airport used by aircraft for parking, loading, fueling, and maintenance

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport crash tender</span> Emergency vehicle specialised in aircraft firefighting operations

An airport crash tender is a specialised fire engine designed for use in aircraft firefighting at aerodromes, airports, and military air bases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerospace Bristol</span> Aerospace museum in Filton, England

Aerospace Bristol is an aerospace museum at Filton, to the north of Bristol, England. The project is run by the Bristol Aero Collection Trust and houses a varied collection of exhibits, including Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, the final Concorde to be built and the last to fly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviation call signs</span> Unique aircraft identifiers

Aviation call signs or aircraft call signs are communication call signs assigned as unique identifiers referring to an aircraft.

References

  1. "国航来赴"春天的约定" 接运北京援鄂医疗队回家". People.cn (in Chinese). 31 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  2. "Jackson Proskow: Dallas airport passengers silently salute the return of a fallen hero". GlobalNews.ca. Global News. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  3. "End of an era for Concorde". News.BBC.co.uk. BBC News. 24 October 2003. Retrieved 13 February 2020.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Water cannon salutes in aviation at Wikimedia Commons