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Water salute

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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
A fireboat gives a water salute to the USS Vandegrift by the Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon.
Water salute for the Beijing medical aid team after their service in Hubei during the COVID-19 pandemic, at Beijing Capital International Airport.[1]

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.

See also

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References

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

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