The Water Cannon Salute, Who Was First? — Civil Aviation Forum

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The Water Cannon Salute, Who Was First?

readytotaxi From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2006, 2596 posts, RR: 3
Posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 373 times:

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Got to wondering which airport can lay claim to being the first to offer this to new airlines or retiring pilots?
Sure is a nice idea and makes a great picture, but who,worldwide,thought of it first?

you don't get a second chance to make a first impression!

10 replies: All unread, jump to last

ginger727 From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 50 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 376 times:

I don't know which airport did it first. But, I've been working at airports all over the country since the early 1970s, and I had never seen it done until 1990 when it was common practice for Salt Lake City ARFF crews to salute retiring Delta pilots. Now, every airport does it for all sorts of reasons to provide great photo opportunities to honor special occasions.

just7four7 From Hong Kong, joined Oct 2009, 57 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 376 times:

Clearly a cultural question.

My guess is it would be an American thing: Most mature air travel market with all that goes with it, a public that generally values respect and appreciation of workmanship and related issues, a certain casualness of affairs.

Just can not see this having started in Europe in the 70s or 80s (since it became more or less commonplace by the 90s, as ginger727 points out). From Asia? No way. That's it. Question answered. US.

ordjoe From United States of America, joined Aug 2010, 583 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 376 times:

I see it as an american thing too, no idea where it started, my guess the first time was some spur of the moment thing or just a local airport tradition that spread. Could have started in the millitary.

varigb707 From United States of America, joined May 2006, 1220 posts, RR: 1
Reply 4, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 376 times:

Another question: who pays for it?
- the airline being saluted,
- the airport,
- tax payers,
- who

"Hey Now!"

simairlinenet From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 815 posts, RR: 2
Reply 5, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 375 times:

Maritime origins, but no one seems to know when it started in aviation.

See these topics:
How Did Water Cannon Salutes Get Started? (by Trickijedi Sep 16 2004 in Civil Aviation)
Origin Of Water Cannon Salute (by Cancidas Mar 12 2007 in Civil Aviation)
Origins Of The Water Cannon Salute (by Coal Jun 8 2011 in Civil Aviation)

737tanker From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 221 posts, RR: 0
Reply 6, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 375 times:

Quoting varigb707 (Reply 4):
Another question: who pays for it?
- the airline being saluted,
- the airport,
- tax payers,
- who

What cost are you talking about? The firfighters are already on duty and are being paid and the fire trucks are already bought and paid for. While there is a cost to replace the water the system has to be checked, I believe once a day, in order to make sure that it is working. So instead of the test being done at the fire station it is being done on a taxiway.

tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, RR: 80
Reply 7, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 376 times:

I'm about 99% sure that the ARFF guys thought it up (based on the maritime precedent). They will take *any* excuse to get their toys out of the garage and have them do something. This is not a bad thing...it's a good operability check, provides good PR, and breaks up the day.

Nothing like calling the fire department for a handheld extinguisher and having them send the Oshkosh truck over...

Tom.

varigb707 From United States of America, joined May 2006, 1220 posts, RR: 1
Reply 8, posted (6 months 1 week 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 372 times:

Quoting 737tanker (Reply 6):
What cost are you talking about?

the water being used to salute.

"Hey Now!"

tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, RR: 80
Reply 9, posted (6 months 1 week 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 372 times:

Quoting varigb707 (Reply 8):
Quoting 737tanker (Reply 6):
What cost are you talking about?

the water being used to salute.

The absolute highest price I could find for bulk water was $11.20 per cubic meter. Oshkosh's newest and greatest 6x6 ARFF truck holds about 6 m3 so, even if they emptied the entire truck, the highest water cost would be about $67. I think that's within the noise of running the ARFF operation in the first place.

Tom.

737tanker From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 221 posts, RR: 0
Reply 10, posted (6 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 372 times:

Quoting varigb707 (Reply 8):
the water being used to salute.

If you read what I wrote I said they have to test the system. So instead of just spraying the water in front of the fire station they spray it over an airplane for no additional cost..

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