Ever seen an airplane going through an arch of water between two fire trucks at the airport?
Me neither, but I’d assume the aircraft is just getting a nice cleaning. But wait,
why would they use firetrucks to wash an airplane? The short answer is, they don’t!
Sometimes, on very special occasions, a usually even number of firetrucks equipped with water
cannons line up at the airport to greet an airplane that just landed. This “water salute”
is quite a beautiful display. If you’re like me and wondering why you’ve never seen
this shower of aviation affection in person, it’s because the celebratory show doesn’t
happen often. There are occasions that call for it, but I’ll get into that here in a
bit.
For now, let's see where this tradition stems from. It’s a topic of some debate, but the
generally accepted version is that it has to do with old maritime traditions. Many years
ago, ocean liners setting off on their first trip overseas would get showered with water
cannons from fireboats and tugs. They’d also greet the ship arriving from its maiden
voyage in the same way to congratulate the crew on the new destination in their route.
Something the Titanic missed out on.
The idea to greet airplanes like this took off in the ‘90s at Salt Lake City International
Airport. There, retiring Delta pilots were met with a farewell water arch after landing
the aircraft. They did and still do it as a way to show respect and gratitude for their
years of service. Saying goodbye to a veteran pilot isn’t the only cause for an epic water
salute. It’s also done when a plane is flying to a new destination in the route network
for the first time or, on the contrary, it’s arriving somewhere for the last time. New
airlines that start flying from a certain airport are also welcomed in this spectacular
way. Finally, during major sporting events like the Olympics, the plane carrying the
winning national team can land to a shower of affection and congratulations.
Unless the salute is organized for a retiring captain, the pilot will always be informed
of it. That way, they can let the passengers know ahead of time that there will be a festive
welcoming. Otherwise, travelers might get pretty nervous at the sight of lit-up firetrucks
spraying water on the plane! When a captain is retiring, many co-pilots will secretly
inform the airport authorities while the captain is away to make it a real heart-warming surprise.
To organize a water salute, the rescue department works together with air traffic control, which
gives them the exact landing time and taxiway for the flight. Fire Trucks typically get
on both sides of the taxiway. There are sometimes three of them forming a triangle of water
streams meeting at the center. All of this lasts only about 2 minutes. But within that
short time, they spray around 3,000 gallons of water 250 feet up in the air!
Sounds like a waste of water at first, but don’t worry. It’s actually good for firefighters
to use the water cannons and other equipment. It might be a good way for newbies to practice,
and it serves as a way to check that all the parts are working. It’s important to control
the speed and direction of the water streams so that passengers boarding nearby planes
don’t get drenched!
The fact that water salutes are a pretty rare phenomenon only makes them look and feel even
more special. But they’re not the only tradition you can find in aviation!
- Cutting the shirttail after the first solo flight
The first solo flight is a milestone and emotional event for any pilot. It involves student pilots
making a few loops and taking off and landing several times without any help from the instructor.
After it's done, the new pilot taxies to the ramp, where their instructor is waiting to
cut the tail out of their shirt. This tradition dates back to the old days when the instructor
sat behind the student in tandem and tugged at their shirttail to get their attention
when they were doing something wrong. There were no headsets to transmit that information,
and it was too loud in the cabin to just talk to the student (or yell at them). So, cutting
the tail off is a way for the instructor to show the new pilot that they have confidence
in them and won’t be needing to tug on that tail anymore! This pilot can now fly independently!
Some aviation schools hang the shirt pieces out on the wall afterward as part of the Hall
of Fame.
- Grabbing a “$100 hamburger” In pilot slang, a “hundred-dollar hamburger”
means an excuse to fly somewhere for the thrill of it. I'm not talking about huge passenger
liners here, but small private planes. For a pilot, there’s nothing better than flight
itself, so the destination or cause doesn’t really matter. Some years ago, renting a light
general aviation plane for a round trip to another airport in the area would generally
cost around a hundred dollars. When asked why they went there, the pilots would explain
it as “grabbing an exceptionally good burger.” Today, that burger would cost way more than
just a hundred bucks, but the slang for a flight with no particular goal keeps on living.
- Pancake breakfast fly-ins This one sounds similar to the hundred-dollar
hamburger, except there’s a more evident reason behind it. Pilots get together at fly-ins
to discuss their air adventures, fly around together, and compete in spot landing. It
can be a small pancake breakfast for anyone who wants to meet up or a bigger event like
a full-on pilot festival. They find out about such get-togethers online.
- Pre-flight rituals Pilots don’t get as nervous before the flight
as passengers with aerophobia, of course. But some changes in their routine can mess
up their mood and focus. And if there’s anybody that needs those two things, it’d
be pilots. In order to get in the zone, many of them follow the same pre-flight rituals.
I’m not talking about checking the equipment before taking off – that’s just part of
the job. These personal rituals might include listening to the same music or having the
same meal. Comfort food works the same for pilots as it does for the rest of us! Plus,
it’s a guarantee they won’t get sick in the air.
- No pictures outside of the plane before the flight
This one is more of a superstition, but many pilots take it pretty seriously. There’s
an urban legend that says some pilot once allowed a journalist to take a picture of
him right before the mission, and, well, the flight didn't go smoothly, to say the least.
So now, many pilots would rather give the journalist their cap and let them take their
seat for a picture than actually be in that picture themselves before the flight. By the
way, do you avoid any superstitions yourself? Knocking on wood? Avoiding black cats? Spitting
on your airline seat before sitting down? Let me know down in the comments!
- Never pointing at the sky before take-off Obviously, nobody likes flying in bad weather.
It makes passengers anxious, and it makes a pilot’s job even more complicated. But
it’s not only about the ride itself. Sometimes, flights can get canceled altogether, and then
it affects a pilot’s whole schedule and working hours. So, in comes the next superstition:
many pilots never point at the sky before going up since they believe it can bring bad
weather. However, talking to the sun in good weather is supposed to help those great conditions
stick around. No one knows where these traditions come from, but, hey, whatever it takes to
keep my flight smooth as butter!
- Touching the nose of the plane Pilots usually build a special connection
with their airplanes and even give them nicknames and talk to them. One good luck ritual is
petting the plane on the nose, much like you do to your dog or cat. Not only pilots but
also passengers do it as a little “thank you” or “please get us there safely”
ritual. Only, passengers don't always get access to the plane’s nose and just touch
the aircraft as close as they can to the nose.
- Rubbing the seatbelt light before turning it on
Turbulence is a regular part of the flying experience – when you’re moving through
so many air molecules that fast, a little rocking is bound to occur. Yet many passengers
still don’t like the feeling, and pilots are aware. So, they’ve come up with another
little ritual to keep the scary stuff away! Before they turn on the Fasten Seatbelts sign,
they rub it a little. They do it secretly in hopes that the turbulence will pass and
there will be no need to push the button.
Well… that was scientific…
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