What is Water Cannon and when do we attend this celebration?

Whether you call it Water Cannon, Water Arch or Water Salute, the result does not change. Let us analyze in detail what this water jet means and when it occurs. Specifically, for those who have never witnessed the scene firsthand or through a video, it is an arc created with two columns of water. These are generated by some of the airport service's fire trucks.

Water Cannon: what it is

There is talk of Water Cannon When on the runway an airplane is placed in the center of an arc of water and totally wet. A way to celebrate a special event. This is quite rare, which generally leads to extensive media coverage, including photos, videos and on-the-spot curiosity seekers.

The origin does not appear to be from the world of aeronautics, but rather from the world of the navy. In fact, the Water Cannon in this area is a firmly established tradition. It proceeds to greet large ships or ocean liners after traveling new routes or breaking records.

At the airport, the scene can be quite striking, with the plane slowly advancing and the combination of water and sunlight often producing fascinating rainbows.

Water Cannon: the origins and motives

We explained how the tradition has its roots in the naval world. In the aviation one, everything goes back to the 1990s. At the Salt Lake City airport came up with the idea of paying tribute to Delta Air Lines pilots who had reached the last flight of their careers. A show that was liked in no small part, to the point that it spread like wildfire to celebrate special occasions.

I reasons for which to start a celebration with Water Cannon are varied. The following are the most common ones:

• Airline completing its maiden flight;
• A particular aircraft model officially enters service and completes its first official route;
• A commander lands after his last flight, marking his retirement from active duty;
• A carrier ceases operations after a long service and completes its last flight.

In charge of this celebration is the airport ATC, for an event that also employs ground service managers. Everything then takes place under the command of the control tower. It is easy to see how landing on a runway with firefighting equipment might worry passengers. Preventively everyone is therefore alerted.

Water Cannon: criticism

Water is a precious commodity, which is why some criticism of the Water Cannon celebration can be read online. It should be emphasized, however, that it is not really a waste. The words of the detractors refer to the huge amount of water consumed in just two minutes, amounting to more than 11 thousand liters.

It goes without saying that this cannot be reused in some way. However, the celebration is turned into a real safety test. Equipment is put to the test, verifying its actual functionality, so that it is always ready and performing if needed. Operating the Water Cannon means crossing a scheduled test off the calendar. Two birds with one stone.