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Writer's picturePassion Varadero

Why "water" an airplane when landing or taking off: an aeronautical tradition full of symbolism.


airplane watering

It's not specific to Cuba


On September 4, 2020, we observed the landing of an Air Canada flight in Cayo Coco, marking the first flight since the closure of Cuba's borders due to the pandemic.


Some people believed that there was a "decontamination" operation on the plane, but this is not the case at all.


The Cuban Ministry of Tourism clarified: "It is water, and it is done when we welcome an important flight. It is a way of celebrating, a practice widespread throughout the world that is called the baptism of an airplane!"


A plane can also be seen being sprayed with water during takeoff. This gesture, known as a "water salute", is an aviation tradition that celebrates special events, such as the retirement of a pilot from the company. The plane then passes under a symbolic arch of water.


For more information, see: Wikipedia - Water Salute .

Here are two excerpts from the Wikipedia article:


If you check out the article, you'll see some notable "water salutes." ;-)

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