What is a Water Salute in Aviation?

A water salute is a ceremonial act in which two fire trucks form an arch of water over an airplane, marking a special occasion. This tradition is performed to honor a retiring pilot, celebrate an inaugural flight or new route, or mark the final flight of an aircraft. It's a sign of respect and celebration, with its origins in the maritime tradition of fireboats saluting new ships.

Water salute in GRU - Emirates A380 Inaugural flight

The inaugural flight of the Emirates Airbus A380 in Guarulhos was marked by a "water salute" (water curtains) reception on the runway, a common ceremonial event to greet the arrival of important aircraft or the start of a new route. Although it doesn't have a specific formal name beyond being called the "inaugural flight," it represented the introduction of Emirates' regular A380 service in South America, which began in March 2017.

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Ceremony: The event was celebrated with a "water salute" at the airport.

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Significant: The flight marked the start of daily A380 operations on the Dubai-São Paulo route, a milestone for Brazil, as Emirates became the only airline in South America to operate the A380 regularly.

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Flight details: The inaugural flight EK261 departed Dubai on March 26, 2017, and arrived in São Paulo, marking the start of regular flights.