Honor Reserved For Dignitaries, Aircraft, Retiring Pilots

It's a tradition that brings a tear to the eye of many pilots, and aviation enthusiasts... the water salute. But for officials at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, it's also a huge water-waster.

The salutes -- in which two fire trucks spray dual arcs over a taxiing aircraft, to salute a retiring pilot -- comsume about 500 gallons of water at a time.

Along with much of North Georgia, Atlanta is in the throes of a severe drought. With news reports stating the reservoir feeding most of the city will dry up within 90 days, ATL officials say it's tough to justify spraying so much water to honor retiring pilots.

"It's just one of the things we're doing to conserve water," fire department spokesman Capt. Bill May told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "The fire department had to look at what's essential, and what's not."

The salutes are also used to honor arriving dignitaries, or mark the arrival or retirement of a particular aircraft. The last salute at ATL occurred earlier this year, to greet the world-champion Warner Robins Little League team on its return flight.

Retired Delta Air Lines pilot Ken Adams of Cartersville says he understands why ATL would chose to abandon the salutes... but laments the need to put an end to a prized ceremony.

"It's just another tradition that's gone away," said Adams, who received his own water salute aboard a McDonald Douglas MD-11 in 2002. "It's understandable given the drought, but it's still a little sad.

"It was a nice going away present."

FMI: www.atlanta-airport.com