Water Salute

Thursday, 21 July 2016

Today, our intrepid EarthRounder, Adam Broome, returned with his remarkable airplane, Bonanza N5831R.  He came across the United States, with former American pilot Gary Lopp assisting.  Thus concludes Adam’s remarkable circumnavigation of the globe in his Bonanza, which he carefully customized specifically for the rigors and unique demands of this journey.  Adam flew every leg of this trip around the world, made every takeoff and every landing.  A few of us were privileged to join him for various legs of the journey, but he was the pilot in command in law and in spirit.

There is a touching tradition in commercial aviation called the water salute.

When a pilot makes his last flight preceding retirement, he is often met as he and his airplane taxi clear of the runway by airport fire trucks cascading streams of water over the aircraft.  The custom has existed for many years and, although this is far from Adam’s last flight, it is the conclusion of a once-in-a-lifetime journey. I hope it meant something to Adam; it meant much to those of us there to watch and welcome him home.  When I called the Raleigh TRACON this morning to suggest that Adam’s trip deserved at least some informal recognition, they could not have been more supportive.  At some point in our call, I mentioned, mostly facetiously, that we were not asking for the firetrucks, merely a “welcome home, Adam” from the tower, but the TRACON supervisor came on the line and told me that maybe he could get the water salute for Adam.  And, indeed, he did.  Thank you to the RDU TRACON.

And ….

Welcome home, Captain Adam.