Y. J. Foo 0 Report post Posted December 15, 2006 Water cannon salute to retiring United Airlines Boeing 777 pilot goes sadly wrong By Darren Shannon A United Airlines Boeing 777-200 has been taken out of service after a wayward celebratory water cannon salute for a retiring pilot. The incident occurred at United’s Washington Dulles hub after Pratt & Whitney PW4077-powered aircraft N772UA like the one below arrived as scheduled from Paris. Although specific details are still under investigation, a United spokeswoman confirms that some action caused unknown damage to both the aircraft’s engines. “We are conducting a full investigation and are currently looking at the aircraft to ascertain damage,” she says. The overhaul is being conducted by United’s Dulles line maintenance facility. No other details are currently being discussed by United, and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority was not available for comment. However, we have learned from one source that the incident involved the airport’s fire department, which was planning to provide a water cannon salute to the aircraft’s pilot, who was completing his last scheduled flight. For reasons still to be explained, instead of water, the fire trucks blasted foam at the 777. Both of the aircraft’s PW4077 engines are now being examined. According to Flight sister product ACAS, the aircraft was delivered new to United toward the end of 1994. No damage has been reported in the aircraft’s 11 years of service. Flight Global Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Ong 1 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 That's not a good way to end an UA pilot's career Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sanjay Thaker 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 all in the name of Xmas...haha! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gavin Andrew David 6 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 Engines must've flamed out due to the foam and they prolly couldn't start it back up Shouldn't be that big of a problem for a pratt like that ... This incident report sounds more like a publicity stunt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alvin 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 Ouch. Carelessness turned celebration into disaster. It should be water and not foam firemen! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walter Sim 1 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 Kid: Oh dad its snowing! EDIT: oh how i love chrismassy emoticons!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 How it should be done, can be seen at www.scramble.nl OT Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LW Wong 0 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 Retirement for the 777 as well.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walter Sim 1 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 Any reason behind this according to me a premature ending to the plane? i mean even AK has planes up to 20 years in service. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted December 16, 2006 If engine changes are necessary, the plane should be operational again IMHO: why a write-off ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teoh Z Yao 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2006 Shouldn't be such a big deal till a write-off of the a/c... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gavin Andrew David 6 Report post Posted December 17, 2006 Not written off yet Just taken out of service for maintenance ma ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T Azahan 1 Report post Posted December 17, 2006 hahahahahahahahaha.................... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
H Azmal 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2006 retire with a bang, eh EJ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Imran K. 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2006 Engines must've flamed out due to the foam and they prolly couldn't start it back up If its a "water cannon salute"...why do they use foam? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desmond Loo 0 Report post Posted December 17, 2006 Ops!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandeep G 1 Report post Posted December 18, 2006 hehehe stupid firemen hehehehe Out of interest, do aviation fire trucks have both water and foam tanks and a valve that controls which tank is in operation?? Or can they be fillled with only one or the other??? hehehe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walter Sim 1 Report post Posted December 18, 2006 If its a "water cannon salute"...why do they use foam? Salah tekan lol! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seng Lim 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2006 Latest update from Flightglobal.com United Airlines unitentional foam salute that damaged Boeing 777 meant as water salute, says Dulles fire crew By Justin Wastnage Flight has learnt further details of the bungled foam salute for a retiring United Airlines captain that led to the temporary withdrawl of a Boeing 777-200 from service last week. An insider close to the planned water cannon salute informs Flight that the chief pilot had informed the fire department at Washington DC's Dulles airport of the retirement of the 777's pilot, who was completing his last scheduled flight. The fire department logged it as a routine training exercise. However, fire crews onboard the truck decided to swap the water for foam, to give the impression of snow, ahead of the Christmas vaction period. Onboard the flightdeck of N772UA, the crew were not concerned, our source informs us, until both exhaust gas temperature gauges spiked to maximum after the foam shower. Folloiwng an engineering inspection, the aircraft has been taken out of service for repairs to the Pratt & Whitney PW4077 engines. for extensive anti-corrosion treatment. United is understood to have permanently ended the tradition of foam salutes as a result. This tradition is now likely to end at Dulles, if not everywhere else. Spontaneity will have to be planned in future.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
