Why a planes is sprayed with a jet of water

If you’ve traveled by air in wintry weather, you’ve probably looked out your window before takeoff and seen vehicles circling the plane, spraying deicing fluid on the wings. Why it’s so important to make sure the aircraft is free of snow and ice accumulation?

Not just removing, but also preventing a build-up of snow and ice on the wings and tail of an airplane is crucial for a safe take-off. A plane’s wings and rear tail component are engineered with a very specific shape in order to provide proper lift for flight. Snow and ice on these areas in essence changes their shape and disrupts the airflow across the surface, hindering the ability to create lift.

Whenever snow, ice, or even frost has accumulated on the aircraft, the pilots call on the airport deicing facility to have it removed. Deicing fluid, a mixture of a chemical called glycol and water, is generally heated and sprayed under pressure to remove ice and snow on the aircraft.

While it removes ice and snow, deicing fluid has a limited ability to prevent further ice from forming. If winter precipitation is falling, such as snow, freezing rain or sleet, further action needs to be taken to prevent ice from forming again on the aircraft before takeoff.

In these cases, anti-icing fluid is applied after the deicing process is complete. This fluid is of a higher concentration of glycol than deicing fluid. It has a freezing point well below zero Celsius and therefore is able to prevent the precipitation that falls into it from freezing on the plane’s surface.

Equally, there are also circumstances when planes are sprayed when they land. It is a tradition known as the “water salute.”

The salute is equally performed for ceremonial purposes, such as when an aeroplane is being retired.

Additionally, when an aeroplane makes its final flight, it is honoured with the water salute once it lands on the tarmac.

Water salutes are also used to mark the retirement of a senior pilot or air traffic controller.

It can also be performed as last respect to honour soldiers killed in action, or other notable events.

Capt. Destin Lugerah, one of our @kwskenya pilots, took his first solo flight earlier this week, and as is aviation tradition, we doused him with water. Congratulations Captain Destin! Thank you for devoting your aviation skills to wildlife conservation. Onwards and Upwards! ?? pic.twitter.com/czUHImz7sk

— EK (@ErustusKanga) February 16, 2023