ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 3 -- United States Patent no. 12,344,378, issued on July 1.

"Water-scooping probe" was invented by Frederick Celest (Henderson, Nev.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An expandable probe for filling a water tank in an aircraft from a body of water includes an inflatable hose having a proximal end fixed with a housing in the aircraft, a distal end fixed with a scooping head, an elastomeric internal conduit, and an inflatable bladder substantially surrounding the conduit. The conduit has a proximal end in communication with the water tank of the aircraft and a distal end fixed with a water scoop of the scooping head. An air supply is adapted to inflate and extend the inflatab...