Snowbirds Soar!

By Martine Mackenzie

Humans have been fascinated with flight since the beginning of time. This drive to conquer the air is even documented in Greek Mythology with the poor, ill-fated Icarus who in his arrogance, flew too close to the sun, melting the wax that held his wings together. Songs have made reference to the lure of flight for ages -- “Fly Like an Eagle” and “Jet Airliner” by The Steve Miller Band, “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra, etc… But it wasn’t until Wilbur and Orville Wright came along that the skies became our domain as much as the earth.

Photo courtesy of Mike Reyno/SKIES

Most of us will only experience flight as passengers, but for the few that can get behind the controls – well, we can only imagine the excitement, that feeling of ultimate freedom with the breathtaking views and the exhilarating thrill.

On September 11 th , The Canadian Forces Snowbirds return to Niagara-on-the-Lake for an awe-inspiring event! You might not be in the cockpit with these talented pilots, but you will get to experience the next best thing here. This fundraising event is presented by the Niagara Historical Society and, as in 2017, when the Snowbirds previously took flight at the Niagara District Airport as part of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Canada 150 Celebrations, this event promises to sell out quickly. Two years ago, there were 350 tickets for the VIP Area where holders got the chance to get up close and personal with the Snowbirds. It’s no surprise that VIP tickets sold out quickly. But those roughly 2,500 people who showed up via General Admission were surely not disappointed by what they got to see as well.

What many people don’t realize is that the Snowbirds are not stunt pilots who travel from airfield to airfield to perform. Their official name is Canadian Forces 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, a team of Canadian Forces personnel, who, together, demonstrate skill, professionalism, and true teamwork. The Squadron itself is based near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

It also takes a small army to run this operation. The show team flies 11 CT-114 Tutors, nine for aerobatic performances, including two solo aircraft, and two spares, flown by team coordinators. There are approximately 80 Canadian Forces personnel who work with the team full-time with 24 personnel in the show team that travels during the show season.

The show team was formed in 1978, but its history goes much further back to World War II, when the 431 was created under the control of RAF Bomber Command on November 11 th , 1942. The Squadron had many battle honours, including engagement in the English Channel and North Sea, along with engagement in Berlin, Normandy, and several German ports. Postwar, the squadron assumed the duties of aerial combat training and participating in air shows where they displayed to the public the capabilities of jet operations. This unit was disbanded on October 1 st , 1954.

In 1969, Colonel O.B. Philp, Base Commander of CFB Moose Jaw, wanted to put together another aircraft team but needed formal approval. Permission had only been given for the refurbished but still aerobatically-fitted CT-114 Tutor aircraft to provide simple flybys at local events.

In order to grow his vision, Philp began informal, enhanced formation practice with the aim of providing multi-aircraft flybys at special events. By 1971, the team had grown in size to a fleet of 7 aircrafts and 11 pilots. As the team gradually gained recognition, those formation flybys were replaced with some of the signature moves we see today. The squadron was officially named “Snowbirds” on June 25 th , 1971, the name reflecting the aircrafts’ distinctive white paint scheme from that time. The Snowbirds were officially designated as the Canadian Forces Air Demonstration Team on January 15 th , 1975 and 431 Squadron, (present-day 431 Air Demonstration Squadron) was reactivated on April 1 st , 1978.

On September 11 th , the air show in Niagara-on-the-Lake will feature formations and manoeuvres new to the season, all designed by the team, with some elements of the show passed down from one season to the next. A little known detail is that all of these fantastic “stunts”, as we laymen see them, must be approved by the Canadian Forces, Transport Canada, and the FAA to ensure safety guidelines are met and followed.

The Snowbirds have completed many notable performances in their time together. Perhaps the most memorable was at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, where, during the Opening Ceremonies, they made use of coloured smoke. The five different colours represented the Olympic rings.

Just as it takes a small army to run the Snowbirds shows, there needs to be incredible involvement on behalf of the host community. The team on the ground this year consists of 23 volunteers, some of whom bring the experience of having worked on the event in 2017. Any way you fly it, seeing a performance by the Snowbirds is definitely a treat to be remembered for a lifetime. TM

For further information, including ticket prices, visit: notlsnowbirds.ca