Snowbirds fly final show before retirement, with Calgary Grey Cup flyover set for Nov. 15
The Royal Canadian Air Force livestreamed the Snowbirds' season-ending air show from Moose Jaw, Sask., marking the last full display before their 1963-era Tutor jets are retired.
Why it matters
Calgary will host the Snowbirds' last scheduled flyover before the team goes on hiatus, when they perform at the Grey Cup on Nov. 15.
Members of the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds performed their final air show Friday in Moose Jaw, Sask., before their CT-114 Tutor jets are retired and sent to an airbase in Trenton, Ont., for disposal. The RCAF livestreamed the event on Facebook at 2 p.m. ET.
One more public appearance remains before the planes are grounded: the Snowbirds are scheduled to perform a flyover at the CFL Grey Cup game in Calgary on Nov. 15. Capt. Philip Rochon, the team's public affairs officer, called the retirement "bittersweet," noting the pilots have flown the Tutors for 55 years.
Defence Minister David McGuinty announced in May that the Tutors will eventually be replaced by Swiss-made PC-21 Pilatus aircraft, designated the CT-157 Siskin II, which the RCAF is also acquiring for pilot training. The Tutor jets, in service since 1963, were pulled from long-term use after planned engine and escape-system upgrades meant to keep them flying until 2030 ran into parts obsolescence problems.
The Snowbirds, formed in 1971, will go on a multi-year hiatus until the new aircraft arrive and pilots are trained, a process that could stretch into the early 2030s with no fixed timeline. RCAF Commander Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet said options being considered during the pause include pilot exchanges with allied teams or instructing on the PC-21 in Moose Jaw.
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