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Canada’s Snowbirds will take to the skies over Moose Jaw, Sask., on Saturday for the Tutor jet’s final hometown performance before the fleet is retired from service.
In May, federal Defence Minister David McGuinty announced the aerial performers’ CT-114 Tutor jets are being replaced with CT-157 Siskin II, and the fleet is being temporarily grounded after this summer for the new planes’ procurement.
“This season is, quite frankly, pretty special. The best analogy I can find is watching your children go to university. One part of you is sad to see them leave, just like we’re going to be sad to see the Tutor leave,” said Lt.-Col. Guillaume Paquet, commanding officer of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.
“The positive side is we’re going to get new airplanes.”
Paquet said being able to give back to the Moose Jaw community, who have supported the Snowbirds for 55 years, “is a privilege.”
Dan Dempsey was the commanding officer of the squadron in 1989 and 1990. He was a Snowbird in 1979 and 1980.
“The legacy of the Snowbirds is what they provide to the country (as) an inspiration and pride,” said Dempsey, who described the squad as “unifiers.”
“Nobody flies the Canadian flag better than the Snowbirds or, most importantly, to as many locations as the Snowbirds. And if we lose the Snowbirds, we lose the capacity to influence young boys and girls at a young age.”
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He said he believes the Tutor jets are repairable, or at least can make it until the early 2030s, when Ottawa estimates the new aircraft will be ready for takeoff.
Former Moose Jaw mayor, and president of the city’s flying club, Roger Blager told Global News he’s optimistic for the Snowbirds’ future, even if the decision to ground them felt sudden.
“To have the final thing come down as quickly as it did, it was a shock,” Blager said, adding he’d heard rumblings in the community before the May announcement.
“There was some discussion that precipitated the actual announcement with McGuinty (having his) feet on the ground and making it official, but there was speculation that this would happen,” Blager said.
“People were thinking it was misinformation, but sure enough, it proved to be true. And this will have an impact on the community.”
Seeing the Snowbirds up above evokes feelings of national pride, he said.
“I don’t think I know anybody, whether that’s in private or military aviation, in Canada that the Snowbirds weren’t some kind of influence,” he said, describing the performers as “very important and inspirational” for Moose Jaw residents.
“I have absolute faith that they will come back, but most people around here don’t. There’s a lot of skepticism.”
The Snowbirds’ first performance in Moose Jaw was July 11, 1971. The team has been based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw ever since.
At the news conference announcing the temporary performance pause, McGuinty said the team will remain at that base when the new planes arrive in the early 2030s.
“The announcement came out and it was a little shocking for us here in Moose Jaw,” Melissa Maclean, a Moose Jaw resident and member of the Keep Them Flying movement, said. Her grandfather was also a pilot at the base at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, where she met with Global News.
Keep Them Flying is a campaign created by locals to keep the Snowbirds flying during the transition period between aircraft. The group is calling on concerned citizens to send a postcard or email to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Maclean said the original plan was to distribute the postcards in the community, but as the word spread, more Canadians wanted to help.
More than 25,000 postcards have been distributed so far, she said.
“It’s just one of those things. When people see the Snowbirds, they think Canada. And across Canada that’s always been the way it is,” Maclean said, comparing the Royal Canadian Air Force performers to other iconic Canadian symbols – including maple syrup, beavers and poutine.
“Whether it’s an airshow or it’s a fly-past, when people look up, they see them. They’re easily recognizable. Not just in Canada, but around the world, and there’s an attachment to that. People get excited when they see (the Snowbirds).”
Tickets for the Tutor jets’ final hometown show in Moose Jaw sold out within minutes. The Snowbirds will complete their scheduled performances this summer before the aircraft are officially grounded.
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