What was likely the last time for folks in Kamloops to catch a glimpse of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds in their current aircraft took place this morning… with most not even realizing that it was happening.

The unannounced stop-over happened without any fanfare or pre-announcement shortly after 10am Thursday.

The Snowbirds Squadron was in Kamloops on a refueling stop-over at YKA before making the hop across the Rockies to Red Deer for another fuel-up.

And from there, it was back home to Saskatchewan — CFB Moose Jaw.

However, when the 10 unit team arrived in the skies over Kamloops, the group would put on a short display for those who were lucky enough to catch the action.

 

The Snowbirds had been entertaining in the Fraser Valley since the weekend, having been part of the displays at the annual Abbotsford Air Show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday before taking a break until Wednesday, when 431 Squadron took part in the Wings over White Rock event.

The Snowbirds team is scheduled to take part in separate events starting next week back east, including going back and forth between Quebec and New Brunswick for shows to close out August, before stops in Toronto and the surrounding area before the Tutor Jets make their final ‘official’ appearance in Canada at the annual air show in Ottawa (Gatineau) on September 18th to 20th.

Chance of one last return stop-over?

Before the Snowbird’s season is done, the team does have two more engagements to make — both in California.

This will include a stop over in Los Angeles for an event at nearby Huntington Beach.

From there, the Snowbirds wrap up their season October 11th in California’s state capital, Sacramento.

The location of that final show does leave open a possible window for a return of the Snowbirds as they make their way back to home base in Moose Jaw — should the Squadron choose to close out its time in the Tutor aircraft in Canadian airspace.

Regardless of how the team makes it back home, the show in Sacramento, California will mark the final performance for the Aerobatic Squadron in the CT-114 Tutor Jets.

The Canadian-developed trainer aircraft are being retired by the Canadian Air Force while its awaits delivery of the Italian-designed Pilatus PC-21 aircraft, which will be renamed as the CT-157 Siskin II’s once the Canadian Air Force takes them over.

That is not expected to take place until an unspecified time sometime in the “early 2030’s,” according to the Canadian Air Force.

Unlike the Tutors, which operate via jet powered engines, the Siskin’s are propellor-driven designs — bringing an end to the familiar low rumble of the Tutor jet engines which have flown above memorable events in Canada for over half a century.

The Snowbirds were constituted as an official Squadron in the RCAF in 1971 — 55-years ago.

However, Canadian pilots would show their aerial skills honed in the Canadian Air Force in displays before 1971, with a number of them combat veterans from World War II flying for what was known as The Hawks, which was a team formed in 1959 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the founding of the RCAF.