Canadian premier air demo team forced to cancel 2014 US air show schedule due to budget cuts.
Following their American demo team counter parts, that were grounded last year due to the sequestration cuts, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s “Snowbirds” has been forced to cancel their 2014 US air show appearances due to budget cuts constraints.
This does not mean their shows won’t go on as scheduled in Canada, but their presence in the United States has now been put on hold.
The RCAF “Snowbirds” are Canada’s military aerobatics or air show flight demonstration team whose purpose is to “demonstrate the skill, professionalism, and teamwork of Canadian Forces personnel.”
The squadron is based at CFB Moose Jaw in the province of Saskatchewan.
The Snowbirds are the first Canadian air demonstration team to be designated as a squadron.
RCAF’s Snowbirds spokesman Captain Thomas Edelson says the numbers of flying hours were cut for the squadron based in Moose Jaw, Sask., so the four upcoming U.S. shows were cancelled.
The Royal Canadian Air Force’s Snowbirds flies the iconic Canadian built CT-114 Tutor aircraft. The CT-114 Tutor was designed and manufactured by ‘Canadair Ltd’ to Royal Canadian Air Force specifications. The first delivery took place on Oct. 29, 1963, and the aircraft were put to use as the RCAF’s basic jet trainer.
By 1967, 190 aircraft, designated CL-41 by Canadair, had been delivered to the RCAF. The nimble CT-114 Tutor trainer fleet was retired from frontline RCAF service in 2000, and its services were replaced with the CT-156 Harvard II and the venerable CT-155 Hawk aircraft.
Image credit: Royal Canadian Air Force
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