Snowbirds, Canada's Aerobatic Team
'431 Air Demonstration Squadron' Made Official on April 1, 1978
Blazing across the sky, the Snowbirds have represented Canada's military with displays of dangerous and exacting aerial maneuvers
“There they are!” Voices shout and fingers point upwards as viewers catch the glint of sunlight off of a wing tip. The air show starts quietly, with an aircraft or two silently streaking across the sky. Then the sonic boom catches up. The vibrations are felt in the hearts of the audience and enthusiastic applause of appreciation erupts. Eyes turned toward the clouds, the spectators are given the visual, auditory and thrill-seeking treat of the Canadian formation aerobatic team: The Snowbirds have arrived.
Snowbirds a Volunteer Team
Under the direction of Colonel O. B. Philp, Base Commander, an unofficial aerial demonstration team was formed in 1971 at Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Previously the Commanding Officer of the short-lived Golden Centennaires flight team (one of several aerobatic teams disbanded in budget cuts over the years), Colonel Philp did not want the military to lose the grand flying tradition. He enlisted experienced volunteer instructor pilots and crew, and made use of seven of the Golden Centennaire planes, the Canadair CT-114 Tutor trainer jets.
The team members practiced their skills in the evenings and performed shows on weekends, according to the DND’s Snowbirds site. Chosen from a contest at the CFB elementary school, the team was named the Snowbirds; they performed 27 shows in their first season, including the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The team’s popularity with the public soared.
Snowbirds Gained Squadron Status
Though the Snowbirds were hugely successful, their budget was always low and in danger of being cut in government fiscal adjustments. Senior officers lobbied the military, “local and national politicians – indeed, to anyone who would listen,” said the Canadian Encyclopedia, in an attempt to gain security for the team. The officials listened, and the Snowbirds were given official squadron designation on April 1, 1978, as 431 Air Demonstration Squadron.
The Snowbird pilots and their ground crews participate in the 11-plane flight team for two-year tours of duty. Each year, half of the team is rotated out, bringing in four fresh pilots and five maintenance crew. The extremely difficult and precarious maneuvers performed by the Snowbird pilots include two jets racing head-on toward each other with a quick turn away at the last few seconds, the group flying in a variety of beautiful formations mere feet from each other, and an imaginative drill in which a large heart is formed high in the sky. Coloured smoke is used to enable the audience to track the jet paths.
“35 Years of Hearts”
Still based at CFB Moose Jaw, the Snowbirds devise and hone new aerial performances over each winter season. In 2005, the team celebrated their 35th Anniversary early with a show entitled “35 Years of Hearts.” They also celebrated their 2,000th show in September of that year, having enthralled and entertained audiences in Canada, the United States and Mexico nearing a total of 100 million people over the 3 ½ decades. Canada Post honoured the Snowbirds' achievements with a set of two stamps in 2006.
There have been several sad occasions for the Snowbirds when accidents caused injury or claimed the lives of pilots. While devastating for the team and families, the figures are small when considering the number of shows and the exacting maneuvers performed. After such incidents, there are political calls for a disbanding of the team and using the money elsewhere, but the public does not agree. The military is currently looking at replacement jets for the Snowbirds’ Tutors, which are now aging.
By the end of the Snowbirds show, the audience has oooohhed and aaahhed with each precision tactic performed by the experienced pilots. Ambassadors for the military and for Canada, the Snowbirds are a source of accomplishment and pride for Canadians.
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