Snowbirds Over Debert

USPA NEWS - The Canadian Forces Snowbirds 431 Squadron is the military's air demonstration team whose mandate is to demonstrate the skill, training and team spirit of its's members. The Squadron is based in Saskatchewan at 15 Wing CFB Moose Jaw. The Snowbirds consist of a fleet of the Tudor CT-114 aircrafts. The 2019 season is the Snowbirds 49th season of thrilling and heart pounding performances. 

Since the Snowbirds Over Debert had been announced several months back, Air Show fans have been extatic about the mini air show being planned for Colchester County. It means that aviation fans in Atlantic Canada will be able to see both the Snowbirds and Blue Angels this summer. The Snowbirds in a smaller air show on June 19th, in Debert  Nova Scotia and the Blue Angels at the Atlantic Camada International Air Show at 14 Wing CFB Greenwood on Labour Day weekend. 

On the June 19th show day, fans were greeted by a clear and warm day as they made the trip to the Debert Airport. The gates opened at 2pm and the flying performances started at 5pm which allowed lots of time for spectators to explore the Static Aircraft display. Some of the ground display highlights included: a Royal Canadian Air Force CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, a Canadian Coast Guard Bell 429 Globalranger helicopter, a Department of Natural Resources Airbus H125 Ecureelicopter, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police AS 350B3 helicopter, A Royal Canadian Air Cadet Cessna L-19 Bird Dog Tow Plane with Schweizer 2-33A Glider and a Nieuport XI Biplane.

The flying performances began at the supper hour which started  with the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Schweizer  2-33A Glider accompanied by the Cessna L-19 Bird Dog tow plane. The RCAF CH-148 Cyclone was the second flying performer of the evening. This performance was the first ever air show performance by the CH-148 which is the Canadian Forces newest asset replacing the fleet of Sea King Helicopters. Air Show history in the making.  The final air display before the Snowbirds would take to the sky was a thrilling fly past by an Aurora CP-140 which travelled from 14 Wing Greenwood to delight the audience.

As the 6 o'clock hour approached, one could feel the excitement  with the anticipation of a heart pounding performance that the Snowbirds are famous for. It was a  sunny spring evening as the audience watched the fleet of CT-114 Tudor aircrafts taxi from the Performers Hot Ramp to the runway where they would take off one by one in front of a very enthusiastic crowd. For the next 35 minutes, the sky over Debert would be buzzing with an amazing  demonstration of aviation acrobatics by a highly skilled team of the Canadian Military's best pilots. After the conclusion of the air performance, the Snowbirds landed one by one, taxing back to the Hot Ramp and the pilots signed autographs for hundreds of excited fans.

The June 19th show was the only performance by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds in Atlantic Canada this year and was their first time doing a show in Debert. Even though a smaller airport, the Debert Airport has proven that it can handle production such as a Snowbirds demonstration and show organizers, local business and air show fans are hoping for more air show activity in the future.