For the 'Canadian Snowbirds'

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Mon May 16, 2005 1:12 pm

Just wanted to say for those 'Canadian Snowbirds' and team that may be on this forum, thanks for the great show you put on this past weekend at Tyndall Air Force Base. Not only was I excited to hear that our team would be present for the first time in this part of the country but it was a great feeling to see our aircraft in action way down here in the US skies.

Thanks for making me feel one step closer to home! Great job!

When I get a chance, I'll get some of the pics I snapped going on this thread.

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Mon May 16, 2005 4:46 pm

I had to include this one below of course!

. . · Post by **. .** » Mon May 16, 2005 5:12 pm

i envy you ljd. I've seen them twice and have been absolutely blown away each time. Technically perfect flying every time they strap the jets on for the shows. I can't believe people who want them to be disbanded exist.

Yoyoma · Post by **Yoyoma** » Mon May 16, 2005 5:16 pm

thanks for the pics LJ, I've seen them twice and they're incredible!! I also had the pleasure of watching the PAF (Patrouill Aerienne de France) many times and they are also amongst my favourites!!

200hr Wonder · Post by **200hr Wonder** » Mon May 16, 2005 5:52 pm

I was in our training area in Glenn Valley last year during Abbotsford International airshow and they formed up right below me by about 1000'

Was very cool

Also seen them at the air show about dozen times

Hun IN the SUN · Post by **Hun IN the SUN** » Mon May 16, 2005 6:14 pm

LJ driver,

Have they added anything new, like anything for that snowbird that died this year ????

this season is dedicated him

Hun IN the SUN · Post by **Hun IN the SUN** » Mon May 16, 2005 6:19 pm

One more thing, Ive seen the T-birds and blue angels in previous airshows and they dont come close to the snowbirds. The americans just have brute power, blow em away style but dont have the ballet finess like effect the snowbirds have. god i love them.

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Mon May 16, 2005 6:22 pm

Well the last time I saw them was over 5 years ago so I can't recall the maneuvers from back then but this time, prior to every maneuver/formation, a dedication was announced over the PA and one of their maneuvers was dedicated to him.

Their announcements were also done in French which was I nice tribute even though I am not French-speaking.

200hr Wonder · Post by **200hr Wonder** » Mon May 16, 2005 6:25 pm

Uh the snowbird driver that died last year was from Tswassen a suburb of Vancouver....

I thikn they just do french cause it is both offical languages... they always have as far as I can remember.

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Mon May 16, 2005 6:39 pm

I meant it as a tribute to Canadians in general, considering that they were in the 'deep south' of the US where I know there are not many french speaking people!

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Mon May 16, 2005 9:31 pm

I have had the pleasure of watching the Golden Hawks with their F86 Sabres, the Centennaires, forerunner of the Snowbirds, many Snowbird performances, the Blue Angles. The French team, The Italian team, the Brazillian team and the Snowbirds are the best combination of spectacular moves and airborne precision. I understand the most popular is the two photo passes they always make at the beginning of the show. I have to agree that the Blues are all raw in your face power.
I was at the Abbotsford show in 1986 when all of the above mentioned teams were there and it was a spectacular show.
as a beside, I was in Calgary, waiting to fly home to Lethbridge when the Italian team were passing through on their way to YXX and it was a real joke. It looked like they were letting the ride-along mechanics fly the airplanes. Their formation, as they passed over the airport , were just a bunch of airplanes all heading the same way the same day. Lead did a short field landing on RWY 34 and as they got to the last few airplanes, they were running out of rnway because lead tried to make the frst turn-off. A real mess. But come showtime, they were a very impressive team. With almost no wind, the airport almost went IFR in airshow smoke. But in spite of all the competition, the Snowbirds still stood proud and put on one hell of a show. Can you imagine what they could do with new Hawks or the Harvard 11.

Redneck_pilot86 · Post by **Redneck_pilot86** » Tue May 17, 2005 11:16 am

LJDriver wrote:I meant it as a tribute to Canadians in general, considering that they were in the 'deep south' of the US where I know there are not many french speaking people!

Southern Louisiana has a large french population...

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Tue May 17, 2005 11:25 am

I was waiting for someone to say that! Yes I know but they don't venture too far out of their neat city of New Orleans. Trust me, you'd have to be down in these parts to fully understand. Almost as if there was a huge wall between Louisiana and the rest of the Gulf coast.

Beaver Driver · Post by **Beaver Driver** » Tue May 17, 2005 12:26 pm

The Snowbirds are great! It's been quite a few years since I had the opertunity to see them.

Has anyone ever seen the Northern Lights? They are a bunch of ex Snowbirds, and it really shows in thier performances. I saw them when they were flying the Extra 300s, but they have since swiched to L-39s, that would be cool to see

CH124 Driver · Post by **CH124 Driver** » Tue May 17, 2005 12:45 pm

They do put on a great show. When I was in Moose Jaw, they did Motivex's with the students during the spring just prior to the airshow season. Now this wasn't a media tour, this was a full fledged show practice. I was in the #4 jet (the one in the middle of the 9 plane diamond formation). It was without a doubt the best flight I've ever had in an aircraft, but man was I tired afterwards. My nose started bleeding during one of the -2g pushovers, it looked like someone punched me in the mouth when I took my mask off, and I damn near GLOC'd when we went from -2g to +5g. One of the solos went U/S on start and the #4 jet fills in for those knife-edge flybys, or did when I went. I remember him telling me to look at the light in front of us, it took a second to see it since it was coming straight at us, then the other jet "ballooned" in the windscreen and we banked through 90 degrees and flew away from stage centre inverted. I swear to god, I saw the guy's face as we flew by him with 600kts closure.

Anyways, it'll be a crying shame if they scrap the team, here's to hoping they get Hawks to replace the Toots.

gryphon · Post by **gryphon** » Tue May 17, 2005 2:40 pm

Hey Fishead!!! How's Halifax? I'll be up from the Valley this coming weekend, so if you're around, I'll probably see you.
Got a chance to ride along with #2 (another former Sea Kinger) in Comox when I was on the Cormorant OTF. Good times....nothing like pulling a little g for memories!!!
No clue how to post pics to the forum, so I'll put a couple up in the photo gallery.
JP

FSS · Post by **FSS** » Tue May 17, 2005 2:56 pm

A few years ago, I was in Kenora FSS on a visit and the Snow Birds stopped in for refuel. The FSS on duty said there wasn't any traffic around could they do some tricks, which they obliged, resulting in many phone calls from town wondering if there was an airshow on. The best part though was when they departed for points east, two at a time, with the last guy left and then did a straight up from the end of the runway, over some idiot's house, (build on the end of the runway and then complained about the noise). Which of course resulted in a phone call from said idiot to complain. Me thinks said pilot knew about this problem and stirred the pot. Great show.

CH124 Driver · Post by **CH124 Driver** » Tue May 17, 2005 6:30 pm

gryphon wrote:Hey Fishead!!! How's Halifax? I'll be up from the Valley this coming weekend, so if you're around, I'll probably see you.
Got a chance to ride along with #2 (another former Sea Kinger) in Comox when I was on the Cormorant OTF. Good times....nothing like pulling a little g for memories!!!
No clue how to post pics to the forum, so I'll put a couple up in the photo gallery.
JP

Hey man, I was talking to Billy W today about you. I'll be around for a beer or two.
CI

costermonger · Post by **costermonger** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:11 pm

I've seen them once or more a year for as long as I can remember and I still just sit there in awe when I see them perform. Last year one of them took a bird hit in the cockpit over YKF and two other planes stuck right with the damaged plane until a CF-18 showed up to act as chase plane during the landing.

No idea why they did that but it made for a pretty cool impromptu airshow, especially after we found out the pilot of the damaged plane wasn't hurt.

I'm saddened that anybody wants to disband them but I think the real battle will come when they have to transition to a new aircraft type. Those Tutors aren't going to last forever, but it'll be a sad day when they go.