Should Canada’s Snowbird fleet still be flying after latest jet crash?

Former TSB investigator David McNair says the Snowbirds are extremely popular, but the old jets are difficult to maintain because they are not frontline fighters.

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31 comments

    1. They flew by my bedroom window in Ottawa. I was posted to CFB Cold Lake and had to respond to a number of crash sites to help secure the area. It is never something you get used to.

  1. The 114s were retired in 2000, and yet 20 years after that the snowbirds are still flying them. They should have gotten new planes long ago, a demo team shouldn’t be flying aircraft that haven’t flown in the military for 20 years.

    1. Thats not the way it works..The tutor is perfect for aerobatic teams..The straight wings are more stable for speeds under mach, and there are little things like the nose of the plane has a headlight, that can be seen by the other team members from far distances..

    2. This has nothing to do with aircraft age. Why would you even believe such a thing? Do you know nothing about aircraft at all?

  2. This is our icon, of course they are not a frontline fighters we fully realized, when this happen I am so sad, the crash may not be because of aging, there may be cause by the miss judgment by the ground personnel, as well as the pilot himself, still need a further investigation, to or not to be the above shouldn’t be the reason

  3. I wonder how many parts of these airplanes have been remade/replaced over their lifetime. Can we still say the planes date back to the 60’s?
    Their design, for sure, but I bet not much of their parts date back to that era.

  4. I like how the news caster is like “This Is A dAnGerOuS AiRcRafT” rather than “This is a risky art that sometimes results in accidents”

    1. MegaMech You have to consider that those birds where flying across the country. Perhaps fatigue hit them, and let to some sort of failure.

    2. Interesting because i heard the news caster raise valuable points about the dangers of flying an aircraft from the 60’s.

  5. My son and I loved watching them in formation from our backyard in Winnipeg. We had a nice conversation about airplanes and it was a beautiful sight. He will probably remember that experience for a long time. I’m sorry to say but there should be a serious safety investigation. Planes should be grounded in the meantime. The results may indicate that the Snowbirds’ time is up. Sad day for Canadian aviation.

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