No Fun Canada: Grounding the Snowbirds

[Naismith]

Is there nothing this country/government won't infere with and cancel. There is a liteny of things that are cut back or cancelled. Vancouver is already the no fun city, now the whole country. Grounding the Snowbirds for 5 years means they will never come back.

Tell me I'm wrong.

 

[Priller]

Not going to say you're wrong. Just one remark: those Tutors are old, aren't they?

As for the fun part: that's a global phenomenon.

Just my two € cents worth.

Jan

 

[MrZippy]

Hope the U.S. doesn't follow by grounding the Blue Angels! I look forward every October for Fleet Week and the noisy flyovers!

 

[Tako_Kichi]

Just one remark: those Tutors are old, aren't they?

The Tutor's first flight was in 1960 and they were pulled from active service in 2000. We are now 26 years past their shelf life and spare parts are getting harder to find than hen's teeth and metal fatigue is taking it's toll on the air-frames considering the high stress maneuvers the Snowbirds perform on a regular basis. I'm as sad as the next guy that the Tutors are getting grounded BUT they have reached the end of the line. It's not like this hasn't happened in the past either. The Red Arrows had to give up their beloved Folland Gnats and switch to the BaE Hawks instead.

I hope the Snowbirds can continue with different aircraft. The Canadian Forces have lots of Hawks they can switch to or maybe change from jets to turbo-props and make a team out of their CT-156 Harvard II (T-6 Texan II) aircraft. Better yet, use some of the 19 brand new and incoming Pilatus CT-157 Siskin II (PC-21) aircraft to showcase the new type to the Canadian public seeing as it's the public who paid for them with their taxes!

I think it's one sharp looking aircraft in yellow and black!

 

[Priller]

The Tutor's first flight was in 1960 and they were pulled from active service in 2000. We are now 26 years past their shelf life and spare parts are getting harder to find than hen's teeth and metal fatigue is taking it's toll on the air-frames considering the high stress maneuvers the Snowbirds perform on a regular basis. I'm as sad as the next guy that the Tutors are getting grounded BUT they have reached the end of the line. It's not like this hasn't happened in the past either. The Red Arrows had to give up their beloved Folland Gnats and switch to the BaE Hawks instead.

I hope the Snowbirds can continue with different aircraft. The Canadian Forces have lots of Hawks they can switch to or maybe change from jets to turbo-props and make a team out of their CT-156 Harvard II (T-6 Texan II) aircraft. Better yet, use some of the 19 brand new and incoming Pilatus CT-157 Siskin II (PC-21) aircraft to showcase the new type to the Canadian public seeing as it's the public who paid for them with their taxes!

I think it's one sharp looking aircraft in yellow and black!

It does indeed look sharp, but IMHO, the Hawks are better suited. Jets, noise, you know what I'm talking about!

 

[Tako_Kichi]

It does indeed look sharp, but IMHO, the Hawks are better suited. Jets, noise, you know what I'm talking about!

I'd take the sound of nine RR Merlin engines over jets any day, nine round engines would be good too! Maybe the Snowbirds could switch to DHC Otters or Beavers to keep the tradition of flying ancient aircraft alive!

 

[Victory103]

I was wondering about the Hawks years ago, but didn't know of some of the serviceability issues or airframe life at the time. Looking at the RAAF Roulette's' team, that might be the better option with the PC-21, but RCAF only ordered 19.

 

[srgalahad]

Grounding the Snowbirds for 5 years means they will never come back.

First, "grounding" does not mean "disbanding"- it might also mean "temporarily closed for renovations". Second, the original 'report' was put out by an Opposition MP who therefore would not be able to tout his riding as "Home of the Snowbirds" and who avoided giving true sources for his worry.

Politics aside ('cause no government in the last few decades has made an effort to upgrade or modernize the team), the Snowbirds are a half-century-old institution , flying 64-year-old airframes. The logistics are horrible, the future survivability is suspect and it's expensive. If you look at the history of Canadian air display teams, there have been many 'teams' - mostly squadron-based - but the 'Birds are the only one to last any length of time so it's understandable that people get attached to them, but even good things come and go. (I grew up with the Golden Hawks.)
see Canadian Air Demonstration teams 1919-

Should a team survive? I'd like it to do so, but not with relics that don't represent the current state of art and technology. Can it be rebuilt? yes, but is it economically sensible? When the Snowbirds were founded, Canada had ~190 Tutors ( a home-grown point of pride) and they took 5% of the inventory. Today we don't have, nor likely will have that sort of mass to populate a five- or ten-plane team.

I'll admit to being an old cynic. Air Demonstration teams are like local town/school marching bands - a source of pride for the citizenry, but not a showcase of community ability or worth. I doubt that they drive recruitment as much as is touted (new recruits will never fly a Tutor) and don't demonstrate the capabilities of the nation. Sure they are fun for some to watch (although fast jets only spend a fraction of show time in front of the crowd.). I appreciate the skill involved, not because it's 'daring' but because it's what well-trained professional can do. Is it good to fly the Flag now and then? Yep.

Will I lose any sleep, or shed a tear if there's no RCAF Demo Team? Nope. Will I be impressed to see The Oldbirds limp along in decline? Nope. Will I cheer if there is a new,modern version? For sure!