Snowbirds Will Not Be Performing In Debert N.S.

USPA NEWS - "As a result of the accident involving a 431 (Air Demonstration) Squadron CT-114 Tutor aircraft on August 2, 2022 in Fort St. John, B.C. the Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division has ordered an operational pause on the CT-114 fleet."~RCAF Twitter

The Royal Canadian Air Force complete statement as released on Facebook, "As a result of the accident involving a 431 (Air Demonstration) Squadron CT-114 Tutor aircraft on August 2, 2022 in Fort St. John, B.C., the Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, as the Canadian Armed Forces' Operational Airworthiness Authority has ordered an operational pause on the CT-114 fleet. An operational pause means the fleet of aircraft will not fly until an operational airworthiness risk assessment can be completed. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Unfortunately, this mean the Snowbirds will not be able to perform at Air Show Atlantic, 27-28 August in Debert, Nova Scotia. More information will be provided on future performances as available.
While we are disappointed to not be able to perform, flight safety is paramount in everything the Snowbirds and RCAF do."

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds 431 Squadron is the military's air demonstration team whose mandate is to demonstrate skill, training and team spirit. The Squadron is based in Saskatchewan at 15 Wing CFB Moose Jaw. The Snowbirds consist of a fleet of Tudor CT-114 aircraft.

Air Show Atlantic released the following statement to social media, "We are disappointed for our fans who were very excited to see the Canadian Forces Snowbirds back in Atlantic Canada this summer. We appreciate and support the decision made by the Royal Canadian Air Force to prioritize the safety of its pilots above all else. The safety of performers and fans is also always Air Show Atlantic’s top priority, so we are in lock step with the RCAF. While we allow ourselves to take a deep breath and accept this news, we are already working towards bringing several new performers to Air Show Atlantic on August 27th and 28th in Debert, Nova Scotia. We are fully committed to bringing our fans a full day of flying displays for the first time in Atlantic Canada since 2019. We will be posting new performer announcements in the coming days once confirmed."

Unfortunately, this is not the first time in recent months that the Snowbirds have had to cancel scheduled commitments due to issues with the aging CT-114 aircraft. Earlier this summer, the Snowbirds had to cancel a performance over Moncton, New Brunswick and also had to cancel their performance over Ottawa on Canada Day. These cancelations were due to an issue with the device that sets the timing for the deployment of the parachute during the ejection sequence. Fortunately there was no injuries associated with this issue and the pilot involved in Tuesday's crash landing escaped without injury.

Over the last 50 years, the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds demonstration team have become a true Canadian Icon and the pride of a nation. Even with the challenges that the Snowbirds team has had to face over the last several years, they have returned to continue the tradition of bringing Canadians together while sharing their message of patriotism, professionalism, teamwork and goodwill. It is the hope that the next chapter will bring the Snowbirds the best of luck, and safety as they continue to provide thrilling performances for audiences in Canada and throughout North America.