Snowbirds take flight at the Peterborough Airport | MyNews | Seneca Students

This article contributed by Josh Lamoureux (Student Operations Support, School of Aviation)

The Canadian Forces (CF) 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, known to most as the Snowbirds, put on a spectacular show at the Peterborough airport on September 11. The show was a practice for the Snowbirds’ Airshow London performance, which took place over the weekend of September 13-15. Seneca Aviation students and employees were invited to attend this special event, witnessing unparalleled airmanship from some of the best pilots in the country with Seneca’s Peterborough campus being at centre stage.

The Snowbirds are an aerobatic flight demonstration team based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, a Canadian Forces base located south of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The purpose of the team is to display the skill, professionalism and teamwork of the Canadian Forces personnel. The Snowbirds’ fleet consists of 11 CT-114 Tutor jet aircraft with nine aircraft performing in each demonstration. These aircraft reach speeds exceeding 350 miles per hour with separation of less than six feet during many manoeuvres. This is a special season for the Snowbirds as 2024 marks 100 years of service for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The Snowbirds will have performed at almost 40 airshows across North America by the end of the 2024 season.

With excellent weather in Peterborough, Seneca students and staff enjoyed a full Snowbird aerobatic routine with a few extra formations and manoeuvres not always displayed to the public. Following the show, the School of Aviation Student Council provided a barbecue for all in attendance, including the Snowbird pilots and support crew. This was a great opportunity for students to meet the Snowbird team and learn about their lifestyle and operations behind the scenes. Seneca staff and students were then invited by the Snowbirds to get up close with the CT-114 Tutor and take a tour around this iconic RCAF aircraft. Also, in attendance were ten RCAF-Seneca military students, who traveled from Newnham Campus in Toronto to engage with their colleagues.

The event was a great success and the School of Aviation was very appreciative for the special opportunity to meet the Snowbirds team and to see a performance at their home airport in Peterborough. The students and staff of Seneca wish the Snowbirds luck as they close out the 2024 season of air show performances over the coming weeks.