Ottawa's Canada Day Celebrations Won't Have The Snowbirds Flying Anymore & Here's Why
Shows have been cancelled out of "an abundance of caution." ✈️
CF-18 Demonstration Jet. Right: Snowbirds flying over Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Canada Day 2019.
If you were expecting to watch the Canada Forces Snowbirds fly in on Ottawa on Canada Day, you'll have to make other plans.
On June 30, The Royal Canadian Air Force announced on Twitter that the jets will no longer be flying over the National Capital Region on Friday as originally planned.
A news release issued on June 24 stated the air force had discovered the Snowbirds were experiencing a technical issue that impacted parachute deployment when it was time to eject.
"During routine maintenance on the parachutes at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, on June 19, aviation technicians discovered that the tool may not be calibrated accurately," reads a Canadian Armed Forces news release.
Last Friday, the Canada Armed Forces said that parachutes of the CT-114 Tutor aircraft were being re-tested and re-packed before future flights. The air force cancelled performances earlier in the week in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan "out of an abundance of caution." It said it was hoping to resolve the issue in time for Canada Day celebrations.
You may miss the Snowbirds performing their signature aerobatic flight. However, a CF-18 Demonstration Jet is still scheduled to fly over Ottawa's National War Memorial shortly after 8 a.m. to commemorate the 106th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel.
"The silver lining is that the team has been cleared to fly but now must return to home base in Moose Jaw in order to prepare for future airshows," the Royal Canadian Air Force said in a tweet.
"This was a tough decision, but after not flying for a period to time, the team must conduct several practice flights, and our technicians need to conduct some maintenance work on the jets."
The Royal Canadian Air Force said that no aircraft is flown "unless it is determined to be airworthy and safe to fly."
The next performance is planned for July 9 and 10 in Kelowna, B.C, so fingers crossed that some Canadians will be able to catch them then!
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.