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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    531

    Totally OT photos!

    One (and best known) of the Canadian Forces' airshow ambassadors, 431 Squadron Air Demonstration Team "the Snowbirds" at practice today over Comox BC.
    We did a 6-hour, 500km road trip upisland to watch their twice-daily practice sessions prior to the airshow season. The weather was terminally dull, but the drive was worth every moment. Just a few pix of our day.
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    All vintage, all the time.
    Falcon Black Diamond
    Gitane Tour de France
    Kuwahara Sierra Grande MTB
    Bianchi Super Grizzly MTB

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Western Canada-prairies, mountain & ocean
    Posts
    6,984
    cool! I've always enjoyed watching the Snowbirds. Those aerobatic pilots are amazing. Such risks they take.

    Have seen several air shows that included them. Frankly if they weren't in an air show, not sure I would even attend.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Looking at all the love there that's sleeping
    Posts
    4,171
    Interesting.
    And great pix, as always....
    Do you know what kind of planes they're flying?
    2007 Seven ID8 - Bontrager InForm
    2003 Klein Palomino - Terry Firefly (?)
    2010 Seven Cafe Racer - Bontrager InForm
    2008 Cervelo P2C - Adamo Prologue Saddle

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    around Seattle, WA
    Posts
    3,238
    Being an AirForce Brat, I grew up with annual air shows by the USAF Thunderbirds, and locally the Navy Blue Angels. I have to admit, I like the smell of jet fuel in the morning. My dogs on the otherhand, never did like their low level fly by's.

    I remember riding my bike around the back side of the base to get closer to the runway to watch the Thunderbirds practice before an airshow when I was a kid living on base in Michigan. The trick was to not get too close and get caught by the MPs. (military police)
    Beth

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,867
    I love airshows, too. My son is a huge Blue Angels fan.

    I just have to say, those planes look like almost like a group of little Cessnas in that first picture, not the scary fighter jets I was expecting!

    Karen

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    2,059
    Oh, PN, thank you! I love these photos. My dad was an air force pilot, and I love the air shows!
    "The best rides are the ones where you bite off much more than you can chew, and live through it." ~ Doug Bradbury

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,853
    Quote Originally Posted by bmccasland View Post
    Being an AirForce Brat, I grew up with annual air shows by the USAF Thunderbirds, and locally the Navy Blue Angels. I have to admit, I like the smell of jet fuel in the morning. My dogs on the otherhand, never did like their low level fly by's.

    I remember riding my bike around the back side of the base to get closer to the runway to watch the Thunderbirds practice before an airshow when I was a kid living on base in Michigan. The trick was to not get too close and get caught by the MPs. (military police)
    Same here! I still try to ID jets by sound.

    I remember when my dad was lower level enlisted, we lived in the Base Housing at the end of the longest runway (aka the B52 runway)! Nothing could jump start the adrenaline like a B52 taking off a hundred feet over your roof.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,867
    Hey, Queen, my husband tells the same story about his time as an AF brat in South Dakota!

    Karen

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    531
    Quote Originally Posted by 7rider View Post
    Do you know what kind of planes they're flying?
    They're flying Canadair CL-114 Tutor trainer. The Snowbirds chose the Tutor for its ruggedness and reliability, and because it is slower. They do extremely high-precision, close-quarter maneuvers using nine aircraft; the Tutor allows them to be more up close and personal in front of the airshow audience. Faster jets like F-16's and 18's (including our own CF-18 Demo Team) are certainly impressive, but the shows tend to take a much larger piece of sky.

    bmc: lol. ex-airforce brat here too. I still love that kerosene smell.

    S.
    All vintage, all the time.
    Falcon Black Diamond
    Gitane Tour de France
    Kuwahara Sierra Grande MTB
    Bianchi Super Grizzly MTB

 

 

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