A Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. pilot has been appointed to the Royal Canadian Air Force’s prestigious CF-18 Demonstration Team.
Capt. Matthew Kutryk will fly his specially painted CF-18 Hornet around North America during the 2017 air show season to commemorate Canada’s 150th anniversary.
Kutryk was born in Fort Saskatchewan and lived on a farm near Beauvallon, Alta., where he graduated from Two Hills High School in 2002.
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Kutryk was inspired to fly after attending his first airshow in Cold Lake as a child.
He earned his glider pilot’s licence in 2000 and his private pilot’s licence in 2001 as an air cadet.
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Kutryk studied mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta and fought forest fires on an Alberta Wildfire Helitack Crew in Rocky Mountain House during the summers.
In 2006, Kutryk joined the Canadian Armed Forces, and two years later began military fight training.
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In 2012, he received his RCAF pilot’s wings after spending two years training to fly fast jets in Texas.
Kutryk will begin training with the CF-18 Demo Team in April before starting the air show season.
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