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Skyhawks to “drop in” at Penticton Peachfest

Click to play video: 'SkyHawks to free fall into Penticton for Peachfest'
SkyHawks to free fall into Penticton for Peachfest
WATCH ABOVE: Community reporter Shay Galor skydives with Captain John Hart of the Canadian Armed Forces Parachute Team, the SkyHawks – Aug 7, 2018

The Canadian Armed Forces parachute team, the SkyHawks, will be showing off aerobatic tricks and formations on the opening day of the Penticton Peach Festival this Wednesday.

The SkyHawks will perform between noon and 1 p.m., as well as from 5 to 6 p.m., dropping down to end up at Okanagan Lake Park.

There will be designated areas inside the park to get a great view of the skydivers.

The SkyHawks have represented Canada and the military for more than 40 years and have showcased their stunts to more than 75 million viewers in Canada as well as beyond.

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Captain John Hart says the show is very exciting.

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“We perform various acrobatic feats in the sky, all under our signature Canadian canopies. And by acrobatics, I mean we will purposefully fly into each other, which is quite contrary to everything you may learn while skydiving,” Hart said. “We’ll fly upside down, cause our canopies to fly directly towards the earth at 60 miles per hour, all before breaking off right before impacting the ground. We also employ smoke and flags to help amaze the crowd.”

Hart has completed over 800 jumps with the team. He still feels both nervous and excited every time he hurtles out of a plane.

As the only parachuting team in the nation, the SkyHawks perform about 300 jumps at training camp as preparation before every new season.

The team brought a C-130J Hercules aircraft with them.

“It’s the cornerstone of the Canadian Armed Forces aviation fleet,” Hart said. “It’s both used for transport as well as parachute drops.”

There will be 13 jumpers showcasing their talent across the Penticton skyline tomorrow.

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For more information on the show, visit the Penticton Peach Festival Website.

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