Penticton isn’t getting the Snowbirds show it was expecting for Peach Fest but there will at least be a glimpse of what could have been on Thursday.
“Heads up Penticton. The team will be departing (Thursday) at noon before leaving for Moose Jaw,” reads a post on the Canadian Forces Snowbirds page.
“We are bringing the jets back home and starting our 2023 training.”
On Aug. 3, the Snowbirds announced that a malfunction that caused a Canadian Air Force Snowbirds pilot to make a hard landing after takeoff in northern British Columbia has forced the aerobatic team to cancel two performances in the province.
A week later an operational pause was ordered for the entire fleet of Snowbirds aircraft after one of the planes was damaged during an incident in northern B.C. last week.
The Royal Canadian Air Force said in a statement at the time that a “deliberate, detailed and broad risk analysis” will be conducted on all 20 CT-114 Tutor aircraft flown by the Snowbirds. The aircraft will not be allowed to fly again until the review is completed.
“Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft cannot be flown unless they are determined to be airworthy and safe to fly,” said Maj.-Gen. Iain Huddleston, commander of the First Canadian Air Division, who ordered the operational pause.
Huddleston said the Snowbirds will return the fleet to flying operations when it is safe to do so, in accordance with its rigorous airworthiness program.
— with files from Sean Boynton
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