Snowbirds take their final flight over Toronto until the 2030s at this weekend’s air show

The 77th Canadian International Air Show is roaring back into the city this Labour Day weekend, with high-flying demonstrations at Toronto’s lakeshore.

This year’s air show marks the final Toronto appearance of the Snowbirds, a nine-jet aerobatics team, until their fleet is replaced in the 2030s at the earliest. 

The significance of this weekend’s performances isn’t lost on Maj. Maciej Hatta, the pilot tasked with leading the Snowbirds as they fly in tight formations around the city. 

“It’s on our minds,” he told CBC Radio’s Metro Morning. 

“[But] obviously I can’t be thinking about that the whole time, because we’ve got a nine-plane formation to worry about leading around the city safely.”

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The team’s signature CT-114 Tutor jets were ordered by the military as training aircraft in 1961 and have been used for performances for more than five decades. 

Hatta, who grew up outside Toronto, says seeing the Snowbirds fly as a child is part of what inspired him to become a pilot in the first place. 

“It is touching to hear that everybody’s got a slightly different Snowbird story, whether it was watching from a condo in downtown Toronto, or… somebody’s dad or or mom working on the team as a technician or pilot,” he said.  

Military officials have been warning for decades that the Tutors have gone far past their intended lifespan and needed to be replaced. 

In May, Defence Minister David McGuinty announced that the planes would be grounded after a busy summer performance schedule, ending with a final appearance at the Grey Cup in Calgary.

The Swiss-made, turbo-prop CT-157 Siskin II has been chosen to replace the Snowbird squadron. 

“Negotiations are underway with the manufacturer and we intend to procure those aircraft as quickly as we possibly can,” McGuinty said at the time. 

On Friday, Canadian veterans gathered to watch the Snowbirds during their final rehearsal before the air show. 

“This is a wonderful day,” said retired air force pilot Mort Lightstone as aircraft zoomed overhead, “These aircrew men and women are a national treasure.”

This year’s air show will also have demonstrations by a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 and an RCMP Black Hawk helicopter — though a last-minute schedule change saw the United States’ F-16 demonstration team drop out.

The daily performances run from noon to 3:40 p.m. every day from Saturday through to Monday.

The Canadian International Air Show, now in its 77th year, is an end-of-summer fixture — though not one everyone enjoys equally. 

The noise associated with the event is routinely criticized for being disruptive for people and pets alike, and for upsetting Torontonians who are struggling with PTSD or memories of war. 

Hatta says he understands those concerns, but encourages Torontonians to think of the show as a way to inspire future pilots and technicians who may one day help save lives, for example as a part of a search-and-rescue mission. 

“There’s a little more to it than meets the eye,” he said. 

On its website FAQ, the air show writes that the show complies with “all regulations, including those published by Transport Canada relating to noise.”